Ancient Architectural Complex of the Old Town of Peng’an

Ancient Architectural Complex of the Old Town of Peng’an

The Ancient Architectural Complex of the Old Town of Peng’an is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

The old town of Peng’an is located in Jinping Town, west of Zhoukou Town where the current Peng’an County government is situated. It faces the county seat across the Jialing River and is backed by Jinping Mountain (also known as Wuma Mountain). The entire old town is nestled against the mountain and beside the water, boasting a vast and open terrain. Its ancient architectural complex mainly consists of six structures: the Confucian Temple, the Martial Temple, the Temple of the City God, the Yuhuan Academy, the Dragon God Shrine, and the Catholic Church. These sites are spread across an area of nearly one square kilometer, arranged from east to west along the river and built against the mountain. The eastern end is the Dragon God Shrine, the western end is the Catholic Church, the northern end is the Confucian Temple, and the southern end is the Temple of the City God. The total floor area is 12,500 square meters, with over fifty individual buildings (or rooms), all oriented to face south with a slight eastward inclination. These are all wooden structures built during the Qing Dynasty.

The ancient town of Xiangru (present-day Jinping Town in Peng’an County) has been the seat of the Xiangru County government since the second year of the Wansuitongtian era of the Wu Zhou period (697 AD). In the fifteenth year of the Zhiyuan era of Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty (1278 AD), it also served as the seat of the Pengzhou government. In the second year of the Republic of China (1913 AD), Pengzhou was renamed Peng’an County. This town remained the seat of Peng’an County until December 15, 1957, after the liberation. As the seat of both the prefecture and the county, Jinping Town held this status for a total of 1,261 years.

The city walls from the Tang to the Ming Dynasties were successively destroyed in wars. In the fourth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1665 AD), the walls were rebuilt on the site of those constructed during the Ming Dynasty, but were again destroyed in war. They were rebuilt once more in the fifty-fourth year of the Kangxi era (1715 AD), and subsequently repaired in the thirty-first and thirty-fifth years of the Qianlong era (1766 AD and 1768 AD). However, only a few fragmented sections of the walls remain today.

The streets of the old town are narrow, the residential buildings are low, and many ancient trees remain, preserving much of the old charm. Structures built during the Qing Dynasty, such as the Confucian Temple, the Martial Temple, the Dragon God Shrine, the Catholic Church, the Yuhuan Academy, the Temple of the City God, and the Zhenwu Palace, are still relatively well-preserved.

The Confucian Temple was first built in the early Yuan Dynasty. During the mid-Ming Dynasty, it was relocated to the north corner of the city and then moved back to its original site in the twenty-fourth year of the Wanli era. It underwent two major renovations during the Tianqi era and the eighth year of the Chongzhen era. The current structure was rebuilt in the seventh year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1827 AD). Also known as the Temple of Confucius or the Imperial College, the Confucian Temple remains largely intact today, with only some partial damage to the right wing room of the front hall.

The Martial Temple was rebuilt in the fourth year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1740 AD), though the exact date of its original construction is unknown. It is also known as the Guan Yu Temple, and was called the Guan-Yue Temple or the Zhonglie Shrine during the Republic of China period. Both courtyards of the current two-courtyard, four-sided complex are intact.

The Temple of the City God was rebuilt in the twentieth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1682 AD) and renovated again in the fifteenth year of the Daoguang era (1836 AD). Its original construction date is unclear. The existing structures include the main hall and the left and right wing rooms.

The Yuhuan Academy was established in the twenty-seventh year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1847 AD) by Yao Ying, a literary figure from Tongcheng, Anhui, who served as the magistrate of Pengzhou. The current front lecture hall and the connected left and right wing rooms are intact.

The Catholic Church was built in the early years of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1875–1908). It features traditional Chinese architecture, with both the four-sided courtyard and the front hall well-preserved.

The Dragon God Shrine was also established in the twenty-seventh year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1847 AD) by Yao Ying, the literary figure from Tongcheng who served as the magistrate of Pengzhou. It remains well-preserved.

As one of the state-level towns along the Jialing River, the old town of Peng’an once held significant historical importance and function. The design and construction of its ancient architectural complex embody the technical achievements of the Chinese nation in architectural history and reflect the spiritual pursuits of ethnic aesthetic customs. It holds important historical and cultural information. The handling of the site selection challenges for the Yuhuan Academy also demonstrates a positive spirit of “putting people first.”

Thanks to good preservation efforts and regular maintenance, the ancient buildings of the old town are in normal condition. The local government has played an effective role in cultural relic protection, and the using entities have a correct understanding and approach toward these historic structures. Even the nearby forests and vegetation have remained undisturbed. In June 2007, the Ancient Architectural Complex of the Old Town of Peng’an was announced by the People’s Government of Sichuan Province as part of the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units.

Protected Area: A 50-meter buffer zone extending beyond the boundaries of the sites including the Confucian Temple, the Martial Temple, the Temple of the City God, the Yuhuan Academy, the Catholic Church, and the Dragon God Shrine.

Construction Control Zone: A 10-meter buffer zone extending from the protected area boundary to the sites of the original east, south, west, and north city gates of the old town of Peng’an.

Jinping Town: In 2019, Lianglu Township and Changliang Township were abolished, and their administrative regions were incorporated into Jinping Town. The Jinping Town People’s Government is located at No. 58 Neixi Street.

Jinping Town is located at the western gateway of Peng’an County, facing the county seat across the river. It serves as a key transportation hub and an important distribution center for goods and commodities in western Peng’an. The town covers a total area of 37.1 square kilometers, with jurisdiction over 18 administrative villages, 139 production teams, 1 neighborhood committee, and a total population of 25,399 (including 8,500 non-agricultural residents). The total arable land area is 11,644 mu, and the main agricultural and sideline products include rice, wheat, ... More detailed information about Jinping Town++