[2025 Fuzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Yongde Hall (Updated May)

Along the middle section of Sanjie River in Shangxia Hang, Taijiang District of Fuzhou, stands a quiet building of blue bricks and gray tiles. This south-facing Yongde Guild Hall, with its magnificent 1,224 square meters, fuses Fujian's natural landscape with Western elegance into an amber of time. Pushing open the vermilion doors adorned with gilt plaques, one can almost hear the echoing sounds of abacus beads from Yongchun and Dehua merchants harmonizing with the boating songs of the Min River from three centuries ago. The guild hall originated during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, when the smoke from Dehua porcelain kilns and mist from Yongchun tea mountains merged with the rippling waters under Xing'an Bridge flowing into the Min River. Merchants from both counties established the "Yongde Hall Association" here, shipping Dehua white porcelain and Yongchun lacquered baskets to Southern ports. Renovations during the Guangxu period added intricate details to the eaves, while the 1931 reconstruction harmoniously combined Baroque columns with traditional hip roofs—Western-style trusses supporting the three-story building's traditional single eaves, Gothic arches hidden beneath the horse-head walls, resembling enamel colors blooming on Dehua porcelain bodies, showcasing the Maritime Silk Road's East-West fusion. The side rooms flanking the main hall conceal merchants' codes: the eastern wing's single room served as a meeting hall, the western wing's four rooms as a place for fellow townsmen to rest, with the nine-pillar, eight-room layout symbolizing the commercial philosophy of "returning to one from ninety-nine." In those days, merchant ships sailed upstream from Shuikou Town along the Dazhang River, transporting loads of "China White" porcelain through here, then proceeding via Santong Bridge to Mawei Port before riding seasonal winds to Singapore and Penang. Mr. Lin Qingshan's description of the "magnificent and splendid architecture" can still be glimpsed today in the carved bird-replacing brackets and painted caisson ceilings. As time passed, the guild hall experienced various guardians—from Taijiang District's Housing Management Bureau to the rhythmic looms of a mat factory and the roaring of an auto modification plant—before finally being reborn in 2018. Craftsmen meticulously removed dust with embroidery-like precision, restoring faded paintings to their original luster and straightening tilted beams and pillars. In winter 2020, when the restored gilt plaques once again reflected the warm sunlight, this commercial monument emerged with a new cultural tourism identity—"touring Three Mountain Lane by day, staying at Yongde Hall by night"—telling the legendary story of "no market without Yong(chun)." Today, the small river in front of the guild hall still reflects the silhouette of the saddleback walls. Visitors follow in the footsteps of Dehua porcelain merchants, climbing up to the second-floor viewing platform to overlook the bustling life of Shangxia Hang, as if witnessing the past glory of gathered merchant ships and snow-white porcelain. This building, which has frozen time, continues to write the story of mountain and sea friendship behind the characters "Yongde" in new ways.

The Shangxiahang Cultural and Leisure Tourism Area is close to the north bank of the Min River in Cangxia. It covers an area of 31.73 hectares. With Longping Road as the core axis, it connects Shanghang Street, Xiahang Street, Sanjie River, Zhongping Road, and Longlingding. It features four business areas: Yeyue Entertainment Area, Baiye Experience Area, Art Business Area, and International Fashion Area, forming a joint effect of block businesses. There are venues such as Fuzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, Gutian Guild Hall, and Yongde Guild Hall. ⏳Visit time: 1 hour 💰Average cost: 0 📍Detailed address: Navigate to Shangxiahang

The Yongde in Fuzhou Yongde Guild Hall is the abbreviation of Yongchun and Dehua counties. The origin of the guild hall's name is related to the evolution of regional establishment in Fujian Province. In the early Qing Dynasty, following the Ming system, both Yongchun and Dehua counties belonged to Quanzhou Prefecture. In the twelfth year of Yongzheng, Yongchun County was promoted to a directly governed state of Fujian, and Dehua County was under the jurisdiction of Yongchun State. The two counties are adjacent to each other, and the ceramics produced have become a major commodity in domestic and foreign trade. The common economic interests tightly link the merchants of the two counties together. The Yongde Guild Hall, Yongde Hall, Yongde Fellow Association, etc. were established one after another. Not only is there a Yongde Guild Hall in Fuzhou, but there are also Yongde Guild Halls in overseas Malaysia and other places. The Fuzhou Yongde Guild Hall was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, rebuilt during the Guangxu period, and rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China. It was all built by the merchants of the two counties in Rongbang. Among them, Li Juncheng donated a huge amount of money and made an important contribution to the reconstruction of the Yongde Guild Hall. The guild hall is located at No. 20, Nantai Haichengli, Xiahang Road, Star An River, Taijiang District, Fuzhou City. The "child" in Haichengli is the Fuzhou dialect "ceramics", and this Cheng is a special market for ceramics. The guild hall is a modern excellent building that integrates Chinese traditional architectural style and Western architectural elements, and has a unique style of Chinese traditional architecture and Western architecture. It has long been used as a venue for activities such as Fuzhou Yongde Shangbang Hall, Chamber of Commerce, and Fellow Association to contact hometown feelings, promote public welfare, and trade exchanges. The Republic of China archives verification: Lin Qingshan, the then director of the Yongde Guild Hall and the director of the Yongde Fellow Association Preparatory Office, wrote in a report to the Fuzhou City Government and the Fujian Provincial Government that "Yongde territory is under the jurisdiction of Yongchun County and Dehua County in our province. Since the Qing Dynasty, the Yongde Guild Hall has been established in Fuzhou and a magnificent hall has been built at No. 39, Nantai Haichengli, in order to connect with fellow villagers, promote the welfare of mulberry, and promote public welfare projects, etc.…....". The establishment of the Yongde Guild Hall has played a positive role in promoting the economic development of Yongchun and Dehua at that time and the prosperity of the Fuzhou domestic and foreign trade market, and witnessed the spirit of the business gang that never ceases to open the market.