Stele of Ji Zi of Yanling

Stele of Ji Zi of Yanling

The Stele of Ji Zi of Yanling is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

The Stele of Ji Zi of Yanling is located at the northern end of South Street in Jiuli Town, Danyang City. Ji Zi, whose given name was Zha, was the son of King Shoumeng of Wu during the Spring and Autumn Period and was enfeoffed in Yanling. Legend has it that behind the Temple of Ji Zi in Jiuli, Yanling, lies the tomb of Ji Zi, and the stele stands in front of the temple. The temple has been destroyed. The stele has a round top, is 2.45 meters high, 1.06 meters wide, and 0.12 meters thick. The inscription consists of two lines of 10 characters reading “Alas, the tomb of the nobleman of Yanling of Wu,” carved in intaglio seal script, traditionally believed to have been written by Confucius. The lower part of the stele contains 20 lines of 5 characters each, reinscribed in the 14th year of the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty (779) by Xiao Ding, with titles by Zhang Congshen. The left six lines are missing due to stone damage. The bottom two characters of each line were embedded into the stele base in October 1980 when it was repositioned. On the blank areas on both sides of the inscription are inscriptions marking the erection of the stele and the hall in the first month of the eighth year of the Jianzhong era of the Tang Dynasty (780), as well as five other inscriptions from the third year of the Zhenyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (787), the first year of the Yuanyou era of the Song Dynasty (1086), the fourth year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1509), and the sixth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1527)—these are now faint. The reverse side of the stele bears the seal script title “Record of the Renovation of the Temple of Ji Zi of Yanling of Wu” and the text “Record of the Renovation of the Temple of Ji Zi of Yanling of Wu,” written by Xiao Ding and calligraphed by Zhang Congshen, recarved from rubbings by later generations. The end of the stele bears an inscription by Zhang Xiaosi of Dantu from the early Qing Dynasty. On the right side of the stele is “Supervised by Zhang Congying, Patrol Inspector and Official of Yanling,” and on the left are the words “On the 23rd day of the fourth month of the Jiawu year of the Ming Jiajing era, Duan Jin and Zhao Ao of Wujin, [illegible] of Danyang, and Wang Hui of Wuxi respectfully viewed this.” The inscriptions on the reverse and sides are still relatively clear.

The Stele of Ji Zi of Yanling was listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in 1982.

Yanling Town: Yanling Town is located on the beautiful and fertile lands of southern Jiangnan, at the junction of Jintan, Dantu, and Danyang counties (cities), and boasts a history of over 2,300 years. The town administers 5 administrative villages and 2 neighborhood committees, covering a total area of 31.8 square kilometers with a population of over 23,000, including a town area of 6 square kilometers inhabited by 6,000 people.

With the deepening of reform and opening-up and rapid economic development, this ancient town of a thousand years presents a vibrant scene of flourishing industries. Significant progress has been made in industry, agriculture, and town construction, and remarkable achievements have been attained in various social programs, paving the way for fast... More detailed information about Yanling Town++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units