Osmanthus Fragrance Palace Pagoda

Osmanthus Fragrance Palace Pagoda

The Osmanthus Fragrance Palace Pagoda is a cultural heritage protection unit of Henan Province.

The Osmanthus Fragrance Palace Pagoda is located in Nan Chenwang Village, Baiying Town, Tangyin County. It dates back to the Qing Dynasty. The Osmanthus Fragrance Palace Pagoda is among the seventh batch of cultural heritage protection units designated by Henan Province.

The Osmanthus Fragrance Palace Pagoda in Tangyin, located in Nan Chenwang Village, Baiying Town, Tangyin, is one of the seventh batch of provincial-level protected sites announced by Henan Province on January 25, 2016. According to the stone stele on its southern side, the Kuixing Pavilion is situated at the southeastern corner of Nan Chenwang Village and is a magnificent ancient structure. The Kuixing Pavilion was first built in the 29th year of the Daoguang reign (1849 AD), making it over 170 years old.

There is a beautiful legend about the construction of the Kuixing Pavilion. It is said that the 14th-generation ancestor, Dianzhang, whose courtesy name was Qingjiu and pseudonym Jinglun, often saw a red lantern escorting him home when he returned from evening study sessions in his childhood. Later, he successfully passed the imperial examinations three times in a row, eventually attaining the rank of Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He served as the Magistrate of Jinkui County in Jiangsu, the Magistrate of Shizong County in Yunnan, and the acting Governor of Datong. Recalling those days, Qingjiu sighed and said, “Back then, I had a red lantern escorting me home when I studied, and now I’ve risen to the fifth rank in officialdom — could this not be the will of Heaven?” He intended to build the Kuixing Pavilion in his hometown to pay homage to Heaven and Earth. However, he passed away before realizing this dream due to illness. It was not until the 29th year of the Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty that his son, the 15th-generation ancestor Zhìyínggōng (courtesy name Qiuxi, who was selected as a provincial graduate with first-class honors in the imperial court examination in the Ding Si year of Daoguang and successively served as Magistrate of Qingfeng, Shahe in Hebei, Qingyun in Heilongjiang, and later promoted to Magistrate of Wanping), finally constructed the Kuixing Pavilion.

The Kuixing Pavilion is a brick-and-stone structure. Its base is square, while the main body is conical with eight sides, reflecting the ancient concept of “the round heaven and square earth,” symbolizing reverence for Heaven and Earth.

Nan Chenwang Village: Nan Chenwang Village... More detailed information about Nan Chenwang Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Henan Province