Shaxi Cultural Sightseeing Scenic Area

Shaxi Cultural Sightseeing Scenic Area

Shaxi Cultural Sightseeing Scenic Area is a cultural heritage site protected by Yongfeng County.

Shaxi Cultural Sightseeing Scenic Area --- Xiyang Palace

Established before the third year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (629 AD), it was originally a Taoist temple called Xiyang Guan. To avoid the naming taboo of the character "Guan," Han Qi petitioned the imperial court to rename it Xiyang Gong. Since then, Xiyang Gong has been the burial ground of Ouyang Xiu’s parents. In later years, to commemorate Ouyang Xiu and his parents, additional structures were built within Xiyang Gong, including the Wenzhongong Ancestral Hall, the Hua Di Tower, the Longgang Qian Biao Stele Pavilion, as well as a memorial archway and an academy.

The Joint Tomb of Ouyang Guan and Lady Zheng

Ouyang Guan and Lady Zheng were the parents of Ouyang Xiu, a leading literary figure of the Northern Song Dynasty. Their joint tomb is located at Panlong Ridge on Longgang in Shaxi, nestled among surrounding hills, encircled by clear waters, and shaded by lush greenery. The tomb is constructed from bluestone, featuring three stelae and four pillars, and is grand and imposing. A pair of lifelike stone sheep stand on either side of the tomb path, while a bluestone memorial stele stands upright behind the tomb. The existing tomb was renovated in the sixth year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1802, in the zǐ month). The outer couplet reads: “Longgang stands eternal, fragrant waters flow in embrace.” The inner couplet reads: “The stele of merit endures, upholding the nation’s virtue; the ancient tomb still carries the fragrance of reeds.” In October 1983, the county government designated it as a county-level cultural heritage protection site.