The original site of Song Yingcui Tower is on the north side of Banshi Street, Banshi Village, Changping Town. It is one of the famous garden architectures in Dongguan. It was built by Liang Wenkui, a local worthy in the Jiading period of the Song Dynasty, more than 800 years ago. Yingcui Tower was a place for lectures and teaching. At that time, scholars who studied here were all elites, and guests and friends came and went. They studied classics and discussed Taoism, creating a new literary style and enjoying great prosperity for a while. The tower is built by the mountain, with flying pavilions, double eaves, green tiles and red walls, and winding corridors. It is located among green pines and willow trees. On the left is Huaxi Peak, on the right is Qinghe Bay. Facing Baoshan Mountain in the distance, it has an extraordinary air. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by Yuan soldiers at the end of the Song Dynasty. Only from the picture of Yingcui Tower contained in the Genealogy of Liang’s Chonggui Hall can we perceive its magnificent scenery and architectural art. It was rebuilt in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and soon destroyed by war. In the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the people of Banshi clan unearthed the stone plaque of Yingcui Tower. Later, it was repaired in the Daoguang and Tongzhi periods. However, it has been relocated several times among the villages, and the scale of that year no longer exists. In modern times, the relatively large reconstruction of Yingcui Tower was in 1931. It was built on the east side of the Altar of State and Society. With double eaves and blue tiles, high corridors and back railings, it is full of ancient charm. Unfortunately, due to the chaos of war and the Japanese invasion from the south, there were frequent wars. Due to lack of management, it was abandoned. During the land reform and the Cultural Revolution, it was even more precarious. It was also used as a factory building for a time, and the original building was even more damaged. Until 1990, the clansmen renovated it with donations, but it was all cast in cement, completely losing its former style. However, sandwiched between the ancient banyan tree and the main ancestral hall of the Liang clan, it has a unique flavor and can also arouse the nostalgia for the ancients and ancestors. Open all year round from 8:00 to 19:00.
Song Yingcui Tower
The original site of Song Yingcui Tower is on the north side of Banshi Street, Banshi Village, Chang[...]
