An Yuan Sheng Ancestral Hall

An Yuan Sheng Ancestral Hall

An Yuan Sheng Ancestral Hall is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

An Yuan Sheng Ancestral Hall is located in An Yuan Town, An Yuan District, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province. It is the former site of the Pingxiang Coal Mine Administration Bureau, constructed in 1898 when the coal mine began operations. Initially serving as the general office of the mine administration, it later housed German engineering and technical personnel employed by the bureau. After the death of Sheng Xuanhuai, General Manager of the Han-Yeh-Ping Company, in 1916, the mine bureau commemorated him by naming this house Sheng Ancestral Hall. In front of the building are the remains of a fortification built for garrison purposes. The structure is designed in a German style and, situated atop a hillside, appears prominent and imposing. It is a three-story brick-and-wood building with certain architectural artistic value. It is currently a Jiangxi Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a tourist attraction in Pingxiang.

During the shocking Pingxiang Railway and Mine Workers' Strike that drew national and international attention, on the morning of September 16, 1922, the strike commander and the railway and mine bosses summoned the workers' representatives to the general office of the mine administration. Amid flashing sabers and guns, the representative fearlessly walked into the building and declared righteously, "There is no hope for a resolution unless we start with negotiations on the terms!" The commander threatened, "If you insist on causing unrest, we will execute the representatives first!" The representative remained unmoved and stated firmly, "With over ten thousand workers standing behind these demands, even if you grind the representatives to pieces, the issue still won’t be resolved!" At that moment, the office was surrounded by thousands of workers whose shouts thundered through the air. They vowed that if anyone dared harm a hair on the representative’s head, they would completely destroy both the railway and the mine. The representative’s resolute stand-off and the support of thousands of surrounding workers subdued the arrogance of the railway and mine authorities, forcing them to invite the representative back the next afternoon for further discussions. On September 17, with the boiler room's coal nearly depleted and the generator, ventilator, and water pump on the verge of shutting down, the mine faced the risk of ruin. The Jiangxi Military Governor and the railway and mine authorities, intimidated by the overwhelming power of the workers and fearing the situation could spiral out of control, strongly advocated for a peaceful resolution. The authorities had no choice but to agree to negotiate with the Workers’ Club. After intense debates throughout the night and mediation by local gentry, the thirteen-point agreement was signed on the morning of September 18, recognizing the Club’s right to represent the workers, increasing wages, and improving working conditions. The strike lasted five days, “proceeding with excellent order and strict organization,” “without a single injury or failure, achieving complete victory.”

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) announced An Yuan Sheng Ancestral Hall as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

An Yuan Town: Located in the eastern suburbs of Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province, An Yuan Town is 5 kilometers from downtown Pingxiang. It covers a total area of 25.5 square kilometers, including 218 hectares of arable land. The town administers six administrative villages and twelve neighborhood committees, hosts eleven resident units and sixteen enterprises and institutions, has one middle school and six primary schools, and has a total population of 36,000, including 12,400 agricultural residents. An Yuan Town is home to over twenty cultural relics protection units at the national, provincial, and municipal levels, making it an important base for patriotic education nationwide. In 1998, it was designated as a national model town for comprehensive economic development. In recent years, An... Detailed information about An Yuan Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units