Dragon Pavilion 龙亭

About Dragon Pavilion

The visible hall belongs to the later history of a site occupied by earlier palaces; it should not be read as an intact Northern Song palace. The long approach between Pan and Yang lakes reinforces its ceremonial position. From below, the stairway and platform dominate the view; closer up, the double eaves and hall structure become the focus.

A princely mansion was built here in 1378 and destroyed by a Yellow River (黄河) flood in 1642. The site became an examination compound in 1659. In 1692, a pavilion containing an imperial tablet was built on an artificial hill retained from the earlier garden. In 1743, the pavilion became Wanshou Palace (万寿宫). The hall was blown down in 1845 and replaced by a hexagonal pavilion, which was removed when the hall was rebuilt in 1856.

Following repairs, the site opened as Longting Park (龙亭公园) in 1953. Reconstruction of approach buildings, including Wu Men (午门), began in 1985. After the rear wall of the base failed in July 1994, repairs involved dismantling the hall, stabilising the foundations and reassembling the timber structure, with 90 percent of the timber-frame material coming from the dismantled wooden components. Work finished on 25 October 1994. The site became a Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit (河南省文物保护单位) in June 1963, and the main hall entered the eighth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in October 2019.

What to look for

• The elevated pavilion hall and its substantial brick platform and stairway.
• The approach between Pan and Yang lakes, aligned with the ceremonial site.

The surrounding area

A provincial city base for food traditions and a Gulou-area evening.

Location & getting there

Getting to Dragon Pavilion

Approach the park from the northern end of Zhongshan Road in Kaifeng, beyond the recreated Song Imperial Street. The hall is reached within the park; consider the platform stairs when planning for limited mobility.