Sheqi Shanxi and Shaanxi Hall

Located in Sheqi County, Nanyang, Shanxi and Shaanxi Guild Hall was first built in the 21st year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1756) in the Qing Dynasty. It was completed in the 18th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1892) and lasted for 136 years under six emperors. The Guild Hall was built by merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces who lived here at that time. Because Guan Gong was worshipped in the hall, it was also called Guan Gong Temple and Shanxi and Shaanxi Temple. It is an ancient building complex that combines commercial guild halls with Guandi Temple buildings. It was built at the time of the last climax in the history of ancient Chinese architecture. The Guild Hall faces north and south, covers an area of ​​about 7,750 square meters, and the ground is paved with blue-white stone slabs one foot square. There are more than 130 existing halls, halls, towers, pavilions and various buildings. The main building consists of four parts: the large glazed screen wall, the Xuanjian Tower, the Great Worship Hall, and the Spring and Autumn Tower, which are distributed in a central axis from south to north. In front are the glazed screen wall, iron flagpole, east and west gates and east and west stables; behind are the Xuanjian Tower, bell and drum tower, east and west corridors; behind are the Great Worship Hall, Medicine King Hall and Horse King Hall; and behind is the Spring and Autumn Tower. Sheqi Shanxi Guild Hall is a private chamber of commerce building among the national guild halls that has received the imperial calligraphy of Empress Dowager Cixi, and is recognized by industry experts as an "outstanding guild hall". The two mountains in front of the eaves of the main hall of the guild hall are embedded with the two-character tablets "Dragon" and "Tiger" of the imperial calligraphy of Empress Dowager Cixi. The tablet is 0.42 meters wide and 0.80 meters high, with a round top and a square bottom. On the top is a square seal with the nine characters "Empress Dowager Cixi's Imperial Brush Treasure". The left forehead is also inscribed with the nine characters "Empress Dowager Cixi's Imperial Brush Treasure", and the two characters "Dragon" and "Tiger" in cursive script are engraved in the middle, which are written in one stroke. The font is elegant and strong, and it runs through in one breath.