Hall of the Minister

Hall of the Minister

The Hall of the Minister is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Hall of the Minister was first built during the Ming Dynasty and is located in Shangfeng Village within Songjiang, approximately 22 kilometers west of Songjiang Township. The hall faces south and is constructed of brick and wood, featuring a front hall, rear hall, side rooms, a stage, a memorial archway, pavilions, and more, covering an area of over 20,000 square meters.

Minister Wang, whose given name was Zhao and courtesy name Boxuan, was a native of Aishi in Songjiang. He came from a prominent family in central Hunan known for its scholarly and official prestige. In the fifth year of the Chenghua era (1469), he was promoted to Vice Minister of Works and was conferred the honorary title of Tongyi Daifu (Grand Master for Discussion). In the tenth year of Chenghua, he was transferred to the position of Left Vice Minister and was ordered by the emperor to oversee the restoration of the Grand Canal and the Imperial College. In the sixteenth year of Chenghua, after years of hard work combating floods, he fell ill from overwork and passed away in his hometown at the age of 68. Upon hearing the news, the emperor was deeply saddened, bestowed two commemorative steles, and ordered the construction of the Hall of the Minister in his hometown. During the ten years of turmoil (the Cultural Revolution), the site suffered damage. In 1994, the descendants of the Wang family, mindful of their ancestor’s legacy, raised funds to restore it. The current Hall of the Minister preserves the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty and is managed by dedicated personnel. The hall is surrounded by an elegant environment, with ancient trees towering above, birds singing, fragrant flowers, and refreshing shade. Its grand architecture stands solemn and serene, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, flowing cloud motifs, and shimmering decorations. The stair-like path gives the illusion of entering a fairyland, while the towering memorial archway resembles the South Heavenly Gate in the clouds. The three large characters “Hall of the Minister” shine brightly. A couplet on the archway reads: “A place of glory shining through the ages; a mountain of virtue admired for millennia,” expressing the people’s deep respect and admiration for Wang Zhao. People from near and far often visit the hall to pay tribute to their ancestors, pray for blessings and peace, and the incense here burns year-round, with prayers frequently answered.

“Virtue lasts a thousand years, inscribed in stone forever.” To protect historical relics, in 1996 the Hall of the Minister was designated as a county-level key cultural relic protection unit and has become one of the popular destinations for tourists from far and wide.