Site of Wutang Pavilion

Site of Wutang Pavilion

The Site of Wutang Pavilion is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

The Site of Wutang Pavilion is located to the west of Wutai Village in Zhanghuang Town, Yutai County, Shandong Province, adjacent to Wutai Village. It was the administrative center of Tangyi, a settlement of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. The "Spring and Autumn Annals: Year 2 of Duke Yin" records: "In the eighth month of autumn, the Duke made a covenant with the Rong at Tang" (where Tang and Tangyi are interchangeable), and also states, "In the fifth year, in spring, the Duke went fishing at Tang." Du Yu's commentary notes: "North of Fangyu County in Gaoping there is Wutang Pavilion, the viewing platform of the Lu ruler." The "Commentary on the Water Classic" states: "Ten li north of the old Fangyu city, there is a high platform about twenty feet tall, overlooking the Ji River. This is where the Lu ruler went fishing at Tang."

The site currently rises about 3 meters above the ground, stretching 125 meters from north to south and 96 meters from east to west, covering an area of 12,000 square meters. At the top of the platform, there was originally a Chaohua Temple, first built in the fifth year of the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty (864 AD) and renovated in the 24th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1545 AD). The pavilion itself no longer exists, leaving only a Qielan Hall and two Ming Dynasty steles. One is the "Stele for the Renovation of Qielan Hall," and the other is the "Lu Yinong’s Fish-Watching Spot" inscribed in the ninth year of the Chongzhen era (1636 AD) by Zhang Wenxian, the then magistrate of Yutai County. However, the reverse side of the stele bears the "Record of the Renovation of Wutang Pavilion and Lu Hou’s Fish-Watching Spot," written in the 13th year of the Yongzheng era (1735 AD). Two dynasties, separated by 99 years, sharing one stele is truly a rare phenomenon in the world. This site was once one of the ten ancient scenic spots of Yutai County, known as the "Wutang Fish-Watching Site." It now houses the Wutai Complete Primary School of Zhanghuang Town.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Shandong Province

· First Batch of Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jining City