Yan Emperor Shennong’s Hometown Scenic Area

Yan Emperor Shennong’s Hometown Scenic Area

Yan Emperor Shennong’s Hometown Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a cultural tourism site, and a patriotic education base.

Yan Emperor Shennong’s Hometown Scenic Area is a national 4A-level tourist attraction, listed as a national scenic area, designated as a “Provincial Patriotic Education Base” by the Hubei Provincial Committee’s Propaganda Department, and recognized as a “Cross-Strait Exchange Base” by the Taiwan Affairs Office. The scenic area now boasts over 20 cultural and natural attractions, including the Shennong Archway, Shennong Cultural Square, the Yan Emperor Shennong Memorial Hall, the Shennong Stele, the Shennong Tasting-Herbs Statue, Shennong Spring, Shennong Cave, Shennong Temple, the Merit Hall, the Ten Thousand Dharma Temple, the Dragon and Phoenix Sun-Moon Flagpoles, and Lieshan Lake.

The scenic area is located in Lishan Town, Suixian County, 18 kilometers northwest of Suizhou City. National Highway 316, the Hankou-Danjiangkou Railway, the Suizhou-Yueyang Expressway, and the Xining Railway Connection Line all run through the region. The Suizhou Yan Emperor Shennong’s Hometown Scenic Area covers a total area of approximately 171.3 hectares, with an investment of about 440 million yuan. As a national 4A-level scenic area, it mainly consists of the “Ancestral Worship and Pilgrimage Zone,” “Sacred Site Sightseeing and Experience Zone,” “Farming Culture Exhibition Zone,” and “Natural Ecological Landscape Zone.”

Since 2009, the “World Chinese Yan Emperor Hometown Ancestral Festival,” centered on the theme of the descendants of Yan and Huang seeking their roots and ancestral worship, and fundamentally focused on experiencing the farming culture, medicinal culture, trade culture, and primitive art culture of Yan Emperor Shennong, has been held here. It has received high attention and care from national, provincial, and municipal leaders. The Yan Emperor Shennong’s Hometown Scenic Area has become a renowned destination for Chinese people at home and abroad to seek their roots, pay homage to ancestors, and enjoy sightseeing.

The screen wall is located at the entrance of the scenic area. The front of the screen wall bears the inscription “Yan Emperor Shennong’s Hometown,” written by Mr. Shen Peng, former chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association.

The total storage capacity of the Lieshan Lake reservoir is 500,000 cubic meters, with an irrigation area of 400 mu, providing the Yan Emperor Shennong Lieshan Scenic Area with a water surface area of 98,100 square meters.

The Nine-Arch Bridge is 117 meters long, spanning Lieshan Lake and connecting the scenic area entrance with the Shennong Grand Hall. Designed with the number nine as its module, the bridge consists of nine arches, and the spans between the railings and the length of the approach bridge are also multiples of nine. The main entrance of the arched bridge, railings, and column capitals feature simple, solemn, and robust patterns to reflect the humanistic spirit of ancient times. The bridge deck is paved with granite flamed slabs, while the bridge body and arch rings are clad with white sandstone mushroom stones. The railings are made of white marble.

The Chinese Ancestors’ Gate is located on the central axis of the core scenic area, between the Nine-Arch Bridge and the Sacred Fire Plaza. The main gate is 6 meters high, and the side gates are 4 meters high. Drawing inspiration from the combined form of gates and watchtowers in early Han Dynasty architecture, the bracket sets have been simplified and modified. The height difference highlights the main structure. The carved patterns on the “Hua Zu” (Chinese Ancestor) and “Nong Zong” (Agricultural Ancestor) gates depict scenes from the early farming era of Yan Emperor, using bluestone material with a simple and majestic design.

The Sacred Fire Platform is designed based on ancient texts stating, “Because he ruled with the virtue of fire and appointed officials with fire-related titles, he was called the Yan Emperor,” and was designed by Professor Yu from the China Academy of Art.

The stone lanterns are located on both sides of the Ascension Platform. The platform consists of seven sections, each with seven steps. The stone lanterns are carved from premium stone sourced from Fujian, with hollowed interiors to hold light tubes. The upper sides of the lanterns are inscribed with ethnic group names in seal script, and the 56 stone lanterns represent the 56 ethnic groups of China.

