Puning Wenchang Pavilion

Puning Wenchang Pavilion

Puning Wenchang Pavilion is a cultural relic protection unit of Puning City and a patriotic education base.

Puning Wenchang Pavilion is located in Hongyang Town, Puning City. It was first built in the 60th year of the Kangxi reign (1721) through the initiative and donations of then-county magistrate Luo Bingqi, and was renovated in the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign (1872) under the supervision of Feng Sheng, the Chaozhou regional commander, and then-county magistrate Zhang Xuan. The building faces south, has three sections and two skywells, and measures 13.97 meters in width and 57.6 meters in depth. The floor is paved with red bricks, and it features shuttle-shaped large stone pillars. The central hall has a post-and-lintel wooden roof structure. The rear section is two stories high, reaching 8.2 meters.

The乾隆《Puning County Annals · Construction Records》states: “The Divisional Office is located east of the Temple to the City God, which is the Wenchang Pavilion. In the 60th year of the Kangxi reign, then-county magistrate Luo Bingqi initiated its construction. The front part is an open hall with dignified gateways and corridors; the rear is a tall pavilion where the statue of the Wenchang deity is enshrined, with sleeping quarters located beneath. There are three sections totaling nine rooms in all. Whenever envoys passed through, they would stay here.”

Puning Wenchang Pavilion is the historic site where Lin Zexu, the Qing Dynasty imperial commissioner famed for resisting British aggression and leading the anti-opium campaign including the destruction of opium at Humen, passed away. It enjoys high recognition both locally in Puning, across Guangdong Province, nationally, and even internationally. It is also a cultural relic protection unit of Puning City, as well as a patriotic education base for both Jieyang City and Puning City. Lin Zexu, a great patriotic figure and national hero of modern China, was born in Fuzhou in 1785 and passed away in Puning in 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty). At that time, while serving as an imperial commissioner, he was en route from Fujian to his post in Guangxi when he stayed at the Divisional Office (Wenchang Pavilion) in Puning. Due to severe illness, he unfortunately passed away here.

From its construction during the Kangxi era to its renovation in the Tongzhi era, Wenchang Pavilion served a dual purpose: as a place to enshrine the Wenchang deity, and as a lodging for visiting government officials, known as the Divisional Office. Because four martial "elders" — including Hao Youjin — were stationed here during the later Qing period, the pavilion also came to be known as the “Office of the Four Elders.”

Built in the 60th year of the Kangxi reign (1721) and renovated in the 11th year of the Tongzhi reign (1872), it remains fully preserved to this day. The building consists of three sections, nine rooms, and two skywells. It faces south, is 13.97 meters wide and 57.6 meters deep, with a red brick floor. The middle hall has four large shuttle-shaped stone pillars, the wooden frame uses a post-and-lintel system, and the roof is of the hip-and-gable style. The rear section is a two-story pavilion consisting of three rooms (two bedrooms and one hall), measuring 13.35 meters in width and 8 meters in depth, with the pavilion being 8.2 meters high and featuring a double-eave roof. The architectural style is solemn, classic, and dignified.

In the 19th year of the Daoguang reign (1839), Lin Zexu was appointed imperial commissioner and sent to Guangdong to suppress the opium trade. Standing firm against the surrenderist faction in the Qing court, he resolutely fought against drugs, severely punished drug traffickers, destroyed opium stocks, and acted with great moral courage. He also organized troops to resist armed incursions by Western powers. Lin Zexu’s integrity, selflessness, and fearless patriotism have been immortalized in history, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of Chinese people at home and abroad. The final resting place of Lin’s noble spirit — Puning Wenchang Pavilion — has attracted a continuous stream of visitors over the years. Those who visit the pavilion naturally feel deep reverence for Lin Zexu and strong condemnation for drug producers, traffickers, and invaders.

In May 1995, during a province-wide anti-drug campaign, Chen Shaoji, then member of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, visited the historical site. He was accompanied by the mayor of Jieyang and local leaders of Puning. On June 26, 1995 — International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking — a youth anti-drug rally was held at Wenchang Pavilion, further highlighting the patriotic educational and historical significance of this famous landmark, the resting place of the anti-drug hero Lin Zexu. Lin’s integrity, selflessness, and fearless patriotism continue to draw people to this pavilion to pay their respects.

In 2006, Wenchang Pavilion was restored and transformed into the Puning Lin Zexu Memorial Hall and a drug prevention education base. The restored pavilion largely retains its original historical structure. The second hall of Wenchang Pavilion houses a drug prevention exhibition, while the rear pavilion serves as the Lin Zexu Memorial Hall. On the first floor, a plaque inscribed with “Heaven and Earth’s Righteous Spirit” hangs prominently. In the central hall, a lifelike and majestic bronze statue of Lin Zexu evokes deep respect. The eastern wing room of Wenchang Pavilion is where Lin Zexu passed away; it displays some of his personal belongings, daily items, and writing materials.

Hongyang Town: Hongyang Town is located in the northeastern part of Puning City, covering an area of 66.3 square kilometers. This includes 35,000 mu of arable land and 32,000 mu of mountainous land. It governs 32 village committees and 2 community residential committees, with a total population of 144,000. It is a well-known fruit-producing and overseas Chinese hometown, with more than 50,000 overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The current town area spans approximately 8 square kilometers with a population of around 35,000. Hongyang enjoys convenient transportation, with Provincial Highway 1930 and the Zhanmian and Baima lines passing through the town. The town center is about 2... More details about Hongyang Town++