Pipa Pavilion

Pipa Pavilion

Pipa Pavilion is located on the east side of Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge and is named after the famous long poem "Pipa Xing" by the renowned Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi.

In the tenth year of the Yuanhe era (815 AD) during the reign of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, Bai Juyi was demoted to the position of Military Governor of Jiangzhou for petitioning to severely punish the assassins of Prime Minister Wu Yuanheng, thereby offending the powerful. The following autumn night, while seeing off a guest at Punpu Port, the poet encountered a pipa-playing woman. Moved by the woman’s plight as a wandering entertainer and his own setbacks in life, he wrote the famous long poem "Pipa Xing." Later generations specially built Pipa Pavilion to commemorate this event.

Pipa Pavilion was first built during the Tang Dynasty, originally situated on the western bank of the Yangtze River in Jiujiang City, at the place where Bai Juyi saw off his guest. However, it experienced repeated cycles of destruction and relocation over the dynasties. It was rebuilt during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1736–1795), but was destroyed again during the Xianfeng era (1851–1861) due to war. The new Pipa Pavilion was constructed at its current location in March 1988. Covering an area of more than 3,300 square meters, the pavilion faces south and is laid out symmetrically along a central axis. It consists of three parts: the main pavilion, the left stele corridor, and the right stele corridor. The main structure, Pipa Pavilion, stands on a seven-meter-high granite foundation by the riverbank, featuring red pillars and green tiles, giving it an ancient and solemn appearance. On the screen wall of the main gate is a large gold-plated marble stele inscribed with Mao Zedong’s calligraphy of "Pipa Xing," while the back features a large ceramic tile mural depicting the poetic imagery of Bai Juyi’s "Pipa Xing." Correspondingly, the front of the platform is inlaid with a large porcelain mural showing "Farewell Banquet in Xunyang." In the center of the courtyard stands a three-meter-tall white marble statue of Bai Juyi. The courtyard is adorned with winding paths, lush flowers and trees, a pond, and rockeries, creating a delightful scene of gardens within a garden and pavilions within a pavilion.

Bai Juyi’s "Pipa Xing" and "Song of Everlasting Regret" are both uniquely creative masterpieces that have become timeless classics. As the saying goes, “Even children can recite 'The Song of Everlasting Regret,' and foreigners can sing 'The Pipa Song.'” Since then, these works have been widely read both in China and abroad, demonstrating their enduring artistic vitality. Having the opportunity to visit Pipa Pavilion, to experience the poetic imagery described by the poet, and to draw inspiration from it is truly a delightful experience in life.

Time Needed

15 minutes

Transportation

Bus: Take bus No. 5, 23, or 502 to Pipa Ting Station

Taxi: Approximately 5.3 km / 10 minutes from Jiujiang Railway Station to Pipa Pavilion

Location

East side of Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province