Inscription by Liu Yuan

Inscription by Liu Yuan

The inscription by Liu Yuan is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The inscription by Liu Yuan is located on a cliff face at the entrance of Xiguanzhai in the Tianzhu Mountain Scenic Area. The stone carving faces south, measuring approximately 1.92 meters in height and 2.19 meters in width. Written vertically from right to left, it consists of 68 characters arranged in 9 lines. The single-line intaglio text reads: “In the first year of the Xianchun era of the Great Song (1265), by imperial decree, a mountain stronghold was established to protect and gather over one hundred thousand common people. For more than ten years, it resisted repeated attacks by the northern armies, remaining secure. During spring, the people farmed; in winter, they retreated into the stronghold. The stronghold was established under the leadership of Liu Yuan, a local magnate from Tong’an Commandery, also known as Liu Yuan Shuqing, and commanded by Ningzong Da and Chongdao.” The inscribed grooves are relatively shallow, with slender and forceful lines, the inner frame remains intact, and the overall carving is fairly well-preserved.

Liu Yuan, courtesy name Shuqing, was a local magnate in the late Southern Song Dynasty. In the second year of the Xiangxing era (1279), when Yuan Dynasty forces led by Angil attacked and breached the stronghold, Liu Yuan died in battle and was buried in a stone tomb near Baihua Cliff.