Shangdang Gate

　　Highlights:       A historic gate-style building with ethnic architectural characteristics in a local government office compound. Climbing to the upper floor offers a panoramic view of the Changzhi cityscape.    Introduction:      Shangdang Gate is located at the northern end of Fupo Street on West Avenue in Changzhi City. It served as the main gate of the ancient Shangdang Prefecture Office (later the Lu’an Prefecture Government Office).    The name “Shangdang” dates back to the Shang Dynasty. During the Qin Dynasty, the Shangdang Prefecture was established, and its office was moved from Zhangzi County to what is now Changzhi City. Shangdang Gate was first built during the Sui Kaihuang era. When Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, served as the deputy military governor of Luzhou, he expanded the government complex extensively, adding structures such as the Feilong Palace and Defeng Pavilion. At its peak, there were over 280 halls, pavilions, and chambers. It was destroyed in warfare during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. In the third year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1370), Shangdang Gate was rebuilt, and the bell and drum towers were added later.    Shangdang Gate faces south and features an architectural layout that includes, in sequence, a glazed screen wall, the main gate (also called the main entrance), with the bell and drum towers located on either side of the gate, a second gate and its screen wall, a central gate along with east and west side gates, a memorial archway, the main hall, the secondary hall, and associated east and west wing rooms, as well as the Feilong Palace, Defeng Pavilion, office courtyard, west garden, and Yingchun Platform. The grouping of pavilions, halls, towers, and palaces combines varied heights and levels, presenting a grand and expansive layout. Currently, only the main gate, the bell and drum towers, the secondary hall, the office courtyard, and the west garden remain. The main gate and the bell and drum towers are aligned in parallel, standing on high platforms, with clear hierarchy and a well-balanced layout. The main gate is three bays wide and four rafters deep, with the central bay serving as the entry, while the side bays feature brick-built fan-shaped walls. It has a single-eave hanging hip roof. The roof is adorned with gray ridges and animal ornaments, and fitted with plain tiles. The bell and drum towers are constructed with gray bricks, featuring crenellations, arched passageways, and stairways, topped with structures spanning three bays, double-eave hip-and-gable roofs. A plaque on the right bell tower reads “Feng Chi” (Wind Speeds), while one on the left drum tower says “Yun Dong” (Clouds Move), symbolizing their soaring heights. The outer bell and drum towers, with their intricate bracket sets and ornate ridge ornaments, complement the main gate, creating a harmonious and imposing ensemble.

　　　　 

　　 Changzhi City, Shanxi Province