Zhangjiakou Wenchang Pavilion

Zhangjiakou Wenchang Pavilion

Zhangjiakou Wenchang Pavilion is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

Zhangjiakou Wenchang Pavilion was first built in the 46th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1618), boasting a history of over 390 years. The “Four-Gate Cave” beneath the pavilion gave rise to four streets: East, West, South, and North Drum Tower Streets. The pavilion enshrines Wenchang Star, also known as the “Literary Star,” the deity governing scholarly honor and official rank. In the third year of the Yanyou era under Emperor Renzong of the Yuan Dynasty (1316), the Zitong Emperor was posthumously honored as the “Auxiliary Literary Enlightenment Wenchang Official of Rank and Broad Benevolence Emperor,” referred to as the “Wenchang Emperor.” The Wenchang Pavilion is an important surviving landmark structure from the Ming Dynasty. It is square-shaped, facing south with its back to the north, with a stone-slab-and-brick platform foundation. It measures 14.50 meters from north to south and 14.57 meters from east to west, covering an area of 211.26 square meters. The original platform was 8 meters high, but due to later elevation of the base, it now stands at 7.2 meters. The central part of the gate cave features a domed ceiling, with an engraved eight-trigram stone set at its center. The four gateways atop the platform are inscribed with large red characters: the south reads “Wenchang Pavilion”; the north, “Bell Tower”; the east, “Drum Tower”; and the west, “Mountain Tower.” The bell and drum towers, along with their flagpoles, were demolished long ago, though the stone bases on both sides remain clearly visible. The Wenchang Pavilion itself is about 7.5 meters tall, featuring a single-eave hip-and-gable roof covered with yellow and green glazed tiles. It has a width of three bays and a depth of two bays. The rooftop is adorned with nine ridge beasts, flying eaves, upturned corners, and intricately crafted bracket sets.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hebei Province