Songfeng Terrace

Songfeng Terrace

Songfeng Terrace is one of the key attractions in Pei County and also one of the “Eight Ancient Scenic Spots of Pei.” In 196 BC, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, quelled the rebellion of Ying Bu, the King of Huainan, and returned to his hometown. He held a banquet at the Pei Palace, inviting local elders to celebrate together. Over drinks, they reminisced about the past, and overwhelmed with emotion, the returning warrior emperor, a hero risen from humble beginnings, played the zheng and sang: “A great wind rises, oh clouds fly along; / My might spreads o’er the land, I’m back in my home song. / Where are brave men to guard the four corners wide?” Upon finishing the song, “tears streamed down” Liu Bang’s face. One hundred and twenty young men joined in the chorus, stirring intense emotions among all present. This became the famous “Song of the Great Wind” in literary history. Though consisting of only three lines, every word carries the weight of metal and stone, resonating powerfully. The song expresses an ambitious and heroic spirit, a solemn and bold aspiration to achieve greatness, a majestic drive to build a legacy, and deep, weighty concerns for the nation’s stability. It is truly stirring and deeply moving.

There are three surviving steles of the “Song of the Great Wind.” The first is a Han Dynasty stele, standing over 3.6 meters tall and 1.47 meters wide. Its characters are round and vigorous, with a well-balanced and graceful structure. According to the Pei County Annals and the Xuzhou Prefecture Annals, it was inscribed by Cai Yong or Cao Xi of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Modern scholar Feng Yiwu argues that it was written by Yuan Li, a literary figure from Pei during the Western Han Dynasty. Opinions vary, but it is universally recognized as a treasured piece of Chinese calligraphy. The surviving portion of the Han stele is about three-quarters of the original, and despite two millennia of weathering, the text remains clearly legible due to the fine and solid quality of the stone. The second stele is known as the Yuan stele, engraved during the Yuandade era of the Yuan Dynasty. Its characters are clear and strikingly similar to the original, almost indistinguishable. The reverse side of the Yuan stele contains explanatory text, offering valuable historical information for researchers. The third stele, also called the Jiazi stele, was commissioned in 1984 (the Jiazi year) by the Pei County People's Government, with a calligrapher recreating the original stele’s dimensions.

In February 1982, the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government designated both Songfeng Terrace and the “Song of the Great Wind” steles as provincial-level key cultural relics under protection. Originally located southeast of the ancient county seat, Songfeng Terrace has endured many changes over time, having been relocated and rebuilt multiple times. The current Songfeng Terrace covers a construction area of 12,600 square meters, with a total height of 26.8 meters. It stands as the highest point of the Han City architectural complex—majestic and grand—and is considered the foremost of its kind in China.