Qingyuan Terrace

Qingyuan Terrace

Qingyuan Terrace (also known as the Bell and Drum Tower) is located in the Revolutionary Martyrs' Park on the east side of the county town, on the west bank of the Gan River. It stands opposite the "Fengyue Tower" on Bailuzhou Island across the river. It was built during the Zhenghe era (1111–1118) of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty by the then Prefect of Jizhou, Ge Qi. Beneath it lies a nine-foot-high earthen platform, upon which a three-story tower was constructed. Each floor features upturned eaves and multiple tiers. Ascending the steps to the top and looking out, you can take in the sweeping views of the Qingyuan mountain range, the white sails on the Gan River, and the cityscape of Ji’an.

In the early Southern Song Dynasty, Zheng Zuosu, then Prefect of Jizhou, and the Minister Liu Caishao once composed poetry together at Qingyuan. Later generations inscribed these poetic exchanges on the walls of the tower. There is also an inscription by Monk Rubi of Jizhou, hailed by Lu You as “the greatest monk-poet under heaven,” who wrote about visiting Qingyuan Terrace: “Within the king’s heart lie valleys and hills; a small carriage brings endless joy. It seems he speaks of the newly expanded Qingyuan Terrace — not less splendid than the old Tengwang Pavilion.” Comparing Qingyuan Terrace with the Tengwang Pavilion shows just how magnificent and splendid the terrace was at the time.

During the Ming Dynasty, Qingyuan Terrace was renamed the “Bell Tower” (later referred to as the “Bell and Drum Tower,” though the details are unclear), and a bronze bell cast during the Xuande era (1426–1435) was hung in the center of the third floor. It was struck once in the morning and once in the evening to mark the time. In the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, Magistrate He Shu melted the bronze bell down to make cannons in order to resist the Taiping Army, replacing it with an iron bell. The structure was renovated again during the Tongzhi era and still bore the plaque reading “Ancient Qingyuan Terrace.” In the second year of the Guangxu reign, a local named Liu Mei restored it, and in the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926), another local, Kang Guilin, carried out further repairs. The four characters “Ancient Qingyuan Terrace” were inscribed by a county government clerk named Ouyang Qing. The stone stele bearing these characters was embedded in the eastern wall of the tower. After the liberation, the area came under the jurisdiction of Ji’an City.