Chaoyang Palace

　　Chaoyang Palace is situated on Ximen Slope on the northwest side of Fenghuang Ancient Town. Originally named the Chen Family Ancestral Hall, it was constructed in the 4th year of the Republic of China (1915) with funding raised by local gentry including Chen Bing and Chen Kaifan, who mobilized their clan members. In the 12th year of the Republic of China (1923), Chen Qizhen, a native of Fenghuang and then commander of the Western Hunan Patrol Military Forces, led fellow clansmen in further expanding the site. By then, 14 structures including the main gate, main hall, stage, left and right wing rooms, kitchen, and toilets had been integrated into a cohesive complex, forming a classic southern-style quadrangle courtyard.

　　The main gate of Chaoyang Palace is an 8-meter-high building with purplish-red brick walls. On either side of the gate are a pair of couplets: “A auspicious bird rises from the wild and soars high into the clouds; honored guests arrive at this border town and find the pavilions full of charm.” Twelve symmetrical small reliefs of flowers and birds are stacked along the sides, and the upturned eaves give it a distinctive character. Passing through the main gate and under the stage, you enter a spacious quadrangle courtyard paved entirely with square bluestone slabs, arranged neatly and orderly.

　　Directly ahead is a three-bay wooden main hall. Its platform, built with exquisitely carved red sandstone slabs, is 1.2 meters higher than the courtyard floor. The central bay features a nine-step purplish-red sandstone fan-shaped staircase. The inner eaves are fitted with a round moon-gate arch, adorned with ice-pattern lattice carvings around the opening. The side bays have latticed wooden windows for ventilation, fronted by carved wooden railings. This was where officials and dignitaries once watched performances. The hall is resplendent with carved beams and painted rafters, red pillars and green tiles—magnificent and splendid. The railings and lattice windows, in particular, are exquisitely crafted with unique designs, making them incredibly beautiful.

　　On either side of the main hall are one-story wing rooms, each two floors and three bays in size. The lower floors are left open to shelter audience members from rain, while the upper floors feature carved wooden railings and are meant for seated guests to enjoy the performances.

　　The stage is built against the gateway archway at the back of the main gate, facing the main hall, and stands 2.1 meters above the ground. At the center of the stage is inscribed the phrase “Contemplate the Past to Reflect on the Present.” On both sides of the front of the stage hang a couplet: “This small space can represent home, nation, or the world; the figures throughout history include the wise, the foolish, and even immortals.” The words are profound yet grounded in truth. At the center of the back wall of the stage is a colorful painting of the Three Stars of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity, while above it are murals depicting nine theatrical characters, each representing a classic tale. The ceiling features a double-eave green-tiled roof with upturned corners, embodying an elegant and stately classical style.

　　10 yuan