Left Sea Tablet Reverse Side

Left Sea Tablet Reverse Side

Left Sea Tablet Reverse Side

The upright magistrate was held in high esteem by the Han court back then, to this day people still praise the governor’s integrity. The shade of locust trees spreads thickly with the love of Tongxiang, the inscribed stone tablet bears the marks of Gao Yi. On the official road, cattle and sheep roam aimlessly day and night, in the painted hall, sparrows have nested several times. From time to time, pepper wine and osmanthus brew are offered, tears fall and soak the clothes as creeping grass turns green. — Qing Dynasty, Wei Yijie

The Left Sea Tablet Reverse Side is located at the southern base of the city wall near the bridge outside the west gate of the county town. The tablet was erected during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era to commemorate the reconstruction of the convenience bridge over the west gate. The main inscription was composed by the Minister of Personnel, Xing. On the reverse side of the tablet is a seven-character quatrain written in cursive script by County Magistrate Zhang Yanting. The poem reads: “For years the waters encircle the ancient town, all fear the dangerous bridge that cannot be crossed. Thanks to you, suddenly we marvel at the new bridge so well-built, as if I were reborn as the immortal Zhang Guo.” It also includes a short note: “The convenience bridge over the west gate has been completed, thanks largely to the labor of Zhang Juchuan from the province. I commend his sense of justice, hence wrote this, while also expressing my own humility.” Since Zhang’s courtesy name was Zuohai, the tablet is called the “Left Sea Tablet Reverse Side.” Zhang Yanting was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations from Binzhou, Shandong. He came to serve as the magistrate of Baiyi County in the second year of the Wanli era (1574 AD). During his tenure, he repaired the city walls, dredged the Huai and Wu rivers, built bridges, developed water conservancy projects, promoted culture and education, compiled the county annals, lightened criminal punishments and taxes, revived abandoned initiatives and eliminated malpractices, achieving many accomplishments and demonstrating notable political achievements. In the eighth year of the Wanli era (1580 AD), he was promoted to the position of Southern Household Administration Official and left office. The local people, in order to commemorate him, built the Zhang Public Temple by the ? water in the northern part of the town. Zhang Yanting, a graduate of the Imperial Academy, was well-versed in literature and skilled in calligraphy, especially excelling in large cursive script. The poem on the tablet’s reverse side was written in large cursive. The characters flow dynamically, the brushstrokes bold and unrestrained, rivaling even those of Zhang Xu. Thus, this tablet is listed as one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Huaiyang due to its artistic value in calligraphy.