Xinghua Tower

Xinghua Tower

Xinghua Tower is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Era: Qing Dynasty

Type: Ancient Architecture

Address: No. 29 Nanhu Road, Donghu District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province

Introduction:

Commonly known as "Shui Guanyin Pavilion," Xinghua Tower is located at No. 29 Nanhu Road in Nanchang City, situated on an island in the middle of Nanhu Lake—one of the four lakes in Nanchang. It is surrounded by water on the east, south, and west sides, and connected to Huanhu Road and Jiandeguan Street via a small stone bridge on the north side.

Xinghua Tower was originally built during the Tang Dynasty. During the Zhengde era (1506–1521) of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, it served as the dressing table of Lou Fei, the wife of Zhu Chenhao, the fifth-generation descendant of Prince Ning Zhu Quan. In the Wanli era (1573–1620) of the Ming Dynasty, it briefly became the villa of Grand Secretary Zhang Wei (courtesy name Hongyang) and began to be called "Xinghua Tower," a name that continues to this day. To the west of the tower was the "Xianyun Pavilion," a gathering place for literati associations, where figures such as Tang Xianzu, Liu Yingqiu, and Wu Yingbin often composed poetry. During the Qing Dynasty, the "Yinshi Nunnery" was built to the west to enshrine Lou Fei. When it was renovated in the 53rd year of the Qianlong reign (1788), it was renamed "Guanyin Pavilion." A lane led to Guangji Bridge, and the entrance of the lane was marked with the sign "Huxin Guanyin Pavilion." It was commonly known as "Shui Guanyin Pavilion" (which was razed to the ground during the early Cultural Revolution and no longer exists). Though Xinghua Tower and Shui Guanyin Pavilion were separated only by a wall and formed one integrated structure, people often mistakenly believed that Xinghua Tower was Shui Guanyin Pavilion.

In the 8th year of the Republic of China (1919), a citizen named Zhang Xiyou initiated fundraising efforts to renovate Xinghua Tower.

In the front courtyard of Xinghua Tower, there are two bluestone steles on either side of the lawn, inscribed with the characters "屏" (Screen) and "翰" (Literature). Each stele is 3.27 meters high and 2.59 meters wide, made by joining two pieces of bluestone. The characters "屏" and "翰" are said to have been written by Lou Fei using her hair as a brush, and later carved into the steles by artisans. In the southwest corner of Xinghua Tower, there is also a surviving fragment of a Yuan Dynasty stele, the "Stele Record of the Sheli Pagoda at Longsha Tianwang Chan Temple on Longxing Road." The remnant is 2.1 meters tall and 1.5 meters wide, with clear inscriptions and patterns.

During the Republican era, renowned painters such as Fu Baoshi and Xu Beihong, as well as famous traditional artists like Fan Qingyun, once lived here, creating paintings, calligraphy, and carvings. In 1927, during the August 1st Nanchang Uprising, it served as one of the battle positions where revolutionary troops attacked enemy forces stationed at the Gongyuan (Examination Hall).

With its white walls, black tiles, floral beams, red pillars, upturned eaves, latticed windows, and patterned walls, Xinghua Tower is adorned with lake rocks and green trees in the courtyard, giving it a particularly delicate and tranquil charm that captivates visitors. The *Nanchang County Annals* describe Xinghua Tower as: "With lake waters winding around, the fragrance of lotus flowers permeating, and a waterside pavilion in the center, it resembles the lake-center temple of Hangzhou." Meanwhile, the *Jiangxi Tongde Shantang Fundraising Preface for the Renovation of Huxin Guanyin Pavilion* states: "All scholars and officials who visit this place cannot help but praise it unanimously. With the shimmering lake and boundless blue waters, it is truly like Mount Putuo by the South Sea."

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units