Nanshan Palace

　　The palace faces west and east, overlooking Bijia Mountain, at an elevation of 300 meters, and covers an area of over 2,000 square meters. It was originally built in the first year of the Deqing era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1275), and was rebuilt in the sixth year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1441). Chen Tianding, a former imperial official, once stayed here for two years and personally inscribed the plaque “Virtue Flourishes from Heaven’s Beginning.” Nanshan Palace enshrines the deities Holy Ancestor Immortal (Immortal Mother) and Commander Attendant, and houses 36 divination poems, which are said to have been written by Chen Tianding.

　　Nanshan Palace is a Taoist temple, designed in the architectural style of the Forbidden City’s Hall of Supreme Harmony, and constructed with brick and wood. The base of the temple is nearly square, with corridors on all sides. The interior is also square-shaped, featuring painted ceilings, with a central conical rotating caisson ceiling consisting of 99 brackets, topped with the Bagua Taiji diagram, symbolizing the concept of round heaven and square earth. The hall has four vermilion-painted diamond-shaped wooden columns adorned with paintings of dragons and the Eight Immortals, and both the interior and exterior wooden walls are decorated with clear and visible murals. The wooden components of the palace, such as brackets and rafters, are relatively simple yet dignified in style, while the decorative elements are quite minimalistic and bright. The roof is adorned with carvings of birds, beasts, plants, trees, and human figures, featuring double eaves and upturned corners. The current architectural style of Nanshan Palace is mainly from the Ming and Qing dynasties, except for the four red pillars and their bases, which are identified as relics from the Song Dynasty due to their distinct craftsmanship.

　　Thirteen rectangular centipede flags are still preserved at Nanshan Palace. Commonly known as large flags, they are named for their resemblance to centipedes. There are also two palanquins, which are said to have been decorated using 48 taels of powdered gold each. Both the centipede flags and palanquins feature ingenious designs, exquisite craftsmanship, and are resplendent and magnificent, making them precious cultural relics of Hua’an.

　　The carvings, paintings, and murals inside the palace are rich in subject matter, well-preserved, and the overall architectural artistry is exceptional, embodying profound traditional cultural significance. They hold high historical, artistic, and research value. Among them, the palanquins and centipede flags preserved in the palace are considered masterpieces of folk art.

　　In 2006, Nanshan Palace was approved by the State Council as part of the sixth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, recognized as an ancient building from the Ming to Qing periods.