Tengzhou County Yamen

Tengzhou County Yamen

Tengzhou County Yamen is a Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tengzhou County Yamen, located in Beixin Subdistrict Office, Tengzhou City, Shandong Province, was designated as a Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit on December 7, 2006. It is an ancient building that served as the county yamen of Teng County during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is one of the cultural relics protection units of Shandong Province in the People's Republic of China.

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Teng County Yamen was destroyed in the chaos of war. In 1369 (the second year of the Hongwu reign in the Ming Dynasty), Magistrate Xue Yuanyi repaired the Nanliang Dam and diverted water from Nanliang through Huangshan Bridge into the city moat. The Teng County Yamen was also rebuilt. In 1487, Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty passed away, and his third son, Zhu Youchang, ascended the throne, later changing the era name to Hongzhi. Emperor Xiaozong, or Zhu Youchang, was a diligent and capable ruler and is regarded as a wise monarch of the mid-Ming period. His reign initiated what historians call the "Hongzhi Revival," a time of rapid socio-economic development. During this period, government finances continuously improved, laying the economic foundation for constructing a fully equipped county yamen. Historical records indicate that the Teng County Yamen was fully developed between 1465 and 1505 (during the Chenghua and Hongzhi eras of the Ming Dynasty). The existing old yamen hall remains largely intact and features typical architectural characteristics of the Ming and Qing periods. Research suggests it dates back to the Ming Dynasty, boasting a history of over 500 years.

Regarding the grandeur of the Teng County Yamen during the Ming Dynasty, the "Teng County Annals · Establishment Records" compiled in the 13th year of the Wanli reign (1585) states: “In the center is the main hall with five rooms; behind the hall is the Qin Hall, which was the Yuan Dynasty’s Xian’ge Hall. To the left of the hall is the Curtain Chamber, and to the right are the Imperial Carriage Depot and the Arms Depot. Behind the Curtain Chamber and in front of the hall is the Admonition Stone Pavilion, inscribed with the warning: ‘You receive your salary, the people’s fat and sweat; the common folk are easily oppressed, but Heaven cannot be deceived.’ On the east and west sides are six offices — Horse Affairs, Document Reception, Judiciary, Framework, Archives, and Storage — each with three rooms. In front is the Ceremonial Gate, and further ahead is the Main Gate, atop which is a Watchtower. Even further ahead is the Memorial Arch standing on the street, originally inscribed with ‘Pastoral Love,’ which was changed in the 39th year of the Jiajing reign (1560) to ‘Good State.’”

Longquan Subdistrict: Longquan Subdistrict is located in the eastern part of the urban area, governing 6 communities, 49 resident committees, covering an area of 28.1 square kilometers, with a population of 90,000.

Longquan Subdistrict has a rich cultural heritage. Within its jurisdiction are cultural and natural resources such as the Longquan Ancient Pagoda built in the Tang Dynasty, the Han Dynasty Relief Stone Museum, the Mozi Research Center, and the Wang Xuezhong Art Museum. It is the educational and cultural hub of Tengzhou City.

Longquan Subdistrict enjoys a superior location, convenient transportation, and a high level of urbanization. It borders the Rizhao Lanshan Port to the east and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to the west. The Beijing-Shanghai Expressway and Beijing-Shanghai Railway run north-south through the area, while nearby airports include those in Jinan, Xuzhou, and Linyi. ... More detailed information about Longquan Subdistrict ++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units