Ruins of the Ziyang Guild Hall

　　From Ziyang County, following the Renhe River upstream for about 10 li, there is a riverside town—Wafangdian. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Wafangdian, thanks to its unique geographical and transportation advantages, became one of the most important goods distribution centers in southern Shaanxi and was known as the “Little Hankou,” enjoying extremely prosperous commercial activity. Starting from the mid-Qing Dynasty, merchants from all over the country built guild halls in Wafangdian to maintain regional ties and enhance business competitiveness. Historical records indicate that during the late Ming and early Qing periods, there were 76 merchant firms in Ziyang, with merchants forming five major groups: Shaanxi, Huai, Huang, Sichuan, and Hunan, spanning ten provinces including Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Jiangxi, and Fujian. Guild halls were distributed across more than 20 towns and villages such as the county seat, Donghe, Hanwangcheng, Wafangdian, Gaotan, Maoba, and Gaoqiao, among which Wafangdian alone had 17. Today, the surviving guild halls in Wafangdian include the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall (also known as the North Five Provinces Guild Hall), the Jiangxi Guild Hall, and the Wuchang Guild Hall. These guild hall buildings feature simple yet elegant designs, grand structures, and are constructed with blue bricks and clay tiles. With upturned eaves, bracket sets, carved beams, and painted rafters, the decorations between the halls are vividly lifelike, making them treasures of Ming and Qing architectural art. Among them, the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall is relatively well-preserved. The complex is built against a mountain, featuring three terraced courtyards, divided into the main hall, side rooms, and a theater stage. On either side of the main gate stand a pair of guardian stone lions—the male lion is 1 meter tall, and the female lion is 0.95 meters tall, both exquisitely realistic. Each lion is surrounded by four stone railings, each carved with auspicious animal figures such as dragons, tigers, elephants, and qilins, in various poses that seem ready to come alive. In the center of the main hall stands a statue of Guan Yu, while the surrounding walls depict the stories of the Oath of the Peach Garden between Liu, Guan, and Zhang, as well as their campaigns against Wei and Wu. The stone pillars on both sides bear couplets that read:

　　Two silkworm-like brows guard the fate of the Han dynasty

　　A pair of phoenix-like eyes see through the Cao clan’s false heroes

　　In front of the theater stage stand two osmanthus trees like grand canopies, completely shading the open area before the building. In autumn, their fragrance fills the air, refreshing the heart and mind. The roof is exquisitely constructed, with upturned eaves and dancing dragons and phoenixes, and the ridge resembles a phoenix coronet, soaring into the sky.

　　The Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall, with its distinctive architectural style, embodies the essence of northern and southern architectural art and is rich in historical and cultural significance. It has been designated as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit and named the North Five Provinces Guild Hall.