Inscription Commemorating Li Zengbo’s Merits

Inscription Commemorating Li Zengbo’s Merits

The Inscription Commemorating Li Zengbo’s Merits is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Inscription Commemorating Li Zengbo’s Merits is located at the eastern foot of Tortoise Mountain, west of Xiangcheng District, Xiangyang City, in Tanxi Subdistrict. The cliff carving is square-shaped, standing 4.7 meters high, 4.4 meters wide, and covering an area of approximately 20 square meters. It was carved on the first day of the first lunar month in the second year of the Baoyou era (1254) during the Southern Song Dynasty.

The inscription consists of 79 characters, each 0.3 meters in size, presented in solemn, upright regular script carved in intaglio. The overall work is quite robust, with square and broad characters that are powerful and forceful. The carving craftsmanship is exquisite, with every character remaining clear and preserving the original charm of the script. The four edges are decorated with intaglio patterns, adding to the solemn and dignified aura of the cliff carving. The horizontal plaque above features the three characters “Xiangfan Ming” (Xiangfan Inscription) in double-hook style, which differ from the main inscription font and are believed to have been added later.

The inscription is carved in upright regular script, arranged in 11 vertical lines with a total of 99 characters, each about 30 centimeters in size. Except for a few slightly faded characters, the text is generally well-preserved. The first seven lines form the preface, which reads: “On the 27th day of the fourth lunar month in the 11th year of the Chunyou era of the Great Song (1251), Li Zengbo, the Military Commissioner of Jinghu, acting under imperial decree, mobilized General Gao Da, ... and Wang Deng of the military headquarters to lead troops in recapturing the two cities of Xiangyang and Fancheng. Three years later, on the first day of the first lunar month, this inscription was made on Xian Hill.” The last four lines form the eulogy: “Majestic is Xian Hill, backbone of north and south. Sheltering ponds and valleys, bordering mounds and ravines. Heaven’s power prevails, restoring what was lost. For thousands of years, it shall guard our nation.” It is a valuable historical resource for the study of Song Dynasty history.

You can take Bus No. 28 to Zhenwushan Station and then walk to the site.

The Inscription Commemorating Li Zengbo’s Merits has retained its original appearance and remains well-preserved to this day. It is considered a masterpiece among regular script inscriptions, possessing significant historical and artistic value. It serves as a precious resource for the study of Song Dynasty history and the military history of Xiangyang.

In May 2013, the Inscription Commemorating Li Zengbo’s Merits was listed as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Li Zengbo (1198–between 1265 and 1275) was a poet of the Southern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Changru, and his pseudonym was Kezhai. He was originally from Qinhua (now part of Henan). After the Southern Crossing, he resided in Jiaxing (now part of Zhejiang). Li Zengbo was well-versed in military affairs and once served as the Pacification Commissioner of Sichuan and the Pacification Commissioner of Hunan. He achieved many practical accomplishments in office and was well-known in his time. He served alongside the powerful official Jia Sidao as a frontier commander and spoke candidly on border affairs, which led to jealousy and exclusion. Li Zengbo’s collected works include poetry, lyrics, and prose. Most of the prose consists of official memorials and reports. His poetry lacks distinctive features. His literary achievements are mainly reflected in his ci (lyric poetry). About 200 of his ci poems survive today, … More details about Li Zengbo ++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hubei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units