Monument to the Hometowns of Four Sages

Monument to the Hometowns of Four Sages

The Monument to the Hometowns of Four Sages is a cultural relic protection unit of Ningbo City.

Ascending the steps from the south gate of Longshan Park and entering the moon gate inscribed with “Seeing the Virtuous Makes One Aspire to Be Like Them,” you will see four pavilions dedicated to the hometowns of the sages. These were erected in memory of Yan Ziling of the Han Dynasty, Wang Yangming of the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Shunshui and Huang Zongxi from the late Ming to early Qing period. The monuments for Yan Ziling and Wang Yangming were built in the 19th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1755), while those for Zhu Shunshui and Huang Zongxi were both built in the late Qing Dynasty.

Each pavilion has an inscribed plaque. The plaque of the Yan Ziling Pavilion reads “Lofty as Mountains and Everlasting as Waters,” praising Yan Ziling’s character—lofty as the eternal mountains and ceaseless as the flowing rivers. The couplet reads: “His distant traces are as remote as the Han Dynasty; his noble spirit still shines as high as the city walls.” It roughly means: His legacy is as distant as the Eastern Han era; his lofty virtue remains as towering as the city of Yuyao.

The plaque of the Wang Yangming Pavilion reads “True Three Immortalities,” commending Wang Yangming for cultivating virtue, expounding teachings, and achieving merits, thus shining brightly in history. The couplet reads: “He once brought the Great Learning to moral education; the lofty tower still unveils auspicious clouds.” It roughly means: His theory of innate moral knowledge enriched Confucian classics; the Auspicious Cloud Tower where he was born still stands today, commanding reverence.

The plaque of the Zhu Shunshui Pavilion reads “Sage-Guiding Guest of a Fallen Dynasty,” praising Zhu Shunshui for the moral integrity he showed as a loyal subject of the Ming Dynasty who earned the respect of foreign rulers. The couplet reads: “He willingly braved the East Sea, enduring poverty in exile, carrying on the mission of preserving civilization through the ages; he alone upheld righteousness in the South, with a heart as clear as water, his noble spirit forever flowing like the river.” It roughly means: He resolutely crossed to Japan, content to wander in a foreign land, maintaining his principles in poverty, yet shouldering the mission of safeguarding Chinese culture like Confucius; he stood as a pillar of the Southern Ming, his loyalty as clear as water, and his lofty virtue enduring like the ceaseless rivers.

The plaque of the Huang Zongxi Pavilion reads “Legacy of a Renowned Land,” praising Huang Zongxi as a learned and prolific sage of Yuyao. The couplet reads: “A loyal son and filial official, forever enshrined in the eastern hall of sacrifices; a master of Confucian and Daoist studies, specially recorded by historians as of Nanlei.” It roughly means: His life embodied both filial devotion and loyalty, earning worship for generations; his works such as The Case Studies of Song and Yuan Scholars and The Case Studies of Ming Confucians are hailed as masterpieces by historians, leaving behind models of Confucian and Neo-Confucian thought.