The Prosperous Harmony Tripod is located at the connection between the Ascension Platform and the Ancestral Worship Plaza. It is cast in bronze.

The Ancestral Worship Plaza is a square measuring 117 meters in length and width. With an area of 13,689 square meters—a multiple of nine—it is paved with premium granite from Fujian and can accommodate 20,000 people for ancestral worship activities simultaneously.

The Eight Great Merits Columns are carved from high-quality granite numbered 606, sourced from Fujian. Each column is 9.9 meters high and 1.27 meters in diameter, symbolizing the supreme status of Yan Emperor in the development of Chinese civilization through the auspicious number nine. Arranged as a group of totem poles, these columns vividly and realistically depict Yan Emperor’s great achievements in the history of Chinese civilization through the masterful craftsmanship of skilled artisans.

From south to north on the west side are: “Carving Catalpa into a Zither, Twisting Silk into Strings”; “Living Together in Harmony, Enjoying Peaceful Prosperity”; “Turning Hemp into Cloth, Inventing Textiles”; “Pioneering Farming, Inventing Planting.” From south to north on the east side are: “Setting Markets at Noon, Inventing Trade”; “Making Pottery and Tools, Forging Axes”; “Tasting Hundreds of Herbs, Inventing Medicine”; “Inventing the Plow, Teaching Farming.” These form a poetic and ornamental tableau that remains solemn and dignified.

The tops are carved with coiled dragons and jade cong—the dragon being a totemic symbol of the Chinese nation. The establishment of the Eight Great Merits Columns aims to promote the splendid historical and cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. It holds profound practical significance for reviving national pride and cohesion, and will surely inspire us to carry on the legacy of our ancestors and unite in striving for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The Bell and Drum Towers are located on both sides of the Ancestral Worship Platform of the Shennong Grand Hall. Their layered colors reflect the charm of Jingchu culture. Inside the towers are a bronze bell and a leather drum, whose morning chimes and evening drums echo with the Ten Thousand Dharma Temple in the distance.

The Yan Emperor Shennong Grand Hall draws architectural imagery from Han Dynasty stone carvings and brick reliefs. It features a hip-and-gable roof, triple eaves, and a high platform base—design elements that refine and utilize the large-scale spatial techniques and architectural combinations of early Chu-Han elevated structures. The hall is nine bays wide. The central bay features a 10.8-meter-high stone arched gate leading directly to the second eave, symbolizing both the cave-dwelling lifestyle of the Yan Emperor period and the Shennong Cave, as well as subtly referencing the simple and natural architectural style of antiquity. The three-tiered granite platform base reflects the ancestral status of Yan Emperor Shennong and showcases the regional architectural style of elevated structures in the ancient Chu region.

The column grid layout of the Shennong Grand Hall is nine bays wide, reflecting the cultural significance of the number nine in ancient Chu, which regarded it as a symbol of nobility. It also alludes to the Nine Dragons Mountain, the ancestral mountain of Yan Emperor Shennong. The plan is enclosed by two concentric rings of stone columns: the outer ring has 36 columns, symbolizing the 36 Heavenly Generals. At the entrance, four square stone pillars are carved with images and totems of Yan Emperor Shennong, symbolizing the four seasons and Yan Emperor’s blessings upon the land, while also abstractly representing the unique architectural forms of the Chu-Han style.

The 36 columns of the outer corridor of the Shennong Grand Hall are each 9.9 meters tall. They are made of solid granite with holes drilled through the center, positioned with integral stone bases before on-site pouring of reinforced concrete columns. The sophisticated construction techniques ensure the seamless integration and imposing presence of the monolithic stone columns, exuding unparalleled grandeur. The 1.5-meter-long dougong brackets are built entirely from stone and connected to concrete beams to mimic traditional mortise-and-tenon joints. To ensure durability and an ancient, majestic appearance, the stone doors are not dry-mounted but constructed from 20-centimeter-thick granite blocks.

Between the second and third eaves, traditional architectural methods are used to create high clerestory windows, addressing the deep interior’s lighting needs while casting mystical and romantic ambiance through filtered sunlight from above. The outer corridor of the grand hall measures 46.8m x 36.8m, with inner dimensions of 37.2m x 27.2m. The inner walls will feature stone reliefs depicting the achievements of Shennong, while the ceiling is rectangular and adorned with cloud-pattern carvings.

