Iron City

Iron City

Iron City

"Iron City" Cliff Inscription

The Iron City cliff carving is located within the Iron Gate Gorge. The two characters "Iron City" measure 320 cm in height. Along with the "Xu Mountain" inscription on Chuyang Mountain, the "Dinghu Scenic Site" inscription at the foot of Dinghu Peak, the "Yujun Rock" inscription on Yujun Rock, and the "Buddha" character inscription in Huanglong Mountain, these form the Five Great Cliff Carvings of Xiandu. The two characters "Iron City"...

During the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era, Gu Xiancheng, the Prefectural Judge of Chuzhou, was transferred to a position in the Ministry of Personnel. Before his transfer, he made a special trip to Jinyun and toured Xiandu together with Zheng Ruyi, the Fujian Right Councillor who was then observing mourning at home. Gu Xiancheng was a renowned founder of the Donglin Party in the late Ming Dynasty, deeply concerned with the rise and fall of the nation and openly critiquing court politics. Influenced by Gu, at that time in Jinyun, besides Zheng Ruyi, there were also three other individuals who were marginalized — Li Jian, Li Fenglei, and Fan Xiangchao. They adopted the aliases Gu Tan Yike (Secluded Guest of Valley Pool), Xiao Xian Shanren (Hermit of Little Immortal Mountain), Yu Men Zi (Master of Yu Gate), and Bin Yang Dao Ren (Taoist of Binyang), respectively. They built the Zizhi Mountain House (commonly known as Iron City Academy) within the desolate Iron Gate Gorge of Furong Barrier, where they composed poetry, drank wine, and sought solace from their frustrations. When news of this spread, in the 18th year of the Wanli reign (1590), the imperial court ordered the Jinyun Magistrate, Hao Jing, to investigate. Hao Jing, courtesy name Zhongyu, art name Chuwang, was a native of Jingshan. He was skilled in calligraphy, known for his uprightness, but was also impetuous in handling affairs and had an equally unsmooth official career. He quickly became friendly with Li Jian and the others, exchanging poems, and reported favorably to the court, describing the four men as being like the “Four White Beards of Shangshan” (recluses of noble character). Soon after, Zheng Ruyi, Li Fenglei, and Fan Xiangchao all left seclusion one after another. Among them, Zheng Ruyi rose to become the Governor-General of Xuanda and Shanxi, making significant contributions to safeguarding the stability of the northern borders in the late Ming period. As for Li Jian, he resolutely refused to serve in office, content to live as a recluse, truly as resolute as the Iron City itself. To commend Li Jian’s noble character, Hao Jing carved the two large characters "Iron City" within the Iron Gate Gorge in his memory.

Li Jian (1520–1610), courtesy name Yanshou, also known as Xiao Xian Shanren (Hermit of Little Immortal Mountain) and Iron City, was upright in learning and noble in conduct. In the 35th year of the Jiajing reign (1557), he passed the imperial examination and was appointed as an Official-in-Waiting in the Ministry of Works. Soon after, he was promoted to Assistant Director of the Construction Department, then to Director of the Land Requisition Department, and later Director of the Construction Department again. On the twelfth day of the fourth month in the summer of the following year, lightning struck the Hall of Supreme Harmony, causing a fire that subsequently burned down the Hall of Scrupulous Behavior and the Hall of Venerating Heaven. In the ninth month of the 37th year, Lei Li from Fengcheng, Jiangxi, was appointed as the Acting Minister of Works to oversee the reconstruction of the three halls. Lei Li held Li Jian in high regard and put him in charge of supervising the overall project. In the 41st year, the three halls were completed. The Ministry of Works submitted six volumes of reports on meritorious officials, but Yan Song, the Chief Grand Secretary, who resented their lack of allegiance to him, suppressed their names and did not report them. In September, after the completion of the three halls — renamed the Hall of Imperial Supremacy (formerly Hall of Supreme Harmony), the Hall of Central Supremacy (formerly Hall of Scrupulous Behavior), and the Hall of Established Supremacy (formerly Hall of Venerating Heaven; now the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Supremacy, and the Hall of Mental Cultivation east of the Forbidden City) — all those who had flattered the powerful received promotions, while Li Jian alone remained obscure in his official post. When Emperor Jiajing learned of this, he questioned from the throne, “Why hasn’t Li Jian been promoted to a central government position?” As a result, Li Jian was promoted to Deputy Minister of the Imperial Household. Soon after, he served as an Honorary Doctor and Consultant of the Nanjing Bureau of Transmission. In the 45th year, when Emperor Muzong ascended the throne, Li Jian submitted a proposal to abolish ten malpractices within the imperial palace. The emperor adopted them all and ordered their implementation as law. In the third year of the Longqing reign (1569), due to offending the imperial clan and nobility, Li Jian was demoted. He immediately submitted his resignation and returned home. After Yang Bo, the Minister of Personnel (from Puzhou), petitioned regarding the injustice done to Li Jian and others, his position was restored as Consultant of the Ministry of Rites. However, he was still posted externally, reassigned as Deputy Salt Transport Commissioner of Fujian. At that time, Hai Rui, the Inspector of Ying Tian, admired his integrity and petitioned for him to govern Suzhou. At the time, the region suffered from drought and famine, and the people were in dire straits. Li Jian devised strategies that saved countless lives and stabilized the prefecture. He was known for his public-mindedness, frugality, and integrity, celebrated in the song “Drinking the Waters of Wu.” Five years later, he returned to the capital, where his governance was rated as outstanding, but due to political disagreements with the Chief Grand Secretary, he was only appointed as Salt Transport Commissioner of Changlu (present-day Cangzhou, Hebei). Upon taking office, Li Jian reformed abuses, supported salt field workers, and eliminated illicit profits. Merchants even erected statues in his honor. He was later promoted to Right Consultant of the Sichuan Provincial Administration Commission. Li Jian sighed and said, “To cross the treacherous paths of Shu and neglect my aging parents — how can I face Wang Yang?” He then submitted multiple petitions requesting to return home to care for his parents. Throughout his life, he remained clean and upright. Even when offered bribes in wealthy regions, he did not take a single penny. After returning home, he lived a life of simplicity and serenity, like a child. Neither local officials, county magistrates, former subordinates, nor students dared to contact him. Despite repeated recommendations by influential figures, he refused to take office again. At home, he was filial and amicable, with a clear conscience and actions guided by the principles of Cheng and Zhu. He influenced his clan to live harmoniously without disputes. He spent over forty years wandering and residing near Xiandu and lived to be ninety-one. His written works include “Commentary on the Five Classics,” “Clear Explanations of Human Nature and Principle,” “Compendium of Twenty-Two Histories,” and “Collection from the Hall of Bestowed Nurture.”