Shanhua Si Monastery - Wall of the Nine Dragons

The Wall of the Nine Dragons, in Dongjie Street in the town center, is 45.5m/149ft long, 8m/26ft high and 2.02m/6.5ft) thick. It was built in 1392 to embellish the residence of Zhu Gui, the thirteenth son of the first Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. In 1644 the palace burned down, and the only part saved from the flames was the wall, built of colored ceramic bricks and decorated with bas- and high-relief. The decorations portray nine dragons, beneficent beings, numbering nine for luck, that are dancing in the clouds, grabbing for dragon pearls.