Wan Yin Tower

Wan Yin Tower

Wan Yin Tower is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

Wan Yin Tower is located within the former residence of Chen Jieqi. The former residence of Chen Jieqi is situated to the north of the eastern end of Zengfutang Street in Chengguan Subdistrict, Weicheng District, and to the west of the northern end of Furong Street. It is a typical Qing Dynasty–style building. When the renowned Qing Dynasty epigraphist Chen Jieqi lived in Weifang, his old residence covered an area of about 10,000 square meters. Today, only the east tower and the north and south halls remain. The east tower is the world-famous Wan Yin Tower, which served as Chen Jieqi’s space for collecting cultural relics and conducting research and documentation. It earned the name “Wan Yin Tower” (Tower of Ten Thousand Seals) because it houses over 7,000 ancient seals from the Xia, Shang, Zhou dynasties, as well as the Qin and Han periods. With a collection of 11 ancient bells from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, he rounded the number to name his study “Shi Zhong Shan Fang” (Ten Bells Mountain House). Wan Yin Tower is a two-story structure built in the 30th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1850), with a brick-and-wood frame. It has five bays on each floor, faces west, and is oriented eastward. The central bay on the ground floor contains the entrance, while the upper floor features round windows. Inside Wan Yin Tower, there were once stored 248 pieces of Shang and Zhou bronze ware, 98 pieces of Qin and Han bronze objects, and over 10,000 cultural treasures including Qin and Han stone carvings, various ancient coins, pottery, porcelain, bricks, tiles, steles, statues, ancient books, paintings, and calligraphy. Chen Jieqi once wrote a couplet for Wan Yin Tower himself: “Four thousand kinds of pottery scripts from the lands of Qi and Lu, ten thousand seal inscriptions from the Zhou and Qin dynasties.” The north and south halls each have three bays; the front hall was used for gathering with fellow scholars for calligraphy and painting, while the rear hall served as the ancestral shrine of the Chen family.

In 1992, Wan Yin Tower was approved as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit, and the Chen Jieqi Former Residence Exhibition Hall was established here. The main gate of the Chen Jieqi Exhibition Hall is located on the west side of the northern end of Furong Street. The master artist Liu Haisu inscribed the plaque for “Wan Yin Tower,” calligrapher Qi Gong wrote the name for the “Chen Jieqi Former Residence Exhibition Hall,” and calligrapher Shen Peng composed the inscription: “Rooted in the Qin dynasty, its legacy benefits future generations.” The current exhibition hall houses 16 items once used by Chen Jieqi, including his personal seals, brushes, jade seals, fan surfaces, and couplets; nine items belonging to his father Chen Guanjun such as lacquered inkstones, seals, and handwritten booklets; 26 loose pages from the *Shi Zhong Shan Fang Yin Ju* (Seal Compilation of Ten Bells Mountain House) and nearly 100 volumes of ancient and modern editions of works like *Shi Zhong Shan Fang Yin Ju* and *Feng Ni Kao Lue* (Examination of Clay Seals); 24 ancient and modern rubbings of bronze ware, ancient pottery inscriptions, and stone carvings; six ancient mirrors; one stone stele of the *Chen Family Ancestral Hall Stele Inscription*; a full set of the Chen family genealogy; 15 replicated ancient bronze artifacts such as the Mao Gong Ding, Tian Wang Gui, and Jing Ren Bell; and 12 replicated items such as pottery inscriptions, roof tiles, and Han bricks. After the establishment of the Chen Jieqi Former Residence Exhibition Hall, the north hall was named “Shi Zhong Shan Fang,” where 11 replicated ancient chime bells are displayed.

Source: Urban District Chronicles Office

Chen Jieqi (1813–1884), styled Shouqing, also known as [Zhai]. He was a native of the city of Weixian (now Weicheng District). From a young age, he was diligent and eager to learn. As a teenager, he studied in the capital with his father, Chen Guanjun, who was an official in the Ministry of Personnel. By the age of 19, he had already “gained a reputation in the capital for his poetry and prose.” In 1835 (the 15th year of the Daoguang reign), he passed the imperial examination as a *Juren* (recommended man), and in 1845 (the 25th year of the Daoguang reign), he became a *Jinshi* (presented scholar). For the next 10 years, he served continuously in the Hanlin Academy. During his time in the capital, he extensively explored various cultural classics and conducted in-depth studies on subjects such as Confucian classics, philosophy, philology, rhetoric, and phonology. He had a particular passion for collecting and researching epigraphic texts. He once… [More details on Chen Jieqi]

Further reading:

· Second Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units