Qingfeng Garden

Qingfeng Garden

In Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, there is an ancient town called Cicheng. Cicheng Town is a millennia-old county seat and a historical and cultural town in Zhejiang Province. From 738 AD to the early 1950s, it served as the county seat of Cixi. The area boasts a rich cultural heritage and numerous historic sites. From the Tang and Song dynasties through the Ming and Qing dynasties, it produced 519 successful imperial examination candidates and five top-ranking zhuangyuan scholars. Cicheng also has abundant resources related to clean governance culture. In the early Northern Song Dynasty, Zhang Ying served as the magistrate of Cixi. During his tenure, he was known for his integrity, diligence, and love for the people, earning him the respectful title “Zhang Qingqing” from the locals. After he left office, local officials and residents built the “Qingqing Hall” behind the county yamen to commemorate his virtues and inspire future generations. Throughout the corridors of the yamen, couplets reminding ancient officials to remain honest, diligent, and people-oriented can be found everywhere. These valuable cultural relics serve as important resources for promoting clean governance culture and hold significant potential for exploration and utilization.

Focusing on the goal of “building the ‘Qingfeng Project’ and establishing a clean governance culture,” and making full use of the region’s existing clean governance cultural resources, the Jiangbei District Commission for Discipline Inspection decided to build a clean governance culture project—Ningbo Cicheng · China Qingfeng Garden—within a relatively independent ancient building in the county yamen. This project, supported by an investment of 3 million yuan from Ningbo Cicheng Development Company (the developer and operator of the yamen), takes the “Qingqing Hall” as its starting point and the yamen as its foundation. The main objective of the project is to promote integrity, eliminate corruption, and advance the development of clean governance culture. During the construction process, the Jiangbei District Commission for Discipline Inspection established an expert advisory group, inviting scholars and experts from institutions such as Beijing Normal University, East China Normal University, Zhejiang University, Ningbo University, and the Shanghai Museum to repeatedly review the texts and design plans. Three large-scale review meetings were held. The team also conducted on-site visits to attractions such as the Bao Gong Memorial Hall in Hefei and the Kuang Zhong Shrine in Suzhou. The construction of Qingfeng Garden took one and a half years, and the garden was officially opened to the public on February 9, 2005, with an inauguration ceremony. A senior leader—the member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the Ningbo Municipal Committee—personally inscribed the name of the garden.

Covering an area of 1,200 square meters, Qingfeng Garden is both independent and seamlessly integrated with the county yamen, taking the form of a courtyard-style exhibition hall. The courtyard features an elegant environment with bamboo swaying in the wind. Centered around the theme of “eliminating corruption and promoting integrity,” Qingfeng Garden employs various display methods and forms—including murals, sculptures, physical models, textual materials, e-books, and multimedia—to expose the greed and shameful fates of corrupt officials, while also highlighting the collective image of traditional honest and upright officials. It is the first thematic clean governance culture garden in China focused on the theme of “anti-corruption and integrity promotion.” The entire exhibition begins with a somber tone and gradually builds up, combining warnings with inspiration, using stark contrasts and visual impact to convey its message. The garden is mainly divided into several exhibition areas: the Mirror Wall, Historical Corridor, “Tan” (Greed) Statue, Corruption Hall, Peasant Uprising Murals, Steelyard, Long Scroll of Honest Officials, Honest Officials Hall, Ancient Clean Governance System Corridor, and the Everlasting Warning Bell.

Mirror Wall: Upon entering the garden, visitors are greeted by a mirror wall shaped like a bronze mirror. The mirror has a diameter of 1.2 meters, is 12 centimeters thick, and weighs 1.21 tons. Its base is inscribed with the famous saying of Emperor Taizong of Tang, a wise ruler: “Using bronze as a mirror, one can adjust one’s clothes and hat; using history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of dynasties; using others as a mirror, one can see gains and losses.”

Historical Corridor: Displays models of official hats worn by county magistrates (county governors) from the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. The floor is engraved with the patch patterns of officials ranked from first to ninth grade during the Qing Dynasty. It allows visitors to walk through the corridor of history and trace the footsteps of dynastic rise and fall.

