An Ancient Ming Dynasty Building in Sanjiang, Guangxi: A Witness to Yelang Culture, Yet Little-Known

A self-driving trip in Guangxi brings surprises every day. While driving in Sanjiang, we mainly focused on visiting Dong villages and learning about Dong culture, but we unexpectedly encountered a national key cultural relic protection site—Sanwang Palace—in Heli, west of the city.

This building is not only a national-level ancient structure but also related to the ancient Yelang culture. It is said that during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, villagers from Nan Village in Heli built it to commemorate the three sons of the Yelang king, Zhu Duotong. According to legend, the ancient Yelang king Zhu Duotong had three sons and two daughters: the eldest son Zhu Xing, the second son Zhu Wang, the third son Zhu Fa, the eldest daughter Zhu Qinglian, and the youngest daughter Zhu Ailian. All were exceptionally talented, skilled in both civil and military affairs.

According to historical records, in the sixth year of Yuanding (111 BC), Emperor Wu of Han suspected the Yelang king of rebellion and executed him, but later realized it was a wrongful killing and treated his sons generously. The third son of the Yelang king harbored no grudges, dedicated himself to loyal service, vigorously promoted reforms in his domain, practiced benevolent governance, and shared benefits with the people, earning deep support from the common folk. After the three sons died, temples were established in various places to commemorate the virtues of the Zhu family. Sanwang Palace is one of them.

Regarding Yelang, the most familiar term is the idiom "Yelang arrogantly overestimating itself." In fact, Yelang was a state established by the ancestors of ethnic minorities in southwestern China. According to the "Guoyu: Zheng Yu," "King Fenmao of Chu began to conquer the Pu people." Additionally, the "Shiji Zhengyi" records: "The Pu were southwest of Chu."

Historical records show that Yelang was established around the Warring States period. King Xiang of Chu (298–262 BC) sent General Zhuang Yue to sail up the Chenshui River, pass through Qielan (present-day Fuquan, Guizhou), and attack the Yelang king. "After Qielan was conquered, Yelang also surrendered." It was then that people learned of the small state of Yelang in the southwest.

Over 2,000 years have passed, and the historical appearance of the ancient Yelang state remains an unsolved mystery. To many, it is a mythical kingdom. Only the phrase "Yelang arrogantly overestimating itself" has become a laughingstock through the ages, sparking great interest in Yelang among the world. Little did we expect that during our trip to Sanjiang, we would encounter a building related to Yelang culture.

Although it is a national key cultural relic protection site, Sanwang Palace is not a paid scenic spot. Inside, there is only an elderly person who could not communicate with us. We were unsure whether they were a staff member or a local resident living there.

Stepping inside, we could see that Sanwang Palace is simple, elegant, and antique. It is said that a temple fair is held on the fifth day of the second lunar month each year, which is the liveliest time. But when we visited, it was quite deserted, with no other tourists besides us.

Sanwang Palace is a brick-and-wood structure with a gable-and-hip roof, covering an area of about 1,200 square meters. It consists of a front building, a rear building, and a central courtyard. The front building features a Dong opera stage, likely used for performances during festivals. The rear building is a single-story hall with three bays. The overall layout blends ancient Han courtly style with Dong architectural features. The craftsmanship is exquisite, with carved beams, painted rafters, and vibrant colors.

The current building was rebuilt during the Qing dynasty. Inside, there is a stele from the 21st year of Guangxu (1895) recording the reconstruction. We skimmed through the inscription and noted some key phrases: "Tracing back, our Nan Village in Heli has a temple dedicated to the holy gods, whose power is illustrious and blessings abundant. They are truly the lords of eternal blessings, revered by all people. Examining the origins of the three kings, they first appeared in the waters of Shizhou during the Han dynasty, emerging at the right time. Lord Zhu followed the miracle of Jiang Yuan and gave birth to three sons. With utmost loyalty, they served Han and were enfeoffed as Yelang marquises. After their deaths, their spirits became manifest in the Ming dynasty and were honored by the emperor as the three kings, sharing offerings with Lord Zhu, guarding Guizhou and Guangdong, and bestowing grace upon the people."

Outside Sanwang Palace, there is a grand covered wind-and-rain bridge in Dong style. At one end of the bridge stands a sign explaining that it was built during the Guangxu period of the Qing dynasty, about 130 years ago. It has a wooden flower bridge structure above and a blue stone arch structure below, unique among Dong wind-and-rain bridges—another fine ancient structure. Overall, this place requires no admission fee and is not commercialized. Yet you can visit a national key cultural relic and learn about Yelang culture. If you travel to Sanjiang, I recommend stopping by.