The most complete government office in China

In the era when the Grand Canal was an important north-south transportation channel, Huai'an Prefecture, located at the throat of the canal transportation, had a high status. The Huai'an Prefecture Office was built by Yao Bin, the prefect of Huai'an in the early Ming Dynasty. It was expanded by utilizing the Wutong Temple of the Southern Song Dynasty and the Yi Tan Prefecture of the Yuan Dynasty. The building is divided into three parts: east, middle and west. The middle part has the government office in front and the office behind, and there is also a back garden. It's like a small Forbidden City. There is an imperially bestowed stone archway in the lobby courtyard, and on both sides are the offices of the six departments. The second hall is the oldest building.