Xiqin Guild Hall

　　Located in the Leshi section of Jiefang Road, Ziliujing District, Zigong City, Xiqin Guild Hall sits against the scenic Longfeng Mountain to the rear and faces the bustling urban area in front. With its towering halls and uniquely shaped architecture, it was announced as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in January 1988. The Zigong Salt Industry History Museum is housed within the guild hall.

　　Xiqin Guild Hall, also known as Wusheng Palace and commonly referred to as the Shaanxi Temple or Guan Di Temple (Temple of Lord Guan), was primarily dedicated to the worship of Guan Yu. In the early Qing Dynasty, merchants from Shaanxi came to Ziliujing to engage in the salt trade and amassed great wealth. To "renew hometown camaraderie" and display their prosperity, they began constructing the guild hall in the first year of the Qianlong reign (1736), completing it after 16 years in the seventeenth year of Qianlong (1752). Between the seventh and eighth years of the Daoguang reign (1827–1828), extensive renovations and expansions were carried out, “extending the site by over ten zhang and opening up a new main hall against the mountain,” making it “twice as magnificent as before,” with a total area of 3,451 square meters. This is a relatively typical example of Chinese architecture, with a generally square floor plan, emphasis on symmetry, and a clear central axis. Major structures are arranged along the central axis, surrounded by corridors, walls, and other buildings that form five courtyards of varying sizes, depth, and layers.

　　The main decorative features of Xiqin Guild Hall are wood carvings and stone sculptures, found throughout the building and numbering in the hundreds. The most prominent among them are the carvings on pavilions such as the Stone Lions, Xianji Tower, Jinyong Tower, and BenGu Tower. The stone lions at the main gate stand 2.27 meters tall, with bulging eyes, protruding noses, curly fur, sharp claws, and their bodies twisted outward as they stare at each other and roar, exuding a powerful presence. The wood carvings at Xianji, Jinyong, and BenGu are concentrated on a wooden railing that is 22.3 meters long and 6.7 centimeters wide, featuring more than 350 figures with well-balanced density and crisp carving techniques. In addition, the wood carvings on beams, spandrels, cantilever beams, pendant flowers, and railings depict mythological tales, historical stories, social life, and dramatic scenes, as well as floral...

　　…still-life designs, all demonstrating exquisite craftsmanship and lifelike detail that remain clearly visible to this day.

　　Before liberation, Xiqin Guild Hall served as the seat of the Zigong Municipal Government under the Republic of China and had fallen into disrepair, verging on collapse. After liberation, this grand ancient structure finally returned to the hands of the people.

　　During the period when the Zigong People’s Committee used the building as its office, preservation and maintenance work were carried out on the structure. In the spring of 1959, central leaders including — visited Xiqin Guild Hall and repeatedly instructed that it be well protected.

　　In light of the leaders’ concern and considering that Xiqin Guild Hall itself is a historical relic reflecting the development of Zigong’s salt fields and industry, with significant scientific and artistic value, it was selected to house the “Zigong Salt Industry History Museum.” Through comprehensive restoration and rational layout, the museum displays a variety of ancient drilling, well-maintenance, and salvage tools. It also employs modern presentation techniques such as sound, light, and electricity to vividly recreate

　　the evolution and transformation of well salt production technology in the millennia-old Salt Capital.