East Imperial Throne Hall

East Imperial Throne Hall

The East Imperial Throne Hall is located inside the Donghua Gate of Dai Temple in Tai’an. Originally known as the Guest Reception Hall, it was built during the Yuan Dynasty and served as a resting place for high-ranking officials and nobility. In the 35th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1770), it was expanded and renamed the Imperial Lodging Pavilion, becoming an exclusive imperial site.

It is the most completely preserved Qing Dynasty courtyard in Dai Temple, composed of a hanging-flower gate, ceremonial gate, main gate, main hall, and side halls. The main hall, side halls, and main gate are connected by surrounding corridors. The central bay of the main hall was used for emperors to receive their ministers; the two side bays were a study room on the east and a bedroom on the west. The hall displays the “Three Treasures of Mount Tai” (the agarwood lions, the warm-and-cool jade, and the yellow-and-blue glazed porcelain gourd vase), as well as imperial artifacts such as dragon pedestals, dragon chairs, wardrobes, square tables, and other rosewood furniture, along with marble decorative screens. The east and west side halls now host exhibitions on Emperor Qianlong and Mount Tai.

Under the pines and cypresses in front of the hall, there is the “Inscription on the Praise of the Green Emperor Guangsheng Emperor” by Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty on the east, and the world-renowned remnant stele of the “Qin Inscription on Mount Tai” on the west. The southern corridor houses six stone tablets inscribed with poems by Guo Moruo from his 1961 ascent of Mount Tai.

In 1986, a wall was built south of the Han Pine Pavilion, incorporating it into the East Imperial Throne Hall and converting it into a teahouse. At the same time, seven rooms of the Royal Incense Spring Tea Room were constructed north of the pavilion. To the north of the East Imperial Throne Hall was originally the East Taoist Courtyard, which is now the Yizuo Hotel in Tai’an.

The courtyard preserves the famous Qin Dynasty “Mount Tai Stone Inscription,” the earliest stone carving relic in China and a precious resource for studying the history and script of the Qin Dynasty, which has always been highly regarded.

Hao Jing of the Yuan Dynasty praised it in his poem “Reading the Qin Stele at Taiping Top”: “Straight as hairpins, firm as tendons, twisted like iron, polished like jade—exquisite and unique. A thousand years of lean vigor grow ever more dynamic, making other styles seem bloated and clumsy.” Wang Jiarong of the Qing Dynasty lauded it: “Two scattered fragments of stone, outstanding for two thousand years.” Lu Xun commented: “Simple yet vivid, truly the origin of Han and Jin dynasty inscriptions.” The southern corridor is inscribed all around with Guo Moruo’s 1961 Mount Tai poetry, and the entire courtyard is shaded by pines and cypresses, offering a serene and elegant atmosphere.