Shiqian Wanshou Palace

Shiqian Wanshou Palace

Shiqian Wanshou Palace is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Shiqian Wanshou Palace

As a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, it is situated at the northern end of Changzheng Road in Shiqian County Town and can be reached on foot within the urban area. It is a famous ancient architectural complex and tourist site in Guizhou. Originally built in the 16th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1588) and renovated in the 14th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1657), it was initially known as the “Yuzhang Provincial Guild Hall.” In the 13th year of the Yongzheng reign, Magistrate Zhao Zhiyuan oversaw renovations, and in the 3rd year of the Qianlong reign, Magistrate Du Li further restored the structure. At that time, Wanshou Palace did not have the scale it has today; its layout faced south. Later, through fundraising by locals such as Zuo Chengxian, the palace was redesigned to face west, covering an area of 3,800 square meters—the current size. However, the position of the main gate has remained unchanged; it is not aligned with the central axis, which is one of the most distinctive features setting Shiqian Wanshou Palace apart from others.

The three main gates of Wanshou Palace ingeniously integrate memorial archways, entrances, and gables, constructed with blue bricks carved in imitation of wood. This design is both aesthetically pleasing and practical, saves labor and materials, and offers good fire resistance. The entire structure follows the terrain, gradually ascending from west to east, forming a two-courtyard enclosed-firewall quadrangle. The architecture consists of eastern and western sections. The western part includes the main gate, rear rooms, theater stage, and corridors, creating the western architectural space. The eastern section is divided into three wings: the northern Ziyun Palace, the central passageway and main hall, and the southern Sacred Emperor Palace. This forms a uniquely intricate layout of courts within courts, palaces within palaces, and walls within walls—demonstrating a well-spaced, hierarchically clear, and richly decorated spatial artistry that embodies the essence of Wanshou Palace’s architectural style. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, a large number of military personnel and civilians from Jiangxi migrated to Guizhou. Originally stationed as garrison troops, they eventually settled down and integrated with local ethnic groups. With socioeconomic development, Jiangxi merchants traveled up rivers such as the Duliu, Qingshui, Wuyang, Jin, Wu, and Chishui, venturing deep into the mountainous regions of Guizhou in search of opportunities, forming new communities. To protect their interests, they pooled resources to build Jiangxi guild halls, commonly referred to as “Wanshou Palaces.” Shiqian is a place with a very long history. After Qin Shi Huang unified China and implemented the commandery-county system, Yelang County was established in what is now the western part of the county. In the Yuan Dynasty, the Shiqian Military-Civilian Command was set up where the county seat is today, and in the Ming Dynasty, it was upgraded to Shiqian Prefecture—one of the thirteen prefectures under the Guizhou Provincial Administration Commission. In other words, Shiqian Prefecture was established around the same time as Guizhou Province itself. Historically, Shiqian enjoyed economic prosperity and dense population, serving as a key transportation hub. As the city developed, the Jiangxi merchant community grew steadily. To provide a gathering and resting place for people from Jiangxi, they funded the construction of this public building, giving rise to Wanshou Palace.

Since ancient times, Shiqian has been a multi-ethnic settlement area, with major ethnic groups including the Gelao, Dong, and Miao peoples. The master builder responsible for constructing Wanshou Palace was a local Gelao person who creatively incorporated the upturned-eave features of traditional Gelao houses into the architecture. This is most prominently reflected in the theater stage, which is a single-bay hip-and-gable roof structure, its form almost identical to the upturned-eave wing rooms of Gelao residences—a highly practical design that improves indoor lighting and offers rain protection. The hip-and-gable roof was the highest-ranking architectural style in ancient times, signifying that Wanshou Palace held considerable prestige and influence locally. The stage is adorned with ornate decorative elements such as Ruyi brackets, caisson ceilings, screens, hanging lattices, and goose-neck brackets. The eight horizontal beams on the stage feature bas-reliefs of the Eight Immortals and floral-bird motifs, but most striking are the 15 bas-reliefs beneath the stage depicting scenes from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, such as “The Oath of the Peach Garden,” “Liu Bei’s Three Visits to Zhuge Liang,” “The Battle of the Three Heroes Against Lu Bu,” and “The Empty City Stratagem.” Both the scenes and figures are rendered with remarkable lifelikeness, showcasing the carver’s exceptional craftsmanship. Notably, there are also two pairs of couplets on the stage. One reads: “Tying belts and adjusting caps, clearly portraying rulers, ministers, fathers, and sons; when the gongs and drums stop, who are the sons, daughters, husbands, and wives?” Its meaning describes not only the fictional tales on stage but also reflects on life itself. Another couplet nearby was added after the palace’s expansion. Later generations felt the original was inadequate to convey the full meaning of the Yuzhang Guild Hall, so they inscribed this one: “From the southern regions of Nan, Fu, Lin, Rui, and Ji, talents from the Five Prefectures gather here in great numbers; combining sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou roles, even one missing character makes the play incomplete.” “Nan, Fu, Lin, Rui, Ji” refer to the five regions whose merchants contributed to building the palace. The central structure on the eastern side of Wanshou Palace is the main hall gate, flanked by “Ziyun Palace” on the left and “Sacred Emperor Palace” on the right—both designed as memorial archway-style wall gates. Stone pillars support arched roofs, with stone lions on either side. The lintels above and around the gates are carved with images of figures, dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and birds. The walls of these two gates extend 1 meter forward compared to the central gate, forming a concave shape. During the Republican era, a passageway was built here to shelter dignitaries from sun and rain while watching performances. Aligned along the central axis are three tall, open halls with partition walls inside, creating small courtyards within the two gate areas. On either side of the gates are bell and drum towers, their eaves and tiles connected. Stone staircases along the north and south walls lead to the upper floors of the front courtyard. This design ensures ample space to move around regardless of sun or rain. Against the eastern wall stand three grand, spacious halls with beams and pillars carved with fish and dragon patterns, housing seven exquisitely sculpted shrines dedicated to deities such as Lord Xu. After the Xinhai Revolution, especially during the 1920s, the palace suffered several damages due to warlord conflicts and banditry, but it was also repeatedly repaired. In 1934, the -army used the palace to detain wounded, scattered, or captured soldiers of the Red Sixth Army Corps during their westward campaign. In 1936, some officers and soldiers of the Red Second and Sixth Armies were stationed here, using the theater stage for performances and propaganda activities. Leaders such as He Long visited to encourage newly recruited Red Army soldiers. Wanshou Palace boasts a rigorous layout, grand engineering, and exquisite architecture, ranking first among similar structures in the province. Although most of its wooden carvings and clay sculptures were destroyed, its structural integrity remains intact—an extremely rare case among similar buildings. Its architectural techniques blend Central Plains culture, regional culture, and ethnic culture, vividly reflecting the historical economic development, cultural exchange, and ethnic integration of ancient Shiqian. For these reasons, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council on June 25, 2001.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units