Zhou Chu Terrace in Nanjing

Zhou Chu Terrace in Nanjing

Zhou Chu Terrace in Nanjing

The ruins of Zhou Chu Terrace, also known as “Zhou Chu Terrace,” are located near Laohutou in the southeastern corner of Nanjing. Situated in the old southern district of Qinhuai District, Nanjing, the site is easily accessible via Bus 43 to Jiangning Road.

Zhou Chu, courtesy name Ziyin, was a native of Yangxian (present-day Yixing, Jiangsu) and the son of Zhou Fang, a nobleman of the Eastern Wu. During the Jin Dynasty, he served as Prefect of Xinping and Imperial Censor-in-Chief. It is said that Zhou Chu Terrace was either the residence where Zhou Chu served as Left Attendant at the Eastern Observatory during the Eastern Wu period or the place where he studied before entering officialdom. The “Zizhi Tongjian” records: “Initially, Zhou Chu, the son of Zhou Fang, possessed extraordinary physical strength but did not cultivate refined behavior, which troubled the local people. Zhou Chu once asked the elders, ‘The season is pleasant and the harvest abundant, yet the people are not happy—why is that?’ The elders sighed and said, ‘The three scourges have not been eliminated—how can there be joy?’ Zhou Chu asked, ‘What do you mean?’ The elders replied, ‘The white-tailed tiger of the southern mountain, the flood dragon beneath Long Bridge, and you make up the three.’ Zhou Chu said, ‘If these are the only concerns, I can eliminate them.’ He then went into the mountains, shot and killed the tiger, and jumped into the water to battle and kill the flood dragon. He then studied under Ji and Yun, devoting himself earnestly to reading and self-discipline. Within a year, both the provincial and prefectural governments sought his service.” This story of a wayward youth reforming himself and ultimately achieving greatness has become an excellent moral lesson for educating future generations.

After the expansion of the city by the Yang Wu Kingdom, the ruins of Zhou Chu Terrace were enclosed within the city walls and preserved. By the Republican era, it had been converted into an elementary school. The shrine hall situated on the hill still features an offering table and incense stand. A stone rubbing of Zhou Chu’s portrait hangs inside the shrine niche. In front, a stele is inscribed with the text: “Seat of Zhou Xiao Hou, Courtesy Name Ziyin, also known as Zhou Chu, Jin Dynasty’s Cavalry Attendant and General Who Pacifies the West.”

After the liberation, the ruins of Zhou Chu Terrace became residential buildings, covering an area of 456 m². The existing structure includes a five-bay main hall adorned with decorative eaves tiles and carved wooden patterns. The site features rugged rocks and exposed red cliffs, retaining an ancient charm. It is now a protected cultural heritage site of Nanjing. It has relatively few connections with other tourist attractions.