Tianba Guild Hall

Tianba Guild Hall

Tianba Guild Hall is a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tianba Guild Hall is located in Shuanggui Town, Jialing District, Nanchong City, about 12.5 kilometers from Jialing District. Also known as "Wan Tian Gong," it earned the name Tianba Guild Hall because it sits in a field (tianba) at the head of Shuanggui Market. Covering a total area of approximately 800 square meters, it is a well-preserved and typical example of a northern Sichuan-style guild hall architectural complex. In 1994, it was designated as a Nanchong Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and in 2002, it was listed as a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit. The main surviving structures include the mountain gate, theater stage, and rear hall.

Tianba Guild Hall was built in the 56th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1791), and consists of five parts: the mountain gate, theater stage, book tower, front hall, and rear hall. In 1977, the book tower was demolished and replaced with a modern brick-and-wood teaching facility. In 1978, the front hall was torn down to make way for the renovation of the western teaching building.

Tianba Guild Hall is a delicate complex of wooden and stone structures from the Qing Dynasty. The entire building faces east and consists of five parts: the mountain gate, theater stage, book tower, front hall, and rear hall.

The mountain gate faces east, is 21 meters wide, with a door that is 2.2 meters wide and 2.5 meters high. The lintel, jambs, and main pillars are all made of stone slabs. The section above the lintel is constructed with blue bricks imitating bracket sets, reaching a height of about 3 meters. The central section of the main tower is inlaid with three rectangular stone slabs: the middle one features relief carvings of coiled dragons around the edges, with a square recessed panel in the center inscribed with the characters “Wan Tian Gong” (Palace of Ten Thousand Heavens); the southern and northern slabs depict the God of Fortune and the God of Prosperity, respectively. The secondary towers are adorned with round carvings of the characters “Fu” (Fortune) and “Shou” (Longevity). The lintel features relief carvings of historical figures, with a palace in the center engraved with an image of an emperor, the left side inscribed with “Wen Yuan Ge” (Literary Pavilion), and the right with “Wu Ying Dian” (Military Pavilion). The upper beam is decorated with the “Ji Ren Tu” (Picture of Patience). The couplet on the gate reads: “His merits rival those of Yu the Great, shining through the ages; his virtues nourish the people, worshipped for ten thousand years.” The plaque on the main tower is inscribed with characters such as “Li Ze Ji Ren” (Blessings Extend to the People).

The theater stage is 1 meter away from the mountain gate and faces away from it. It has a gabled roof and is a post-and-lintel wooden structure, measuring 8.8 meters in width and 9.5 meters in depth. The stage is shaped like the character “八” (eight), with the back (near the mountain gate) featuring relief carvings of “two dragons playing with a pearl” on the horizontal beam, while the front (stage eaves) features carvings of historical figures and stylized serpent patterns. The stage itself has six relief carvings depicting historical stories. Below the front of the stage, there is a rectangular courtyard paved with stone slabs, covering an area of 300 square meters, serving as the audience area. Originally, to allow audiences to enjoy performances in both sunny and rainy weather, an open-air pavilion was built in the courtyard. In front of the courtyard stand stone carvings of a pair of lions and a pair of dragons, while behind the courtyard is a 13-step stepped ramp.

From the theater stage, one ascends to the front hall via the ramp. The book tower has since been modified, and the open-air pavilion, front hall, and the stone lions and dragons have been demolished. Only some of the carved stone railings in front of the front hall remain, partially eroded, allowing only a general view of their original form.

The rear hall is 3 meters away from the front hall, featuring a single-eave gabled roof supported by raised beams. The roof structure is also supported by raised beams. It is three bays wide (15 meters), 17 meters deep, and 8 meters tall overall, with an eave height of 5 meters. Both the lintel and auxiliary beams are adorned with relief carvings of historical stories. The two inner pillars of the central bay rest on intricately carved drum-shaped stone bases. The upper horizontal beam bears ink inscriptions reading: “Wishing the current emperor ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years; the crown prince a thousand autumns, a thousand times a thousand autumns; civil and military officials…” The middle horizontal beam is inscribed in ink with: “Erected on the 30th day of the 10th month in the 56th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing, a propitious day.” In December 2002, it was designated as a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tianba Guild Hall was first built in the 56th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1719). It is a group of wooden and stone structures rich in local characteristics, representing a typical northern Sichuan guild hall architectural complex. The design is exquisite, the layout rational, the overall structure well-proportioned, elegant, and simple, and it is relatively well-preserved. It serves as a rare physical resource for studying the architecture of northern Sichuan.

The wood and stone carving artistry of Tianba Guild Hall is exceptional. The depictions of historical stories are vivid, with intricate and graceful lines and harmonious, vibrant colors. Particularly noteworthy are the 24 exquisitely carved wooden panels illustrating legendary opera tales, which hold significant artistic value.

Protected Area: North to 1 meter beyond the rear hall, south bounded by 15 meters beyond the mountain gate to the outer edge of the road, east bounded by 13 meters beyond the east study room to the outer edge of the road, west to 30 meters beyond the west study room.

Construction Control Zone: The protected area is extended 10 meters east and south, 50 meters west, and north to the retaining wall on the north side of the rear hall of Tianba Guild Hall.