Ancient Architectural Complex on Dongshan Hill

Ancient Architectural Complex on Dongshan Hill

The Ancient Architectural Complex on Dongshan Hill is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Ancient Architectural Complex on Dongshan Hill is located in the eastern part of Tongren City, Guizhou Province, overlooking the Jinjiang River to the south.

The complex spans around 30,000 square meters. Lush with ancient trees and blessed with beautiful scenery, the Ming and Qing architectural ensemble includes the “Chengjiang Tower” and “Chuanshang Pavilion” built on the hilltop in 1516, the “Daguan Tower” added in 1543, the “Kui Star Pavilion” from 1822, as well as other Qing-era structures such as Chongzhen Temple, Chongxian Palace, Zhenwu Temple, Wenchang Palace, Mahavira Hall, Wuhou Shrine, Kui Star Tower, Huguo Tower, and Erwu Pavilion. These are roughly divided into three groups: the hilltop, the western hillside, and the southern cliff top. At the hilltop, the surviving Leishen Hall and Zhenwu Hall stand in succession, each with frontages of three and five bays respectively, featuring screen walls. Behind the Zhenwu Hall lies the Mahavira Hall along with side halls in the form of stilted buildings. The area has now been converted into the Tongren Cultural Museum. Nearby stands the 1912-built Guangfu Monument.

The temples on Dongshan Hill are distributed across the summit, mid-slopes, and foot of the hill. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, dozens of temples have been built here, and several still remain, including the Chuanshang Pavilion, Leishen Hall, Zhenwu Hall, Mahavira Hall, east and west wing rooms, as well as other historic structures or ruins such as the Guanyin Pavilion, Zhenyuan Tower, Shuangfeng Pavilion, library room, Ink-Washing Pool, and Clouds and River Sounds. The architecture follows the contours of the mountain, gradually ascending from south to north and from west to east, exemplifying the perfect integration of traditional design with mountainous terrain.

The Chuanshang Pavilion was built on the riverside cliff of Dongshan Hill, featuring a double-eave hexagonal spire roof. The Mahavira Hall has five bays in width and three in depth, with a mixed post-and-lintel and beam-raising structure and a flush-gable roof covered in green tiles. The Zhenwu Hall also spans five bays in both width and depth, with a flush-gable hard roof supported by post-and-lintel construction. The Leishen Hall is three bays wide and deep, with a similar hard gable roof. The Feishan Temple, located at the hill’s foot, was built by He Guoxian, a deputy general tasked with wall reinforcement and suppressing the “Red Miao” during the Kangxi era of the Qing, and currently retains the theater stage, side rooms, and main hall, covering a construction area of 1,145.1 square meters.

Tongren once hosted guildhall-style buildings such as the Chuanzhu Palace, Wanshou Palace, Yuwang Palace, and Tianhou Palace. Also known as the Chuanzhu Temple, the Chuanzhu Palace was first built in 1375 during the eighth year of the Hongwu Emperor’s reign, and underwent multiple renovations over time, with further additions completed in 1878 during the fourth year of the Guangxu Emperor’s reign. It faces southeast from the northwest and follows a central axis. From southeast to northwest, it includes the dock, memorial archway gate, theater stage, main hall, side rooms, and Guanyin Hall. The surviving structures are the memorial archway gate, theater stage, main hall, and side rooms. The complex sits against a mountain and faces water, covering 5,000 square meters with a built-up area of 1,200 square meters. The main hall is five bays wide (21.7 meters total), three bays deep (8.9 meters), and features a front porch three bays wide (13.5 meters) and one bay deep (3.6 meters), all under a flush gable roof with fireproofing walls and green tiles. Its beams use camel hump and elephant-head shaped brackets. On both sides of the ridge beam pillars are cloud-patterned fork supports. The lattice windows and doors are well preserved, and inscriptions on the main beams are faintly visible. Five stone tablets from the Xianfeng and Tongzhi eras, recording events and notices, are embedded in the left side room’s retaining wall.

Tongren retains two city gates, four docks, and over 1,800 meters of city wall along the Dongshan–Jiangzongmen–Houshui Gate section. Most of the walls were built along the water and constructed from quarried stone. The docks had specialized functions: apart from the Nanmen dock, which served as a checkpoint, others were used for cargo. The Bianshui Gate and Jiangzong Gate docks specifically berthed local specialties such as tung oil, peanuts, timber, tobacco, medicinal herbs, pig bristles, cinnabar, and more from upstream of the Jinjiang River and Mount Fanjing. The Zhongnanmen and Ximen docks handled goods destined for Changde in Hunan, as well as incoming cotton, cloth, candy, and porcelain. The Chuanzhu Palace dock was reserved for Sichuanese traders, where Sichuan salt was offloaded and distributed across central Guizhou. During the Ming and Qing periods, the Zhongnanmen dock was the busiest in Tongren and remains in use today.

In 2006, the Ancient Architectural Complex on Dongshan Hill was listed by the State Council as part of the sixth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units for its well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty buildings.

Location

Dongshan, Tongren City, Guizhou Province

Further Reading:

· Sixth Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units