The Superintendent’s Residence, also known as the Examination Hall, is one of the ancient government offices still standing in Ningbo. It is located on Fuqiao Street, near Ningbo Drum Tower, with a northward orientation and facing south. The building features a single-eave hip roof and a beam-raising wooden structure, supported by four columns and six beams.
The entire structure is divided into two sections by a central courtyard. The front section serves as the entrance hall, where a stele stands inscribed with the words ‘Blessing of Confucianism’. This marks the beginning of the historical site. The rear section is the main hall, inscribed with ‘Hall of Literary Examination’, indicating its purpose as a place for scholarly pursuits.
Historically, the Superintendent’s Residence was the residence of the Qing government’s Zhejiang academic administration in Ningbo. Officials in charge of education across Zhejiang Province would convene here annually. They would preside over various imperial examinations for the entire Ningbo Prefecture, making this building a significant center for education and examination during the Qing dynasty.
