Ancient Buildings of Guhan Town

Ancient Buildings of Guhan Town

The Ancient Buildings of Guhan Town are protected cultural heritage sites of Shanxi Province.

Ancient Buildings of Guhan Town (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Yuan, Ming, Qing Dynasties

Location: Within Xiangyuan County, Changzhi City

Xiangyuan County Chenghuang Temple is the only surviving structure in the Changzhi region established by prefectural and county governments in response to imperial decree. All existing buildings of the Chenghuang Temple date back to the Ming Dynasty. The temple faces south and covers a total area of 6,748 square meters. The surviving central axis structures include the mountain gate, bell and drum towers on both sides, the theater stage (music pavilion), and the bedroom palace. The rest were destroyed during the Anti-Japanese War and the Cultural Revolution. On the east and west sides are newly built teaching buildings of Xiangyuan County No. 2 Primary School and residential houses.

Chongfu Temple, also known as Jingfu Temple or Jingfu Temple, and nicknamed Shangsi Tower. According to the 1778 (Qing Qianlong 43rd year) "Xiangyuan County Annals," the temple was built during the Tang Dynasty, “rebuilt in the 43rd year of the Ming Jiajing era (1564), with a tower in front of the temple, which was renovated again in the 3rd year of the Qianlong era (1738).” The entire temple faces north and consists of the Shangsi Tower, east and west side halls, covering an area of 1,530 square meters. The existing Shangsi Tower is a Ming Dynasty structure, a three-tiered hip-and-gable roofed pavilion. The first floor is surrounded by a corridor with 18 stone pillars, and the second floor features a flat balcony corridor. The first level has bracket sets with a single dou and double rising blocks in a hemp leaf pattern, supported by bracket arms, with bracket arms extending to the eaves. The building is a representative example of multi-story architecture. It is one of the more intact ancient buildings in the region.

Guan-Yue Temple, originally established in the 4th year of the Yuan Taiding era (1324). In the 5th year of the Republic of China (1916), Yue Fei, the Southern Song hero who resisted the Jin, was enshrined alongside Guan Yu, leading to the temple being renamed Guan-Yue Temple. The temple faces west and along its central axis from east to west are arranged the main hall, offering hall, mountain gate (reverse-facing theater stage), as well as north and south dressing towers and east and west wing rooms. The main hall was built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated in the Ming Dynasty, serving as an important example reflecting the architectural transition between the Yuan and Ming periods. It is five bays wide and six rafters deep. It has a single-eave gable and hip roof, covered with tubular and flat tiles, with glazed ridge ornaments. The beam framework follows the “five-rafter beam pressing the front purlin with four columns, front eave corridor” style. Bracket sets are positioned above the front purlins, with the front eave corridor extending outward at a 5° slant. The worship hall is connected to the rear hall. Inside the main hall is a mural that spans across both side walls and the back wall.

Tongji Bridge, according to the Qianlong edition of the "Xiangyuan County Annals": “Tongji Bridge was built outside the southern gate of the county town during the Chenghua era by Wang Junqing, a retired county magistrate from the locality. It was later renovated by Magistrate Tong Xueshi at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty.” It is a Ming Dynasty single-arch stone bridge oriented from north to south, with an arch span of 6.2 meters and a rise of 6.51 meters, giving a span-to-rise ratio of approximately 1:0.95. The bridge deck is paved with bluestone slabs, later augmented with asphalt for ease of walking. Stone railings and balusters line both sides, and the ends of the bridge are finished with drum stones. The bridge holds significant value as part of the ancient transportation infrastructure in the region. Information source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units