Ancient Town of Lizhuang — the "First Town on the Ten-Thousand-Mile Yangtze River" — is located in Yibin, Sichuan Province, China. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, it served as a crucial refuge for culture and education. Thanks to its relatively safe geographical location and simple, honest folk customs, it attracted more than ten cultural, educational and scientific research institutions, including the National Academy of Sciences, the National Central Museum, Tongji University, and the Society for the Study of Chinese Architecture. Lizhuang thus became one of the "Four Major Cultural Centers of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression".
The relocation of these institutions allowed many important academic research and educational activities to continue here, and Lizhuang, China, made an enormous contribution to the preservation and development of Chinese culture.
▲The 16-character telegram sent by Lizhuang during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression
The value of Lizhuang's ancient architectural complex in China's architectural field is equally remarkable. With a history of nearly 1,500 years, the Ancient Town of Lizhuang preserves a large number of ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as the "Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples", the Spiral Shell Hall, and the former site of the Society for the Study of Chinese Architecture. These buildings not only reflect the architectural art and technical level of their time, but also carry rich historical and cultural information. Among them, the Spiral Shell Hall is hailed as a classic work of ancient Chinese architecture for its unique structure and exquisite craftsmanship.
▲The Spiral Shell Hall of Lizhuang, built in the Ming Dynasty
Distinguished architectural experts including Liang Sicheng, Luo Zhewen, Huang Zongjiang and Lu Sheng conducted repeated investigations of the hall. Liang Sicheng praised it highly, stating that "its excellence in beam-and-column structure makes it fully worthy of pride among contemporary works". Along with the "Hundred-Crane Windows, Nine-Dragon Tablet and Kuixing Pavilion", it is known as the "Four Wonders" of the ancient town. Liang Sicheng even incorporated its architectural wisdom into the design of the United Nations Headquarters Building.
Luo Zhewen once recalled: "During the Lizhuang period, the building that Mr. Lu (Lu Sheng) took charge of surveying and mapping was the Spiral Shell Hall. Conditions were extremely harsh back then — we couldn't erect scaffolding, and we didn't even have a ladder. Mr. Lu and I climbed up by hanging on ropes. Since he was rather heavy and not agile at heights, he often tied a rope to a big tree in the courtyard of the society to practice for the surveying and mapping work."
Why has the Spiral Shell Hall won such high praise from architectural masters? Its architectural art is unparalleled except for the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in Shanxi Province.
Built in the 24th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1596), the hall was originally named Wenchang Palace. It was renovated during the reigns of Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty. In 1956, the People's Government of Sichuan Province designated the Spiral Shell Hall as a Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit.
The main hall is a pavilion-style wooden structure, with two stories and three eaves, standing 25 meters tall and taking the shape of a regular octagon. Each side measures 8 meters in width and depth. The roof is covered with cyan cylindrical tiles, and each eave has eight slightly upturned wing corners. The most ingenious feature is its "raised-beam pillar" frame, which is far more streamlined than the layered beam-and-brick construction of similar ancient buildings.
▲Internal structure of the Spiral Shell Hall of Lizhuang
It features three tiers of bracket sets (dougong), each with a distinct form, drastically different from the official styles of the Song and Qing dynasties, representing a typical architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. The internal structure is exquisitely crafted, with superb application of mechanical principles. The caisson on the ceiling is formed by overlapping bracket sets on all eight sides, spiraling from the right up to the top in a mesh pattern, creating a spacious and magnificent effect. The spiral ascent from left to right gives the hall its name — the Spiral Shell Hall. Most remarkably, the entire structure was built without a single iron nail.
According to the old Annals of Nanxi County (Lizhuang originally fell under the jurisdiction of Nanxi, Yibin), during the renovation of the hall in the 8th year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1730), two well columns and one raised beam needed replacement. The architect in charge, Liu Kunshan, feared that the slightest carelessness would lead to the collapse of the hall and casualties. "When replacing the columns, Liu lay in the hall for three days and nights before the work was successfully completed. Alas! What exquisite craftsmanship!"
In 2023, Sichuan David Architectural Design Co., Ltd. completed the survey and design for the maintenance of the Spiral Shell Hall, witnessing the inheritance of dedication to ancient Chinese architecture and culture across three generations of architects from the same school. This survey and design aimed to conduct a comprehensive "physical examination" and meticulous protection of the Spiral Shell Hall.
▲Survey and Design Plan for the Maintenance of the Spiral Shell Hall of Lizhuang (Excerpt)
The architectural team adopted advanced technologies and methods to conduct detailed investigations into the structure, materials, decorations and other aspects of the ancient building, providing a scientific basis for subsequent maintenance work. Maintenance is not only the protection of an ancient building, but also the inheritance of history and culture. The Spiral Shell Hall has witnessed the development and changes of Lizhuang, Yibin, and is an irreplaceable cultural resource. Through this survey and design for maintenance, this treasure of ancient architecture has been restored to its former splendor.