The Shennong Statue was designed by a professor from the China Academy of Art based on a portrait brought back by Zhou Gong and Wang Deqiao in 1987. The statue stands 4.4 meters tall, with Shennong gazing forward, his eyes bright and his expression kind yet dignified. Sunrise Garden and Crescent Moon Lake: Located on the east and west sides of the Ancestral Worship Plaza, together with the plaza and the circular tree array, they form a landscape symbolizing “the round sky and square earth, with sun and moon shining in harmony.” The outer path of Sunrise Garden is 3.6 meters wide with a radius of 24.5 meters; the inner path is 4.6 meters wide with a radius of 9 meters; the Bagua Garden has a radius of 3.6 meters.

Shennong Cave is said to be the birthplace of Yan Emperor Shennong.

The Shennong Stele was erected in the Dingchou year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1577 AD) by Yang Cunyu, the prefect of Suizhou. The stele is 2 meters tall, 1 meter wide, and weighs several tons, with a history of four to five hundred years. The poet He Songtao from Tongcheng, Anhui, praised it: “The towering stele on Nine Li Mountains, the roots of the nation’s great tree traceable. Though winds and rains may change, it still calls the descendants of Yan and Huang home. Seven words bind the world’s sentiments, one stone blooms under every sky. Shennong’s spirit finds solace, thanks to Elder Yang’s humble light.”

The Merit Hall Ancient Architectural Complex is a set of Qin-style buildings designed by a team led by Professor Xu Bo’an from Tsinghua University. Majestic and solemn in appearance, the complex covers a total area of 10,320 square meters, with a construction area of 2,466 square meters. It consists of the Sun-Moon Gate, Heaven Gate, Stele Garden, and Merit Hall, and is one of the key attractions of the scenic area. It is dedicated to showcasing Yan Emperor Shennong’s outstanding contributions to human social development. The Shennong Well is located in the central plaza of the Merit Hall and is one of the Nine Wells of Lieshan.

The Ten Thousand Dharma Temple is located atop Gengyun Mountain in Lieshan. Originally built in the 22nd year of the Zhenguan reign of the Tang Dynasty (648 AD), it is one of the ancient famous temples and Buddhist sacred sites of Suizhou, known as the “confluence of all rivers and dharma schools.” Having stood for over 1,300 years and undergone multiple restorations and expansions throughout dynasties, the original temple was eventually demolished. To develop the scenic area’s tourism and implement the Party’s religious policies, the Ten Thousand Dharma Temple’s “Mahavira Hall” and other structures were restored in 1991 on the Double Ninth Festival to their historical appearance.

The Ten Thousand Dharma Temple consists of the Mountain Gate, Mahavira Hall, and two side halls. A pair of white lions stand majestically at the entrance. The Mahavira Hall faces forward, with various deities enshrined along the side corridors, each with unique postures and lifelike appearances.

The Shennong Statue: Designed by a professor from the China Academy of Art based on a portrait brought back by Zhou Gong and Wang Deqiao in 1987, the statue is 95 Chinese feet tall, symbolizing the supremacy of the “Nine-Five” imperial dignity. Shennong gazes forward, his eyes bright, his expression kind yet dignified.

Address: No. 83, Shennong Avenue, (Lishan), Sui County, Suizhou City

Type: Cultural tourism area

Opening hours:

8:00-17:30

Source: Official Website of the People's Government of Hubei Province

Shennong (Shennong, 3245 BC – 3080 BC), also known as the Yan Emperor, was born on the banks of the Jiang River (now within Baoji City) around 5,500 to 6,000 years ago and is a solar deity in ancient legends. Also called the Shennong Clan, he is a figure in Han Chinese mythology, with documented appearances dating back to the Warring States period or later. Widely revered as the "King of Medicine," "King of the Five Grains," "Emperor of the Five Grains," "Great Deity Shennong," and "Earthly Emperor." He is one of the Three Sovereigns of ancient China, a legendary inventor of agriculture and medicine who tasted hundreds of herbs, known as "Shennong… Shennong Clan detailed information++"