Initially the building, which was built during the late
Ming dynasty (1368–1644), was home to a rich salt merchant, but it was turned into theatre in the last years of the reign of the
Qianlong Emperor (1711–1799) in the
Qing dynasty and showed Beijing opera performances as late as the 1970s. After that, audiences dwindled despite attempts to regain visitors by organizing dances and film screenings in the 1980s and the theatre fell into disuse; The building was closed down before it was declared unsafe in 2000. On April 23, 2007 Chinese state media reported that the historic building would be demolished and replaced with a more modern venue at another location. ==References==