Muting Shu She

Muting Shu She

Muting Shu She

Next to the Dawuchang Village in Jinxi lies a grand quadrangle courtyard building. Above its stone gate are several prominent characters reading “Muting Shu She.” It has been verified that Muting Shu She was built during the Ming Dynasty by a man surnamed Long, Long Shuzhao, originally named “Ganxi Shu She.” Later, during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it was reconstructed and established as “Muting Shu She” by Long Diandou. Its name derives from the residence of scholars from the Wood Heaven Office. During the Republican era, it operated as “Muting School,” which was renamed “Ganzhu Primary School” before the liberation. In 1954, Kang Shengtao relocated Ganzhu Primary School to “Sanxing Hall” in Wuxing Village, now known as Wuxing Primary School. The reason for the move was due to various opinions at the time, but after approval by the County Education Bureau, the school was moved to Sanxing Hall to operate as a central primary school, while Muting Shu She continued as an elementary-level primary school. In 1965, the building suffered damage from a storm, causing the entrance to collapse. It was restored to its near-original state in 1987, and the former open-air courtyard used for printing was converted into a classroom. The school has since ceased operations. Historically, many literati composed poems and couplets here. Below are several couplets from Muting Shu She, displayed for future generations to appreciate and reflect upon.

① Two wooden pillars stand, waiting to be climbed again when autumn comes

The heavens scatter blossoms in several spots, unmatched in their tailor-made elegance but for the spring breeze

② Read Guanzi’s writings: plant grains, plant trees, plant people

Follow Lianxi’s teachings: aspire to virtue, to heaven, to sagehood

③ The wood thrives joyfully, infused with the spirit of spring and summer

The heavens shine bright above, vying with the radiance of sun and moon

④ Two wooden plants grow — one with tea, one with osmanthus

The heavens unfold a single painting — silent and scentless

⑤ The wooden chicken is raised to perfection, its spirit reaching the branches

The heavenly steed soars, its momentum unmatched

⑥ Wood can only be straightened with a plumb line

The heavens cannot be climbed by force

⑦ Studying literature is like striking a bell or carving wood

One’s temperament lies in music, one’s fate in knowing heaven

Jinxi Village: Located in the southeastern administrative area of Nanxi Township, Taihe County, Jinxi Village is a major village 5 kilometers from the township government seat. The village administers 18 village groups, with 567 households and a total population of 2,368. It has 7 village cadres and 52 party members. The village covers an area of 5.6 square kilometers, including 4,999 mu of arable land. Transportation within the village is very convenient, with good conditions on village-level roads. The road-to-group project has been largely completed, and mobile phone networks cover the entire village, ensuring smooth communication. Farmland irrigation and water conservancy facilities encircle most of the village, and there are two small Type-2 reservoirs.

The village's forest coverage rate reaches... More details about Jinxi Village ++