Xingtai Classic of the Way and Virtue Monument

Xingtai Classic of the Way and Virtue Monument

The Xingtai Classic of the Way and Virtue Monument is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Xingtai Classic of the Way and Virtue Monument is located in the northeastern part of the old city of present-day Xingtai City, Hebei Province, now in the backyard of the Nanchang Street Subdistrict Office. The monument stands about seven meters tall and is covered by a pavilion. It consists of three parts: the top, the main body, and the base, and is an octagonal prism divided into three sections. The first to seventh sides feature intaglio regular script inscriptions of the original text of the Classic of the Way and Virtue along with Emperor Xuanzong’s line-by-line commentary. The monument was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution but has since been restored.

The monument stands about seven meters tall and is covered by a pavilion. It consists of three parts: the top, the main body, and the base, and is an octagonal prism divided into three sections.

Inscribed Content

The first to seventh sides feature intaglio regular script inscriptions of the original text of the Classic of the Way and Virtue along with Emperor Xuanzong’s line-by-line commentary. The first side begins with a raised seal script inscription of sixteen large characters: “The Great Tang Kaiyuan Holy, Literary, Divine, Martial Emperor’s Commentary on the Classic of the Way and Virtue,” each character measuring 10.3 cm in height and 11.2 cm in width.

The upper part of the eighth side bears the inscription: “In the 27th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Great Tang, in the month of Dan’e, on the fifth day of the central month, the 5th imperial cousin, Middle-Rank Doctor, Imperial Commissioner holding the staff of authority over the various military affairs of Xingzhou, and Defender-Governor of Xingzhou, Pillar-of-State Zhi Jian.”

The middle part of the eighth side contains the “Record of the Renovation of the Dragon Rise Monastery’s Classic of the Way and Virtue Terrace in Xingzhou,” written in the first year of the Duan'gong era of the Great Song (988 AD) by He Zuan of Xingzhou Military, Pillar-of-State, composed by Lu Hua, and engraved by Li Sishun.

The lower part of the eighth side includes an “Inscription” written in October of the 18th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing (1838) by Shi Duanqi, as well as another “Inscription” written in the 28th year of the Republic of China (1939) by Miao Zuoxin, the then Magistrate of Xingtai County, regarding fundraising for the terrace and pavilion renovation.

Nanchang Street Subdistrict: Nanchang Street Subdistrict (Nanchangjie Jiedao) is located in the northeastern part of the district. Covering an area of 3.00 square kilometers with a population of 56,900, it administers 18 communities and is headquartered at No. 6 Weisheng Street. The area houses the Kaiyuan Temple, a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit from the Tang Dynasty.

Historical Evolution: Nanchang Street Subdistrict was established in 1957, converted into a commune in 1961, renamed Xiangyang Road Commune during the Cultural Revolution, and reinstated as Nanchang Street Subdistrict in 1980. In 1997, it covered an area of 3 square kilometers with a population of 35,000, administering Nanchang Street, Beichang Street, Guangming Street, Fuxian East... Detailed Information on Nanchang Street Subdistrict++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units