“Tan” (Greed) Statue: Legend has it that “Tan” was a divine beast in heaven. With the head of a dragon, the tail of a lion, the hooves of an ox, and the body of a qilin, it had an odd and ugly appearance. It not only devoured all the birds and beasts in the mountains but also swallowed up all the gold, silver, and jewels in the human world. Eventually, it even tried to swallow the sun in the sky, leading to its own demise. In terms of greed, it was the epitome of excess, so the ancients simply named it “Tan.” The “Tan” statue warns people that “Desires are like fire; if not contained, they will spread like wildfire; greed is like water; if not restrained, it will flood the heavens.” Those who are insatiably greedy will meet their doom just like “Tan.”

Corruption Hall: The gate of the Corruption Hall is shaped like a giant “Qianlong Bao” (乾隆宝) copper coin, referred to as the Coin Gate. The Coin Gate is simple yet imposing, with an air of mystery. Once inside, the space is dimly lit, and it takes a moment to notice the faint light illuminating five life-sized wax figures of infamous corrupt officials imprisoned in cages and facing historical judgment. Among them are Bo Xi, the treacherous chancellor of the Wu State (late Spring and Autumn period), who accepted bribes and endangered the nation; Liang Ji, the arrogant general of the Han Dynasty who “arbitrarily installed three emperors and acted lawlessly”; Zhu Mianli, the instigator of the “Flower and Stone Pile” scandal and one of the “Six Thieves” of the late Northern Song Dynasty; Yan Song, the treacherous minister of the Ming Dynasty who opened the floodgates to corruption; and Heshen, the “No. 1 corrupt official” of the Qing Dynasty. These figures, though holding high positions and great power, pursued their own selfish interests, much like the legendary “Tan,” who only knew how to madly plunder wealth. In front of each wax figure is an e-book detailing the misdeeds of these corrupt officials.

Thirty-two-Carriage Sedan Chair: A replica of the luxurious sedan chair used by Zhang Juzheng, the Chief Grand Secretary during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, when he traveled for his father’s funeral. The sedan chair required 32 bearers to carry, had a bedroom and guest room inside, and was attended by two young servants. The procession was grand and imposing. The lesson left by Zhang Juzheng is that the pursuit of luxury, ostentation, and wastefulness is also a form of corruption. This political reformer, later hailed as the “Prime Minister Who Saved the Times,” was attacked after his death by his opponents who used his lifestyle as a pretext to criticize his character and the reforms he led. As a result, the Zhang family was raided, his eldest son committed suicide, most of the officials he appointed were dismissed, and the reforms failed.

Peasant Uprising Murals: The corruption and greed of feudal officials deepened the suffering of the working people, leading to one peasant uprising after another in Chinese history.

Steelyard: Symbolizing that the people hold a scale in their hearts, and that history is also a scale. Corrupt officials will ultimately not withstand the “weighing” of the people and history; honest and upright officials will be remembered and celebrated by the people and history forever.

Long Scroll of Honest Officials: Features 30 stories of integrity, such as Yang Zhen’s “Four Refusals” to bribes, Yang Xiu’s “Hanging Fish to Refuse Bribes,” Wu Yinshi’s fearlessness in drinking from the “Greedy Spring,” and the tale of the “Six-Foot Lane.” These stories are depicted in murals to showcase the essential qualities of honest officials: integrity, righteousness, honesty, and clarity.

Honest Officials Hall: Highlights nine representative and typical honest officials, including Huang Ba, a model of diligent governance; Dong Xuan, the “Unyielding Magistrate”; Di Renjie, the virtuous prime minister who protected the nation; Fan Zhongyan, who worried about the country and its people; Bao Zheng, the “Iron-Faced Justice”; Hai Rui, the “Iron-Willed and Upright Peak”; Yu Chenglong, an honest official of his time; Zhang Boxing, who “came and went with clean sleeves”; and Lin Zexu, a national hero. Each official is represented by a bronze statue, and an e-book next to each statue contains textual, pictorial, and video materials about the official, available for visitors to browse. A multimedia screen on the wall plays award-winning national clean governance public service advertisements and animated short dramas produced by the Jiangbei District Commission for Discipline Inspection. The center of the Honest Officials Hall is a small courtyard with an upright rockery and nearby bamboo. The rockery is inscribed with the words “Lofty Integrity,” which encapsulate the qualities of honest officials: contentment in poverty, uprightness, and dedication to public service.

Ancient Clean Governance System Corridor: Displays the clean governance systems of various dynasties from the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.

