Jitan Shaan-Shan Guild Hall

Jitan Shaan-Shan Guild Hall

The Jitan Shaan-Shan Guild Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

Jitan Shaan-Shan Guild Hall

The Jitan Shaan-Shan Guild Hall is located within the campus of Jitan Middle School, about 20 kilometers east of the town. It served as a meeting place for merchants from other regions doing business in Dengzhou. The hall was also used for worshiping deities, praying for blessings and averting disasters, exchanging information, receiving merchants, and storing goods. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Dengzhou enjoyed a vibrant economy, with as many as 15 guild halls built in the region. Among them, the “Shaan-Shan Guild Hall” in Jitan was the most exquisite. The guild hall complex includes a main hall, an offering hall, a theater stage, a bell tower, a drum tower, a Spring and Autumn Tower, and a stone memorial archway—structures that are grand and majestic in scale. Jitan Town lies close to the Tuan River and is also where the Zhao River flows into the Tuan. To the east, it borders Shangzhuang and Wangji Township of Xinye. The entire town sits on a flat plain. The Tuan River enters from Houwan in the west, while the Zhao River flows in from the north at Liwa, joining the Tuan River at Houwan before heading east and then turning south, passing through Diaodi into Xinye County. In the Qing Dynasty, the Tuan River was deep, making Jitan Town a hub for waterway freight in Dengzhou and a very bustling place, earning it the reputation of “Little Hankou.” As a result, the Shaan-Shan Guild Hall was economically active at the time, attracting a large number of merchants. The existing Shaan-Shan Guild Hall features three bays of arched corridors along the central axis and a main hall of three bays. On either side of the main hall are two wing rooms each, forming a cohesive complex entirely constructed of brick and tile. The main structure extends out over both the front and rear eaves in a hip-and-gable roof style. The arched corridor is 8.7 meters deep, 11.6 meters long, and 7 meters high; it has a front terrace that is 0.5 meters high, 4 meters wide, and 9.5 meters long. The main hall is 11.6 meters deep, 8 meters high, while the wing rooms are 6.5 meters deep, 7.2 meters long, and 5 meters high. There is nearly a 2-meter gap between the arched corridor and the main hall, with adjacent eaves creating a compact feel. The architecture is tall and majestic, with a well-organized structure and good preservation.

Jitan Town: Jitan Town is located in the eastern part of Dengzhou City. To the east and south, it borders Shangzhuang Township and Wangji Town of Xinye County respectively; to the southwest, it faces Yaodian Township across the river; to the west, it borders Bainiu Township; and to the north, it adjoins Yuanzhuang Township. The town covers an area of 22.8 square kilometers, governs 10 administrative villages, 34 natural villages, has 4,900 households, and a population of 22,000. The total cultivated land area of the town is 27,500 mu.

Rural Economy　

The town’s economic development is primarily based on agriculture. Cash crops include tobacco, cotton, sesame, peanuts, and soybeans. In 1998, the total agricultural output value of the town was 86 million yuan, and farmers... Detailed information about Jitan Town++