Huguang Guild Hall
重庆湖广会馆 Huguang Guild Hall · Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
In the Qing dynasty guild halls on the riverside at Dongshuimen, see how migrants of the "Huguang Fills Sichuan" movement put down roots in the mountain city.
Know before you go
- Do not climb the opera stage railings or the platforms of historic buildings
- do not touch the wood carvings and painted decoration
- do not barge in to take photos during weddings, coming-of-age ceremonies and other events
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Chongqing Huguang Guild Hall stands on the Yangtze riverside around Dongshuimen in Yuzhong District, a collective name for Qing dynasty guild-hall buildings such as the Yuwang Palace, the Qi'an Guild and the Guangdong Guild. In the early Qing, Sichuan's population had fallen sharply, and the court encouraged migrants from provinces such as Hunan, Hubei and Guangdong to move into Sichuan to farm, known historically as "Huguang filling Sichuan"; merchant groups from each province then built guild halls in Chongqing to keep in touch with fellow natives, discuss affairs and hold ceremonies. The complex was first built in the Qing dynasty and expanded during the Jiaqing, Daoguang and Guangxu reigns; the Yuwang Palace was built by Huguang migrants to worship Yu the Great, the Qi'an Guild was built by people from Huangzhou in Hubei, and the Guangdong Guild is also called Nanhua Palace. From 1998 to 2005 the guild halls were comprehensively restored, in 2006 they were listed in the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, and the grounds house the "Huguang Filling Sichuan" Migration Museum.
Local customs
- The guild hall sits on a hillside facing the river, its courtyards linked by steps and alleys, and its halls include several opera stages, where migrants from various provinces once performed operas from their home regions that later merged and developed into Sichuan opera. Today the guild hall is not only a scenic site but also serves as a “city auditorium”, hosting coming-of-age ceremonies, weddings and folk song concerts
- the Yuwang Palace holds a ceremony honoring Yu the Great every year, which was listed as Chongqing municipal intangible cultural heritage in 2010.
Religion & beliefs
- The Yuwang Palace honors Yu the Great, the Nanhua Palace enshrines the Nanhua Patriarch, and the Qi'an Guild Hall is also called the Dizhu Palace
- each hall was originally both a native-place guild hall and a shrine. Today they are mainly exhibition spaces, but when sacrificial ceremonies are held, please keep quiet, do not walk through the procession and do not touch the offering tables and furnishings.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: At Qingming tomb-sweeping, no burning paper or open flames in wooded areas
Do
- Check whether the cemetery requires a reservation before you go
- Stay quiet while laying flowers, bowing and observing silence
- Consider flowers, tree planting or online memorials instead of burning paper
- Dress soberly for tomb-sweeping
- Take offering wrappers and rubbish with you when you leave
Don’t
- Don't burn paper, incense or candles, or set off firecrackers, in woods or grassland
- Don't talk loudly or joke around in the cemetery
- Don't block cemetery paths for long to take photos
During fire-prevention periods, burning paper, incense and candles is strictly banned in forest and grassland fire zones, and anyone who starts a wildfire may be held legally liable. Whether and where a cemetery allows burning is set by its own rules on site.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Xinhua: Two departments deploy safety measures for the Qingming holiday
China: Go through security before the metro, and park shared bikes in marked zones
Do
- Cooperate with the security check at the entrance and put bags through the scanner
- On the platform, wait beside the doors and let passengers off first
- Register with your real name in the app before riding a shared bike
- Park in a marked bay or an app-designated spot, and make sure the lock clicks shut
- If the brakes or lock don't work, switch bikes and report it in the app
Don’t
- Don't linger in the doorway or force your way through closing doors
- Don't leave bikes in traffic lanes, fire lanes or on tactile paving
- Don't let children under 12 ride shared bikes
If you refuse the security check you will not be let into the station. Badly parked bikes are removed, and riders may face action under local rules and the operator's terms.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: People's Daily Online: Beijing issues standards for shared bike technology, services, parking
China: No smoking anywhere on high-speed trains, and no phone calls in quiet carriages
Do
- Sit in the carriage and seat shown on your ticket
- Put large luggage in the racks at the carriage ends or overhead
- Use headphones for videos and music
- In a quiet carriage, step outside to make or take calls
- Before getting off, check around your seat and take your rubbish and belongings
Don’t
- Don't smoke anywhere on the train, including toilets and vestibules
- Don't take someone else's seat
- Don't choose a quiet carriage when travelling with babies or toddlers (12306 advises against it)
Smoking on a bullet train can set off smoke alarms and slow or even stop the train. Smokers are fined by the police and, according to reports, may also be barred from buying bullet-train tickets; official rules prevail. If someone breaks the quiet-carriage rules, tell the train staff.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Travel China Guide: Smoking on Chinese trains
China: Stay on open sections of the Great Wall and never carve the bricks
Do
- Walk only on open sections and marked routes
