Stele of Bixian An

Stele of Bixian An

The Stele of Bixian An is a cultural relic protection unit of Yixing City.

The Stele of Bixian An is located in the rear cave of Shanjuan Cave in Zhangzhu Town, Yixing City. In November 1996, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit by the Yixing Municipal People's Government.

Historical records indicate that Bixian An was the place where Zhu Yingtai, a figure from the Southern Dynasties, studied. The Pi Ling Zhi (Annals of Pi Ling) from the Xianchun era (1265–1274) of the Song Dynasty states, “Zhuling is on Shanjuan Mountain, where a huge rock on the cliff is inscribed with the words ‘Bixian An,’ which is said to be the place where Zhu Yingtai studied…” The Ming Dynasty scholar Du Mu also wrote in his Travelogue of the Three Caves: “I sailed southwest with guests for forty li and had lunch, then traveled another ten li to reach Yudai Bridge. We disembarked, turned north, crossed a stone bridge lined with tall pine trees—some as thick as two people’s embrace—for two li until we arrived at Shanquan Temple. On the right side of the temple, there is a stone wall inscribed with three large characters ‘Bixian An,’ which is the place where Zhu Yingtai studied.” The distance from Yudai Bridge to Bixian An described in his account matches exactly with the present-day location.

The Bixian An stele is naturally shaped, roughly rectangular, and made of yellow stone. The central part features the three characters “Bixian An” carved in intaglio in the style of Wei Dynasty regular script. There is no signature, but it is traditionally believed to have been written by Li Chongbin, a Tang Dynasty prefectural governor, military commissioner of Fengxiang, and Minister of Works. The stele stands 2.08 meters tall, is 1.18 meters wide, and 0.55 meters thick. This ancient and rugged stele bears elegant calligraphy, and a stele pavilion has been built around it. The stele was unearthed in 1930 during the excavation of the stream in the rear cave of Shanjuan. It was originally housed inside Bixian An, but was later moved outside the wall when the Sansheng Hall was constructed, causing it to fall into the stream. It remained there until the Republican era, when Mr. Chu Nanqiang, during the development of Shanjuan Cave and the dredging of the stream, rediscovered the stele and built a square pavilion to protect it properly.

Zhangzhu Town: Known historically as Taohexi, Zhangzhu Town in Yixing City was established in the fourth year of the Yongjia era of the Western Jin Dynasty (310 AD), boasting a history of nearly 1,700 years. Located in a hilly area about 30 kilometers southwest of downtown Yixing, the town is surrounded by verdant mountains, bamboo forests, and fragrant tea fields. The renowned Shanjuan Scenic Area—Site 4—is situated within Zhangzhu. For a long time, it has served as a major hub for agricultural and sideline product distribution and commercial trade in the tri-provincial border region of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui, earning the nickname “Golden Zhangzhu.” It has been successively recognized by the provincial government as a Key Industrial Satellite Town, one of Jiangsu’s Hundred Famous Towns, a Model New-Type Town in Jiangsu, and a Sanitary Town of Jiangsu Province. More details about Zhangzhu Town++