Wulipai

Wulipai

Wulipai, anciently known as Longting, is located along the eastern edge of the ancient dike, five Chinese miles south of Jiangba Town. Originally, there was an imperial stele inscribed by Emperor Qianlong during his southern tour, which has since been replicated and erected here.

In the spring of the 16th year of Qianlong’s reign (1751), the emperor toured the south. Hundreds of civil and military officials, concubines, and attendants followed him in a grand procession from Qingjiangpu, traveling southward along the ancient dike of Hongze Lake. At the time, colorful flags blocked out the sun, presenting an imposing sight. Seated inside his palanquin, Emperor Qianlong was captivated by the scenic views along the lake and was exceptionally excited. After passing several bends, he asked his attendants, “What place is ahead?” The attendants only knew that there were five water-regulating dams along the ancient Hongze Lake dike, collectively referred to as the Five Tiger Dams, but they did not know the name of the specific dam ahead and dared not ask others, so they vaguely replied, “We are about to reach the Five Tiger Dam.” Emperor Qianlong misheard “Five Tiger Dam” as “Famished Tiger Dam,” which alarmed him greatly: the dragon and the tiger are mutually opposing forces, which could bring death and injury—let alone a “famished” tiger? As the true Dragon Emperor, why should he contend with a tiger? Thus, he issued an edict to temporarily halt the procession here, in order to avoid the inauspiciousness of the dragon clashing with the tiger.

Upon learning that the ancient Hongze Lake dike had five dams known as “Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom, and Trustworthiness,” Emperor Qianlong composed a poem to warn the river officials and stipulated the criteria for opening the five dams. Local officials engraved the full text on a stone stele erected here, and also built a resplendent octagonal Dragon Pavilion to protect it. From then on, this place came to be called Wulipai (Five Tiger Stele). Some say a memorial archway was also erected here, leading to it being renamed Wulipai (Five Mile Archway).

The Dragon Pavilion was destroyed in war, and the imperial stele inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was also ground off during the Cultural Revolution, replaced with Chairman Mao’s inscription “We must repair the Huai River well,” and the stele was moved to Zhouqiao Datang. In the spring of 1977, while reinforcing the ancient dike, a broken stele with similar calligraphy, content, and dimensions was unearthed from the silt beside the ancient Dragon Pavilion. It was likely broken and buried underground due to an error when it was originally erected. The broken stele is now preserved at the Sanhe Sluice Management Office. To ensure that history remains unbroken here, a new stele was later replicated based on the broken one: “Build the embankment to protect the people; when the people are safe, the embankment serves its purpose. But if the people still suffer, what good is a sturdy embankment…”. The stele inscribed by Emperor Qianlong details the function of the water-regulating dams and the rules for opening them, instructing river officials to always keep the safety of the people in mind.

The stone stele is a historical witness to the ancient dike’s role in defending against the Huai River. Though history may not repeat itself, the spirit of the Chinese nation in conquering the wrath of water continues to be passed down through generations.