The Shan-Shaan Guild Hall: A historical nexus on the Great Tea Route

Jia County, located in Pingdingshan City, Henan Province, is one of China’s historical cities, known for its prosperous economy and thriving community of merchants and traders. Recognizing Jia County’s geographical advantages, merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi Provinces, renowned for their business acumen, funded the construction of the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall in 1693. This guild hall served as a multifunctional hub for business negotiation, sacrificial rituals to honor the gods, hospitality for guests, and fostering connections among Shanxi and Shaanxi businessmen, strengthening the exchange of economic and trade information. As an important architectural heritage site along the cultural route of the Great Tea Route, the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall holds immense historical and cultural value. The local government has initiated plans to preserve it as a public space for future generations. This article examines the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall in the context of the Great Tea Route as a cultural route. Drawing on archival research, field investigations, and semi-structured interviews, it delves into Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall’s tangible and intangible cultural characteristics and its historical relationship with the Great Tea Route. By uncovering the deeper value connotation of the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall, this study aims to provide new insights into the conservation of cultural heritage.