Chongqing Huguang Guild Hall: a place to understand Chongqing people

Huguang Guild Hall Yu King Palace (Photo/Yang Fei)

In 1901, Archibald Little, an English woman who had lived in China for more than 20 years, published a book about what she saw and heard in China, The land of the Blue Gown. Archibald Little's husband held a banquet in Chongqing in 1898 to celebrate the opening of his business in Chongqing, the book says. The banquet was held in Huguang Guild Hall.

Nowadays, Huguang Guild Hall is still standing beside Dongshuimen, the ancient city gate of Yuzhong District, Chongqing City. It is known as the largest ancient guild hall complex in the central urban area of China. Yang Lu, the director of Huguang Guild Hall in Chongqing, said, "Huguang Guild Hall is not only a building, but also an organization. It is also the spiritual bond of a group of people. It is a place where we can understand the history of Chongqing."

He Zhiya, Director of Chongqing Historic and Cultural Professional Academic Committee, introduced that Chongqing and Sichuan had a sparse population 300 years ago. In the following hundred years, about 2 million people moved to Chongqing and Sichuan. Huguang (now Hubei and Hunan) accounted for more than 70% of the migrants to Chongqing. They rebuilt their homes in Chongqing and became ancestors of modern Chongqing people.

Although Huguang people left their homeland, they always cherish their homeland. Hence, Huguang people jointly donated money to build Huguang Guild Hall, which is based on local beliefs and contacts with local conditions.

Huguang Guild Hall will use the funds collected to serve local people, such as running schools, building nursing homes, etc. It will also come forward to resolve disputes between fellow townsmen and foreigners, donate money to build roads, relieve people in disasters, help the poor, etc. The guild hall has made Huguang people's hearts no longer wander. Therefore, they slowly took root in Chongqing.