Shibaozhai is located on the north bank of the Yangtze River in Zhongxian County, Chongqing, which is 45 kilometers from Zhongxian County. Therefore, there is a huge stone of more than ten feet high near the River. According to legend, the colorful stone left by the Nvwa Goddess is called Shibao. Therefore, the stone shape is like a jade, also known as: Yuyin Mountain. In the Ming Dynasty, Tan Hong was uprising. He once occupied the cottage, and Shi Baozhai was named after it. Shibaozhai is built on the Yuyin Mountain, and it stands out from the mountain and has a strange shape. It consists of Zhai gate, Zhai body and attic (Zhaiding Shic ha).
It has 12 floors and all-wood structure. It was built in the Ming Dynasty and was originally built for 9 floors. It implies the meaning of “Nine Heavens”. The top three floors were built when the building was repaired in 1956. The top of the village is built with the ancient temple, with the rock as the wall. There is a huge mural on the wall of the main hall, which is the story of the Goddess Mending the Sky. At the bottom of the picture, there is a stone that looks like Shibaozhai. In the apse of the ancient temple, there is a stone hole, the mouth is as big as a cup, called “flowing rice hole.” There are three groups of sculptures in the village.
The ancient temple in the top of the village is named “Lan Ruo Hall”; there is a simple and elegant Shibao Street under the village. Shibaozhai is also one of the few remaining wooden structures in China, and is known as “one of the eight singular buildings in the world”.
Time reference for visiting: 1-3 hours
Transportation to the Shibaozhai: In Chongqing Chaotianmen Traffic Square Bus Station you can take a long-distance bus or take a speedboat at Chaotianmen Wharf for 4 hours to reach Zhongxian County, and at Zhongxian Bus Station, transfer to the bus to Shibaozhai.
Ticket: 50 yuan / person, half-ticket for the elderly over 60 years old, free for children under 1.3 meters, full ticket for children over 1.3 meters
Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m. from Monday to Sunday.