Yangping Guild Hall Theater

　　Destination Introduction
　　The Yangping Guild Hall Theater is situated in the northwest of Chongwen District, near Xiaotong outside Qianmen. The guild hall was first built in the Ming Dynasty and later renovated multiple times. The theater itself was constructed and reconstructed during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It is a grand and imposing structure, featuring a 12-rafter cantilevered roof with double corridors at the front and back.

　　　　In front of the theater lies the guild hall courtyard, which has also been renovated over time, with all existing buildings being in the Qing style. The theater was built and reconstructed during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, and is a wooden structure with a 12-rafter cantilevered roof and double corridors at both ends. The interior is richly adorned with painted beams and carved rafters, exuding luxury and refinement. The side walls of the theater feature murals depicting theatrical scenes and shrines used for ancestral worship. At the center of the back wall facing the stage is a stone slab engraved with four couplets, recording the history and renovation details of the guild hall.

　　　　The Yangping Guild Hall Theater is one of the larger, more exquisitely built, and well-preserved examples of Qing-style civilian theaters in Beijing. It holds certain scientific value for the study of guild hall layouts and the history of theatrical development. It was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit in 1984.

　　　　Address: No. 36, Xiaotong, Chongwen District

　　　　Location: Situated in the northwest of Chongwen District, near Xiaotong outside Qianmen

　　　　Inside the theater, the painted beams and carved rafters create an opulent and majestic atmosphere. The viewing area is divided into two levels: the second floor, directly facing the stage, is an official box with a rolled shed roof and front veranda style, while the sides also serve as viewing areas that can accommodate tables and benches. The railings of the viewing area are adorned with carved flower panels and balusters, and there are staircases in each of the four corners for access. The main floor is arranged like a square pool, with square tables and long benches serving as seating for general audience members. The stage is nearly square in shape, protruding into the performance space, and features a front veranda style with a pair of stage pillars at the front and a surrounding corridor. The stage is divided into three levels, with openings above and trapdoors below to allow for mechanical stage effects. The side walls of the theater are painted with murals and feature shrines for ancestral worship. The back wall facing the stage is embedded with four stone slabs inscribed with historical records of the guild hall’s establishment and renovations. Due to severe weathering and human damage, most of the inscriptions have become illegible, with only fragments such as “Yangping..” and some characters still recognizable.

　　　　Originally, several large plaques hung inside the theater, but now only two remain: wooden plaques with gold characters on a black background. One of them is inscribed with “Awakening the World Bell” (Xing Shi Duo), written by Wang Duo, a renowned calligrapher from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.   Transportation Information
　　Take bus routes 2, 17, 20, 53, 110, 59, 120, 805, or 819, get off at Dashilan Station, and enter Xiaotong on the east side.  

　　 Beijing Chongwen District