New lease on life for guild halls
Old community buildings once again buzz with activity amid revitalizing of spaces for cultural, other exchanges
An ancient-looking wooden structure adds a sense of history to Beijing’s Sanlihe area, where bridges, lush trees and flowing waters from a small river remind one of water towns in the south of the country, especially in early summer.
The wooden building in Dongcheng district features gray bricks and red windows and is part of the Yanliao (Pigment) Guild Hall that was built by pigment merchants from North China’s Shanxi province during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The hall features a temple in the front, which is typical of guild hall structures during the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
Local authorities have integrated pigment, ethnic musical instruments and hutong (alleyway) elements in the hall to carry forward traditional culture and spice up public life.
In the late afternoon, melodic sounds will often drift around the neighborhood as various Chinese opera, standup comedy and acrobatic performances are staged in the historical building.
Enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience break out from time to time.
Since October 2021, the guild hall has launched hundreds of art performances, said Ma Like, who is in charge of its operations.
Performances with favorable ticket prices have been staged on a weekly basis since March 10, and the seat occupancy rate has been maintained above 95 percent, according to Ma.
Commercial standup comedies have also been arranged until August, he said.
“Currently, the entire Yanliao Guild Hall has been divided into three fully utilized spaces: the theater, the dining area and the bookstore,” Ma said.
This arrangement has continuously strengthened the cultural cohesion and awareness of the guild, he said.
Afternoon tea, music and a literature salon have also been prepared to spice up the experience.
“We want people to experience Beijing culture with a different taste,” Ma said.
The facility is one of many guild halls in Beijing that have been repurposed for public participation and interactions.
Guild halls used to be specifically designed for people from the same hometown or industry to gather and stay in major cities.
As the national political and cultural center, Beijing not only serves as a birthplace of guild halls but also has the highest concentration of them.
Guild halls in Beijing started to emerge during the Ming Dynasty and reached their peak in the Qing Dynasty era.
There were more than 390 guild halls in the city in November 1949, the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau reported.
The emergence and development of guilds in Beijing were closely related to the ancient official system and the imperial examination system, according to the Beijing Archives.
After Zhu Di, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, relocated the capital to Beijing in 1421, officials from all over the country were stationed there and they often had to be transferred to positions outside the capital.
Upon retirement, they would usually return to their hometowns, resulting in a high degree of mobility and a widespread phenomenon of living away from home. Therefore, guild halls came into being, primarily used as social venues for local officials and gentry.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, thousands of candidates flocked to Beijing from all across the country during imperial examinations. To address the accommodation needs of those sitting the exams, especially those from poor families, guild halls proliferated in Beijing.
As Beijing’s urban economy prospered, business practitioners often needed to get together and hold meetings and banquets. Therefore, commercial guild halls were established for such purposes.
The guild halls were at a low ebb after the imperial tests were canceled in 1905, and then the capital was moved to Nanjing, Jiangsu province in 1928.
Guilds in Beijing took another hit during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
Since 1984, local authorities have stepped up efforts to restore and protect those historical guild halls, many of which have been named cultural units under national, municipal and district level protection.
Recreational activities, including performances, have been hosted in many of those guild halls as the country has encouraged historical buildings to open to the public in recent years.
Last month, the Shaozhou Guild Hall, with a history of 155 years, reopened after a restoration project that started last year.
Visitors now can enjoy a neat courtyard nicely shaded by a large scholar tree, an exhibition displaying the culture of Shaoguan city, South China’s Guangdong province, as well as an orchid-themed study room at the hall that was about a five-minute walk from the pigment facility.
“Shaoguan has the country’s biggest orchid production base, and the orchid is also the flower of the city,” explained Wu Haibo, who is in charge of the city’s cultural sites management.
Tea tasting, a culture tour and other local intangible cultural heritage and specialty promotion events will be held at the hall, Wu said.
Jiang Wenhong, the city’s vicemayor, said, “The restoration and arrangement of the Shaoguan Guild Hall emphasizes the principle of preservation; combining the rich cultural heritage of Beijing with the elegant Lingnan (South China) regional culture.”
Jiang said more efforts will go into continuing to explore the cultural and historical value of Shaoguan Guild Hall, aiming to transform it into a cultural and tourism showcase, an investment pitch platform, and a place for fostering connections between Shaoguan and Beijing.
The rebirth of Shaozhou Guild Hall was a result of the partnership plan launched by the capital city’s Dongcheng district to revitalize guild halls.
The district is home to 37 guild halls from various regions that feature commercial activities, food and Chinese operas.
It recently reached agreements with five cities, including Huanggang in Hubei province, Chizhou in Anhui province and Longyan in Fujian province, to restore their old guild halls and promote their use in modern society.
According to the plan, the district aims to build a cultural space that demonstrates the significance and attraction of guild halls, stages a diverse range of opera performances, and promotes regional intangible cultural heritage. Efforts will be made to establish commercial areas centered on the guild halls.
The district will promote the integrated development of industries related to cultural innovation and design, fostering a number of cultural symbols and commercial brands.
With 20 specific measures to be implemented, such as those for space design and market operations, these cities will work together to explore the development of guild halls and align them with modern society.
The release of the plan will help allocate resources of multiple parties to showcase the charming culture of guild halls, according to Dongcheng district authorities.
“It is to use the promotion of local cultural ties to establish a new type of cooperative relationship that involves economic and cultural interaction, as well as social assistance, aiming to jointly build a new cultural district with international influence,” said Zhao Haiying, a senior official with the district.
Chen Rongshui, vice-mayor of Longyan, said the city will strive to highlight local history and culture as a revolutionary base at the Tingzhou Guild Hall and turn it into an important economic and cultural exchange window in Beijing.
Leng Song, a researcher with the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, considers guild halls an embodiment of diverse regional cultures and a witness to the development of Beijing.
“They are a unique cultural heritage left by history, showcasing the openness and inclusiveness of the capital’s culture,” Leng said.
The move will help gather cultural resources and enhance public recognition of culture through the innovative integration of excellent opera, regional exhibition, tourism and digital technology, Leng said.