Hongfu Garden

Hongfu Garden

Hongfu Garden, located in Xingfu Town, Boxing County, was historically known as Gufen Palace and also called Hongfu Temple. It originated in the Shang Dynasty, flourished in the Spring and Autumn Period, and has been passed down through the Han and Ming Dynasties. In ancient times, due to its geographical location — backed by Beiqiu Hill and fronted by the Mian River — it was regarded as a place “backed by a treasured mountain and embraced by sacred waters.” The ancient Pugu State of Boxing established an earthen altar here for worshipping heaven and earth, ancestors, and praying for a good harvest. By the Spring and Autumn Period, it had become a venue where the State of Qi received foreign envoys and dignitaries, and for hunting and sightseeing.

Hongfu Garden has been associated with many historical figures and events. Legend has it that Confucius, during his three-month stay in Qi in his early years, visited Gufen and watched people shoot wild geese, which inspired his saying in the Analects: “A gentleman contends for nothing, but if he must, it is in archery.” In 331 BC, King Huai of Chu sent Qu Yuan as an envoy to Qi, and he also visited Gufen Palace, where an anti-Qin alliance treaty was formed with Qi. In the eighth year of Duke Zhuang of Lu’s reign, generals Lian Cheng and Guan Zhong’s father raised troops at Gufen Palace, where the tyrannical Duke Xiang of Qi met his end. Other notable figures include Chunyu Kun, a renowned debater and peacemaker of the Warring States period who “transformed weapons of war into gifts of jade,” the famous imperial physician Ren Zhong of the Ming Dynasty, and the well-known hermit Wei Xiuan’an of the Ming Dynasty. All were celebrated for their virtuous deeds and left behind many touching legends.

Preserved here are Taoist cultural relics built during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era, such as the Furnace Aunt Temple, Hundred Sons Hall, and Jade Emperor Pavilion. These structures draw inspiration from folk culture that promotes abandoning evil and advocating virtue. After careful management by Taoist priests Qiankun during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, they became a thriving and highly revered sacred site in northern Mount Tai. There are also hundreds of spectacular and widely renowned calligraphy stone tablets from home and abroad. Additionally, a statue of the filial daughter Furnace Aunt stands tall here, with her touching legend enduring through time.

The Hongfu Garden presented to visitors today is a landscaped attraction that has been continuously expanded and renovated since 1993: the majestic and towering Nine-Story Hongfu Pagoda reaching into the clouds; the awe-inspiring and reverent “Three Sages Shrine”; hundreds of neatly arranged stone tablets radiating a rich artistic charm of calligraphy; the restored Furnace Aunt Temple and Hundred Sons Hall; a vividly sculpted statue of Furnace Aunt crafted from high-end materials; the Hongfu Cultural Hall dedicated to showcasing traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy art; and the Hongfu Stele Corridor, which houses inscriptions such as “The Source of Xingfu’s Blessings, the Root of Prosperity.”

The influence of Hongfu Garden dates back to ancient times. Today, the three major local market fairs held on the ninth day of the first lunar month, the third day of the third lunar month, and the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, evolved from the temple fairs historically held at Hongfu Garden on the same dates.