Stele on Exempting Fishing Tax and Permanently Banning Private Levies on Mud and Grass

Stele on Exempting Fishing Tax and Permanently Banning Private Levies on Mud and Grass

The Stele on Exempting Fishing Tax and Permanently Banning Private Levies on Mud and Grass is a cultural relic protected at the municipal level in Suzhou.

The Stele on Exempting Fishing Tax and Permanently Banning Private Levies on Mud and Grass, originally erected in the Guanyin Hall by the West River of Beizhuang in Huangqiao Town, was established in May of the 17th year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1660). It survived the destruction of the hall during the Cultural Revolution. In 1979, the upper part of the stele broke off but was restored by the Beixi Village Committee and relocated to the west side of the village.

Stele on Exempting Fishing Tax and Permanently Banning Private Levies on Mud and Grass

The stele is made of bluestone with a round top, standing 2.06 meters high, 1 meter wide, and 0.27 meters thick. It consists of the main body and the base. The upper part of the main body is inscribed with the words “By Imperial Decree and in Accordance with the Law, Fishing Tax Is Exempted and Private Levies on Mud and Grass Are Permanently Banned” in regular script. The main text contains over 1,080 characters in 29 vertical lines of regular script. The lower left side of the stele is engraved with the surnames of 40 individuals who sponsored the stele.