Fudan Pavilion

Fudan Pavilion

Fudan Pavilion was built at the confluence of Ju Stream and Yunquan Creek by the village’s ancestors, initiated by Wu Maoxiu, an official from the Ming Dynasty’s Ministry of War who retired to his hometown. Located where the two waterways meet, the pavilion derives its name from the crescent shape of the village, which was thought to need the balance of the sun—“dan” (旦), meaning day—to symbolize the everlasting light of both the sun and moon, hence “Fu Dan” (复旦), meaning “renewed light.” Wu Maoxiu had served under the Ming Emperor Hongguang and Zheng Zhilong (father of Zheng Chenggong), and was committed to the cause of restoring the Ming Dynasty after the fall of the Ming to the Qing. Following military defeat, he retired to his hometown, yet remained devoted to the Ming cause. He constructed two pavilions in his native place: “Fudan” (复旦) and “Zunguang” (尊光), both carrying double meanings. “Fudan” signifies the restoration of the Ming, while “Zunguang” means to honor the Ming. In 2001, villagers raised funds to rebuild the pavilion on its original site. The structure features a double-eaved roof with six upturned corners. Inside, there are benches on five sides, and an outer corridor with one entrance. Above the door hangs a plaque inscribed with “Fudan Pavilion.” Directly above the center inside is a plaque reading “Le Zhu Qin Ming” (乐助琴鸣), and the other sides display calligraphy, paintings, and a record of the pavilion’s construction. The ceiling is adorned with colorful paintings of dragons and phoenixes in harmony. On the upper west side of the pavilion hangs a plaque inscribed “Ren Shui Zhong Ling” (壬水钟灵). There is also a palindrome couplet: “月转山移山转月，亭浮水面水浮亭” (“The moon shifts as the mountain moves, the mountain shifts as the moon turns; the pavilion floats on the water as the water floats the pavilion”). Above the pavilion lies a bridge called “Buyue” (步月, Moonwalking), and facing it is another bridge named “Baiyun” (白云, White Cloud). A poem praises the scene: “六角重檐立溪前，双栏对映步云间，白首青童详旧事，曾传此处紫微坛” (“A six-cornered double-eaved pavilion stands before the stream, paired railings mirror each other amid the walking clouds; white-haired elders and young children recount old tales, once said to be the site of the Purple Tenuity Altar”).