Jiaxiu Pavilion



Sitting on a huge rock in the Nanming River in the southern part of Guiyang, Jiaxiu Pavilion is first built in the 26th year in the reign of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1598).

The pavilion and some other buildings around it combine to form a harmonious scenic architectural complex, customarily known as “Eight Scenes of a Mini West Lake”. Though it has been rebuilt many times, it has still retained its original style and features.

The pavilion got its names since the builder believed that people in Guiyang are the finest and most talented under heaven that is the internal meaning of Jiaxiu in Chinese.

It is a magnificent three-storied building 20-meter-high with three eaves and a pointed to, containing carved windows and red lattices and upturned eaves on all sides. Downstairs is the Floating Jade Bridge which spans both north and south banks. Under the bridge, the clear blue swirling water forms a pool named Hanbi. When night falls with all the lights on, the outline of the pavilion and the bridge are reflected in the river as if it were a fairyland.

This pavilion was initially built to encourage the young scholars to study hard and get the number one scholarship in the imperial examination. It is a place for the scholars to exchange ideas and learning knowledge together. So this pavilion has rich collections of authentic works of stone engravings, calligraphy works, paintings, and woodworks by ancient artists.

In this pavilion, you can enjoy the rich collection of stone engravings, calligraphy works, paintings and woodworks by ancient artists. Among them, there is a long antithetical couplet with 206 characters written by a member of the Imperial Academy from Guiyang, which has 26 more characters than that one in Daguan Pavilion in Kunming, which claims to be the longest one in the world.

Most impressive is the night scene of the Jiaxiu Pavilion. Colorfully decorated with lanterns, the pavilion is beautifully reflected in water. With the Cuiwei Garden behind, this historical and cultural relic has attracted many visitors. It is really a very good place for touring.