Everlasting Warning Bell: A replica of an ancient bronze bell. The bell contains a sensory device, and when visitors press the sensory button, it emits a loud ringing sound. The sound echoes through the beams and drifts away with the breeze. Behind the bell is a large calligraphic work—Fan Zhongyan’s “Record of Yueyang Tower.” The bell is inscribed with maxims such as: “Officials do not fear my severity, but my integrity; the people do not fear my power, but my fairness. Fairness ensures the people do not dare to be disrespectful, and integrity ensures the people do not dare to deceive. Fairness brings clarity, and integrity commands respect.” The resounding bells warn people that the construction of anti-corruption and integrity efforts is a long and arduous task. Communists, who serve the public and govern for the people, must uphold the “Two Musts,” establish and improve a comprehensive punishment and prevention system that emphasizes education, systems, and supervision, advance democratic and legal development, learn from history, and draw lessons from it. Only then can corruption be effectively prevented, the flesh-and-blood ties with the people be maintained forever, and lasting success be achieved.

Upon exiting Qingfeng Garden, there is an exhibition of clean governance calligraphy and painting works titled “Qingfeng Journey” in the yamen. It displays calligraphy, paintings, and photos left by leaders and dignitaries who visited Qingfeng Garden, serving as a supplement to the garden.

“Building the garden is difficult, but running it is even more so.” The Jiangbei District Committee and District Commission for Discipline Inspection place great emphasis on maximizing the educational function of Qingfeng Garden. In recent years, they have continuously innovated their work platforms and educational methods, making unremitting efforts to further enhance the garden’s educational role and serve the construction of anti-corruption and integrity efforts. Using Qingfeng Garden as a base, the Jiangbei District Commission for Discipline Inspection has organized a series of large-scale activities, such as the “Cicheng Clean Governance Tour” and celebrity cultural tours. They invited cultural figures such as Fang Cheng, Shao Yanxiang, Liushahe, Xiong Zhaozheng, and Wang Chunyu to participate in clean governance cultural activities. During these events, the cultural figures wrote inscriptions, painted, signed and gifted books, and gave special lectures on clean governance culture. Feng Jicai, Vice Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and native of the area, inscribed the words “Eliminate Corruption and Promote Integrity” for his hometown’s Qingfeng Garden. Xiong Zhaozheng, a renowned writer who won the Mao Dun Literature Prize for his historical novel “Zhang Juzheng,” improvised a poem after visiting Qingfeng Garden: “A bit of the people’s fat, a thousand drops of blood; since ancient times, greed and integrity have witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties. A few honest officials uphold the nation, and though dead, their writings still exude fragrance.” Li Jianshu, Honorary Chairman of the Ningbo Writers Association, wrote in his reflection “Meditations at Qingfeng Garden”: “Throughout history, there have always been some officials who, when faced with personal gain, let their guard down and fill their hearts with thoughts of money. Without moral principles, corruption and bribery follow, and they do so ‘one after another,’ never learning from past mistakes—such people, if they had visited Qingfeng Garden earlier or come more often, might have had an epiphany, realizing who truly granted them their power and how they should wield it.”

Since its opening, Qingfeng Garden has hosted delegates to the “China · Zhejiang Clean Governance Culture Forum” and the National Clean Governance Culture On-Site Conference. It has received over 120 groups and more than 2,000 visitors from discipline inspection agencies across provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions), with a total of 250,000 visitors. Former Zhejiang Provincial Party Secretary Xi Jinping, former Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Liu Fengyan, and other leaders have inspected Qingfeng Garden. Former senior leaders—including the former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and former Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Li Yufu—visited Qingfeng Garden for guidance around the 2008 New Year. Qingfeng Garden has been listed as one of the first batch of clean governance culture education bases in Zhejiang Province and has become a highlight of Jiangbei District’s clean governance culture construction. It serves as an ideal venue for anti-corruption and integrity education, party (league) day activities, and student moral education. The Ningbo Commission for Discipline Inspection has designated Qingfeng Garden as an educational site for cadre training, requiring participants in the municipal-level cadre training classes organized by the Municipal Party School to receive anti-corruption and integrity education there. In collaboration with Ningbo’s tourism authorities, Qingfeng Garden has been included in the book “Ningbo Scenic Spot Guide Scripts.” Zhou Xuefeng, Secretary of the Jiangbei District Committee, encouraged the district’s discipline inspection team: “Qingfeng Garden is an exploration and innovation in leveraging traditional clean governance cultural resources to serve contemporary clean governance culture construction. It represents an organic combination of tourism development and clean governance culture construction, achieving a ‘win-win’ effect and yielding excellent social benefits. We hope to further enhance its educational function and make it even better.”