- On steep stretches, stop and steady yourself before taking photos, and watch your step
- Wear non-slip shoes, carry enough water, and turn back if you are tired
- Carry your rubbish down or put it in a bin
- Check opening arrangements before you go; official announcements prevail
Don’t
- Don't carve, write on or prise loose the bricks
- Don't climb over fences or onto closed, crumbling walls and watchtowers
- Don't run or push on steep sections
Carving the Great Wall counts as damaging a cultural relic: one visitor who carved his name at Badaling was given administrative detention and a fine by the police and was blacklisted by the scenic area. Closed sections are not maintained and can be dangerous.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China News Service: Man detained for five days and fined 200 yuan for carving on the Badaling Great Wall
China: book popular sights in advance, under your real name, through official channels
Do
- Check the booking rules on the site's official website, mini program or account before you go
- Enter every companion's ID details in advance and pick an entry time slot
- Children, seniors and others with free or reduced tickets also book as required and show ID
- Book early for holidays and summer; popular dates often fill quickly
Don’t
- Don't trust third parties offering to grab tickets or sell 'insider' tickets
- Don't assume a free ticket means no booking is needed
- Don't count on buying tickets at the gate on peak days
Once a popular date is fully booked, you may be turned away. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires sites to keep in-person ticket windows and to accommodate seniors and others, but on-site quotas are limited; booking windows, release times and visitor caps are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China Daily: Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires all scenic areas to keep ticket windows
China: set up mobile payment before you go; hotels and tickets are booked under your passport
Do
- Link a foreign bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure
- Carry some cash in yuan for small stalls, remote areas or payment glitches
- Expect real-name checks at hotels, for train tickets and popular sights; use your passport
- Make sure the name and number on bookings match your passport exactly
- If a station gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane
Don’t
- Don't wait until you arrive to set up payment; verification can take time
- Don't assume cash alone or a bank card alone will work everywhere
- Don't book with details that differ from your passport
Without a working payment method, or with mismatched ID details, you may be unable to check in, buy tickets or enter sights. Payment limits, fees and platform rules are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Gov.cn: Payment services for foreign visitors to China
China: Queue, don't smoke where banned, and never carve on heritage sites
Do
- Wait your turn in line, and follow staff directions when it's crowded
- On buses and the metro, let passengers off first and offer seats to those in need
- Book popular sights and museums in advance, under your real name, through official channels
- Sort your rubbish into the right bins
- Use serving chopsticks and spoons, and order only what you can eat
Don’t
- Don't cut in line or walk side by side blocking the way
- Don't smoke where it is banned; many cities ban smoking in indoor public places and on public transport
- Don't carve or write on historic buildings or ancient trees, or climb on or touch relics
- Don't use flash or tripods in exhibition halls
- Don't talk loudly or play music out loud in public places
Staff will stop you from queue-jumping, smoking where banned or marking relics, and smoking in no-smoking areas or damaging relics can also lead to fines under the law. Fine amounts, booking methods and opening hours are as officially announced.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Palace Museum official site: Visit
Don’t DON'T
- Do not climb the opera stage railings or the platforms of historic buildings
- do not touch the wood carvings and painted decoration
- do not barge in to take photos during weddings, coming-of-age ceremonies and other events
- steps are slippery on rainy days, so do not run
- do not touch the recreated scenes in the Migration Museum
Locals appreciate DO
- See the eaves and carvings in front of the Yuwang Palace theater stage
- visit the Migration Museum to learn about "Huguang Fills Sichuan"
- compare the regional architectural styles of the different guild halls
- view the Dongshuimen Yangtze River Bridge from the upper parts of the halls
- then walk along Dongshuimen Old Street to Chaotianmen
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Allow 1.5–2 hours. The Huguang Guild Hall is in the Dongshuimen and Changbin Road area of Yuzhong District, near the Dongshuimen Yangtze River Bridge
- take the rail transit to Xiaoshizi Station and walk about 10–15 minutes, or walk along the river from Jiefangbei or Chaotianmen. Tickets, opening hours and night opening are as officially announced by the site
- there are many steps, so visitors with limited mobility should allow extra time. You can combine it with Dongshuimen Old Street, Baixiang Street, Chaotianmen and Hongyadong for a half-day walk on the Yuzhong Peninsula, then take the Yangtze River Cableway or go to the south bank for river views in the evening. The halls within the guild complex involve a lot of uphill and downhill walking and summers are muggy, so go in the morning or toward evening and bring water. If there are events such as the Yu the Great sacrificial ceremony or folk song gatherings, some courtyards may be temporarily closed—follow on-site notices.
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