The Imperial Artisan Court, formerly known as West Market. In the 1st year of the Jianlong Reign (960 CE), the…
The Imperial Artisan Court, formerly known as West Market. In the 1st year of the Jianlong Reign (960 CE), the imperial court built the Imperial Works Bureau here, recruiting skilled artisans from across the land. As commoners prospered through trade, the area was renamed the Imperial Artisan Court—though locals still call it West Ward. It's said the Xingyang Zheng family once had a villa here. Two years ago, the Imperial Works Bureau demolished it, citing the Zheng clan's decline and long vacancy, then built the Artifacts Bureau on-site after unearthing countless rare curios in a hidden chamber. The district hosts not just carpentry and blacksmith workshops, but also porcelain kiln, dye works, paper workshops, and Shipyard Bureau—forges burn day and night. Kaifeng's canal checkpoint, Tianjing Dock, is also located here, strangely overseen by the Jade Serpent Hall.