Cliff Inscriptions on Guopu Peak

Cliff Inscriptions on Guopu Peak

The Cliff Inscriptions on Guopu Peak are a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangxi Province.

Guopu Peak is located in the southern mountainous area of Changjiang District. It was named after the renowned Eastern Jin Dynasty literary figure Guo Pu, who once lived here, and is now a provincial-level forest park. Deep within the valleys of Guopu Peak are several Yuan Dynasty cliff inscriptions carved by the Xu family of Quehu, who resided at the foot of the peak. On March 9, 2018, these inscriptions were designated as part of the sixth batch of provincial-level cultural heritage protection units.

During the Yuan Dynasty, the Xu family of Quehu at the foot of Guopu Peak became a prominent local clan, producing many talented individuals. In the Yuantong era of the Yuan Dynasty, Xu Jin (also known as Jieshan) served as a professor at the Huangzhou Prefecture School. In his later years, he lived at the foot of Guopu Peak. Xu Jin had four sons, all of whom held official positions elsewhere and achieved notable accomplishments. His third son, Yunhe, initially served as a judicial officer in Changsha Commandery. He gained a reputation for resolving a wrongful imprisonment case in Liuyang and was subsequently promoted to the position of Pacification Commissioner of Guangxi. For his meritorious service in pacifying the border tribes of Guangxi, he was further promoted to Langzhong of the Ministry of War and concurrently took charge of affairs in Huguang Province. Known for his integrity, Yunhe did not get along with certain court officials of the time and chose to retire to his hometown at the foot of Guopu Peak. To facilitate travel, he led his family members to chisel steps out of the steep cliffs, carve water channels through stone, and cut paths through the mountains. In 1334 (the second year of the Yuantong era), they carved a hundred-meter stone stairway and inscribed texts along the path, including the phrases “Step to the Clouds” and “Jieshan’s Fourth Son Shi’an, Second Son Yunhe, Third Son Yiquan, Fourth Son.” Other inscriptions include “In the autumn of Jiayin year, Yuantong era of the Great Yuan, the Xu family cleared the dangers” and “In the second year of Yuantong, the Xu family engraved the cleared path.” Though these inscriptions have endured nearly seven hundred years of wind, rain, and snow, the characters remain clear and the strokes powerful, leaving behind profound historical and cultural remnants in the provincial-level forest park of Guopu Peak.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units