Binxing Guild Hall

Binxing Guild Hall

Binxing Guild Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Binxing Guild Hall is located at No. 10, Lane 3, Jindai South Street, Qiaoxi, Huicheng District. It was first built in the 8th year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1828), facing south with a depth of three sections and a width of three bays. The hall has an enclosed courtyard layout and covers an area of about 160 square meters. It was built by the local gentry of Huizhou in the Qing Dynasty to provide financial support for local scholars taking the provincial and metropolitan exams. The Binxing Guild Hall offers a rare physical insight into the imperial examination system. It is now a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit.

Facing south, Binxing Guild Hall features a traditional quadrangle courtyard layout with three main halls and four wing rooms. It covers a land area of approximately 1,070 square meters, with parts of the structure two stories high, and a total built-up area of around 1,500 square meters. It has relatively well-preserved architectural features from the Qing Dynasty and serves as an important physical representation of the culture surrounding the ancient imperial examination system. It holds certain cultural, artistic, and academic research value.

“Due to bombings by Japanese aircraft during the War of Resistance and subsequent demolitions and reconstructions after the liberation, today only the central section and the left and right wing rooms remain relatively intact, while the rest were rebuilt later. Although the three characters ‘Binxing Guild Hall’ on the lintel have completely faded, the remaining blue bricks, gray tiles, and upturned eaves still reflect the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty. Stepping into the courtyard of the central section, reporters noticed two bluish stone steles inlaid on the exterior wall of the central room, each measuring 1.2 meters in length and 0.7 meters in width. The inscriptions on the steles are still very clear: one is the 'Binxing Guild Hall Stele Inscription' and the other is the 'Binxing Guild Hall Regulations,' documenting that the hall was built in the 8th year of the Daoguang reign (1828). The Binxing Guild Hall was established by local gentry in Huizhou to support scholars taking part in the provincial and metropolitan examinations. In the 6th year of the Daoguang reign, upon the initiative of the well-known local gentry Huang Xigui, the gentry of Huizhou donated silver and silver dollars (with those donating more than 100 taels of silver having their names recorded in the 'Stele Inscription'). They purchased a piece of land on Tangwei Street (now Jindai South Street), and the guild hall was completed in November of the 8th year of the Daoguang reign. It was operated through rental income. During each provincial examination, 200 yuan was allocated from the rental income and divided equally among participating scholars as travel expenses. In years when the metropolitan examination was held, each successful provincial graduate (Juren) received 50 yuan in travel assistance.”

Name Origin

The name “Binxing” (宾客兴盛 / Welcoming the Rise of Scholars) originates from the Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li). According to the Rites of Zhou, local officials would host banquets for scholars taking the imperial exams, following the tradition of ancient hospitality ceremonies for scholars, which was referred to as “Binxing.” Later, the term also became a general reference to the provincial examinations.

Historical Value

It is understood that some experts have pointed out that the Binxing Guild Hall provided assistance to impoverished students taking imperial exams, serving as a supplement to the Qing government’s “Binxing fees” and “public vehicle fees.” As a byproduct of the imperial examination system, it is a rare reference material for understanding the history of the imperial examination system.

On December 10, 2015, Binxing Guild Hall was approved and announced by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province as part of the eighth batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units