Tuancheng Exhibition Hall, built in 1749, is the only ancient building complex for arms and equipment kept in Beijing, and those building include towns, palaces, pavilions, blockhouses and exercising grounds.

Tuancheng Exhibition Hall was the venue where Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty watched parades and the Jianrui Scaling Ladder Battalion practiced martial arts. The hall is elliptic with a diameter of 50.2m from east to west and 40m from north to south. The wall has a height of 11m and a width of 5m.

Bowlder steles on the southern and northern gates are engraved "martial walls" and "firm guard" written by Emperor Qianlong. The southern town was built with green tiles with colored glaze, surrounded by many corridors; in the northern town, there is a large stele lying on the ground, on which engraves important historical materials of Qing Dynasty, written by Emperor Qianlong.

The exhibition hall includes 5 main rooms with a pavilion and a platform. The western gate is built with green and white stones, with a height of 11.2m and a width of 24m. To the north and south of this archy gate, there are bluestone pavements.

Further Information:

Address: 1, Hongqi Village, South Xiangshan Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing

Bus Route: Bus Yuntong 112, 318, 360, 630, 714, 733, 854, 23, 66, 80 to Hongqi Village, then walk to the north for 200m; 331, 737, 904 to Lying Buddha Temple stop, then walk to the south for 80m.

Opening Hours: 9:00-16:00  (except Monday)

Admission Fee:  10 Yuan from Mar to Nov, 5 Yuan from Dec to next Feb; free for middle school and primary school students.

Tel: 8610-62591609

(China.org.cn August 25, 2005)