Xu Shen Cultural Park

Xu Shen Cultural Park

Xu Shen Cultural Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Xu Shen Cultural Park was built around the tomb of Xu Shen and integrates cultural heritage protection, Xu Shen culture exhibitions, and Chinese character culture tourism. It is now a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Xu Shen (circa 58 AD – circa 147 AD), courtesy name Shuzhong, was a famous Confucian scholar, philologist, and exegete of the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He was hailed as the “Unequaled Master of the Five Classics” for compiling works such as *Dissimilarities in the Five Classics* and *Kong Family’s Ancient Text Explanations of the Classic of Filial Piety*. He was later revered as the “Sage of Chinese Characters” for compiling *Shuowen Jiezi*, the first Chinese dictionary in history.

Xu Shen’s academic achievements not only pioneered Chinese philology but also made significant contributions to exegetics, Confucian studies, and phonology. The academic community holds him in the highest esteem. To commemorate this cultural luminary who dedicated his life to preserving Chinese heritage, eight academic conferences on Xu Shen have been held in Luohe since 1983. Many scholars have called or written to the Luohe government urging the restoration of Xu Shen’s tomb site.

Xu Shen’s tomb is located east of Xuzhuang Village (the village where Xu Shen once lived, called Wansuili in the Eastern Han Dynasty) in Jishi Town, Zhaoling District, Luohe City. It lies east of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway and west of the Sha River. In 2006, it was designated as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level by the State Council.

Construction of Xu Shen Cultural Park began in September 2008 and was completed in October 2010. The park covers a total area of 107,000 square meters, with a built-up area of 4,200 square meters. The terrain gradually rises from south to north, and the park is divided into three functional zones: the plaza service area, the central exhibition area, and the tomb conservation area.

Xu Shen Cultural Park follows traditional Chinese architectural layout principles, employing axial symmetry. The Six Methods Stone Pillars, Chinese Character Avenue, Sage of Characters Hall, Shuzhong Hall, Shuowen Pavilion, Character Form Archway, and Xu Shen’s Tomb are arranged along the central axis, forming the main touring route. Smaller features such as Character Meaning Interpretation, Radical Square Array, Kuixing Pavilion (Golden List Stone), Toad and Osmanthus Hill, and Character Origin Stone are symmetrically distributed on either side of the central axis, creating a circular touring path.

Xu Shen Cultural Park uses traditional architectural art to highlight the contemporary essence of Xu Shen culture. For example, the Sage of Characters Hall is a wooden-and-stone structure with a double-eave hip-and-gable roof, modeled in an ancient style, which experts praise as one of the few authentic Han-style reconstructed buildings in the province or even the country in recent years. On the other hand, modern exhibition techniques are employed to fully present Xu Shen’s remarkable life and the profound connotations of the philology he founded. The Shuzhong Hall and Shuowen Pavilion are both curated according to museum display standards, showcasing Xu Shen’s life, deeds, and contributions. The 80-meter-long Chinese Character Avenue uses stone carvings and bronze casting to replicate different script styles from ten stages of Chinese character evolution, symbolizing the history of Chinese characters.

Xu Shen Cultural Park is a hub of Xu Shen culture and a showcase of Chinese character heritage. Luohe is committed to building the park into a world-renowned cultural tourism destination, focusing on establishing it as a center for Xu Shen cultural research, Xu studies literature, and Xu Shen cultural tourism.

Address: Xu Shen Cultural Park, 800m east of the intersection between Longjiang Road and Zhongshan Road, Zhaoling District, Luohe City

Type: Cemetery/Cultural Tourism Area

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0395-6770677

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00–17:00

Ticket Information:

Gate Price: 40.0 RMB

Free admission with valid ID for children, primary and secondary school students, people with disabilities, active-duty military personnel, disabled veterans, seniors aged 70 and above, tour guides, journalists with press cards issued by the National Press and Publication Administration. University and vocational students (excluding postgraduates) with student IDs, seniors aged 60–69 with ID or senior citizen cards, and local Luohe residents with valid ID receive a 50% discount. Groups of 30 or more enjoy a 20% discount. Guided tour fee: 50 RMB.

Xu Shen, courtesy name Shuzhong (circa 58 AD – 147 AD), was a native of Wansuili, Zhaoling, Runan (present-day Xuzhuang Village, Jishi Township) during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He was a renowned Confucian scholar, philologist, exegete, and lexicographer of the period, and the author of *Shuowen Jiezi*.

Xu Shen (58–147 AD) – *Shuowen Jiezi*

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