Museum of Yu the Great’s Pavilion

Museum of Yu the Great’s Pavilion

The Museum of Yu the Great’s Pavilion is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural relics protection unit of Shandong Province.

The Museum of Yu the Great’s Pavilion is located 3 kilometers northwest of Yucheng City, covering an area of 136.5 mu. It was completed and opened to the public in 1997. The park consists of a large north-facing courtyard complex (which houses the Hall of Yu the Great, east and west side halls, bell and drum towers, etc.), the Juqiu historical site, Yu the Great’s Pavilion, and an artificial lake. Its structure is novel, compact, and boasts a grand and classic elegance. At the southern end of the courtyard stands a memorial archway-style mountain gate, above which hangs an inscription of “Yu the Great’s Pavilion” handwritten by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty.

Ascending the steps into the mountain gate, you will find a 6-meter-wide north-south pathway lined with pine and cypress trees on both sides. At the southern end of the pathway, on the eastern side, stands a stone stele inscribed with the text of the Record of the Reconstruction of Yu the Great’s Pavilion; on the western side of the southern end, there are two stone tablets listing the names of organizations and individuals who donated to the reconstruction of Yu the Great Park. On the northern side of the courtyard, there are 11-room ancient-style side halls on each of the east and west sides; at the northern end of the pathway stands the Hall of Yu the Great, built in the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The hall covers an area of over 300 square meters, with a width of five bays, double eaves, a hip-and-gable roof, and a nine-ridge design. Its total height is 16.7 meters, length 25.4 meters, and depth 15 meters.

Above the main entrance of the hall, between the two eaves, hangs a gilded plaque inscribed with “Hall of Yu the Great.” The door is flanked by a couplet on the pillars. The roof is covered with glazed tiles, and the interior features imperial-colored paintings, giving the hall a magnificent and resplendent appearance. In the center of the hall stands a seated statue of Yu the Great, about 6 meters tall, with a statue of a jade maiden holding a fan standing behind him on either side. Outside the northern gate of the courtyard lies “Juqiu Hill” (45 meters long from north to south, 50 meters wide from east to west, and 8 meters high). According to old records: “When Yu the Great was taming the floods, he built this hill to observe the water conditions.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Yu the Great’s Pavilion was built on the earthen mound. Later, due to years of neglect, it was destroyed, and no buildings remained on the mound. Nowadays, the mound is overgrown with weeds and bushes. In 1974, archaeologists from Shandong Province and Dezhou City conducted investigations here and discovered a layer of ash soil, as well as picking up ancient artifacts such as single-hole stone shovels, eggshell fragments, stone axes, pottery pellets, and pottery spinning wheels. After authentication by the Shandong Provincial Museum, these artifacts were identified as relics of the Longshan Culture, and Juqiu Hill is classified as a “Longshan Culture Site.”

In 1995, when the municipal party committee and government invested heavily in constructing Yu the Great Park, they piled up a large earthen mound 15 meters high on the northeast side adjacent to “Juqiu Hill.” The mound was reinforced with cement frame blocks, and 64 layers of flagstones were used to build steps on the southern side leading to the top. At the top of the mound, an 8-meter-high ancient-style octagonal pavilion was constructed and named “Yu the Great’s Pavilion.” The pavilion is supported by 16 vermilion pillars, and the wooden ceiling and walls are painted with scenes depicting the story of Yu the Great taming the floods. The entire “Yu the Great’s Pavilion” is grand and spectacular. Visitors standing inside the pavilion can not only be moved by the scenery and commemorate Yu the Great’s achievements in flood control but also overlook the urban landscape of Yucheng City and admire the beautiful rural scenery around. To the southeast of Yu the Great’s Pavilion, a 25-mu “Yu the Great Lake” has been excavated, with a water depth of 2 meters and crystal-clear visibility. Weeping willows around the lake add charm to the scenic view. In 2000, the municipal government established a cultural relics management office here, collecting local stone steles, stone figures, stone beasts, and other items from the public, and creating a forest of steles for visitors to appreciate.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Shandong Province