Peigong Pavilion

Peigong Pavilion

Peigong Pavilion is a cultural heritage site protected by the Yiyang Municipal Government.

Peigong Pavilion, located on the southern bank of the Zi River, sits atop Bailu Mountain on the west side of the southern end of Ziyang Bridge. It is a quaint and compact park in downtown Yiyang, making it a great spot for locals to relax over the weekend.

Peigong Pavilion was built to commemorate Pei Xiu, a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty. Pei Xiu, styled Gongmei, was a native of Jiyuan County in Henan Province. He was erudite and multi-talented, excelling in poetry, painting, and calligraphy. During the reign of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, he served as Vice Minister of War and concurrently supervised the Salt and Iron Monopoly across various circuits. Later, he was promoted to Vice Director of the Secretariat and eventually became Prime Minister. He reformed the shortcomings in grain transport and curbed the abuses of regional military governors, achieving notable political success. In his later years, he was demoted and appointed as the Military Governor of Jingnan. He devoted himself to the study of Buddhist scriptures and often stayed in Yiyang for ten days or half a month, residing by the river where he read and chanted sutras. Later, people built a pavilion that combined the functions of a tower and a pavilion amid the green hills and trees, for Pei Xiu to read and stay in. Pei Xiu was very pleased and often lingered there, reluctant to leave. His loud chanting of scriptures even attracted a celestial white deer to stop and listen.

The ancient Peigong Pavilion had weathered many storms and fallen into disrepair over time, and its original appearance is no longer known. The Peigong Pavilion rebuilt in 1923 through local donations stood three stories tall, with a grand and imposing presence. The gate bore a horizontal plaque inscribed with the words “Peigong Pavilion.” Inside the pavilion, there were portraits of Pei Xiu, as well as memorial plaques for two other esteemed figures from Yiyang’s history: Guo Duxian, a provincial governor of Jiangxi during the late Ming Dynasty, and Hu Dayuan, a scholar of the Imperial Hanlin Academy during the Qing Dynasty. Climbing to the top of the pavilion offered a panoramic view of the ancient city of Yiyang, with the crystal-clear Zi River stretching for miles and flowing northward into Dongting Lake. To the north of the river lay the bustling ten-li bluestone-paved street, teeming with merchants and thriving business. The entire scene formed a captivating picture that truly lifted the spirits. Moreover, as Peigong Pavilion was built along the river and embraced by ancient trees, with distant views of hazy tree lines and drifting mist, it earned the poetic name “Peiting Cloud Trees” and was counted among the ancient Ten Scenic Spots of Yiyang.

The Peigong Pavilion now standing at the head of the bridge was rebuilt in 1982. It retains the classical style of an ancient pavilion while incorporating the grandeur of modern architecture. The three bold and powerful running script characters “Peigong Pavilion” on the pavilion were inscribed by Zhao Puchu, then President of the Buddhist Association of China. On both sides of the pavilion gate, a striking couplet is carved: “Moonlight hides behind ancient trees at Peiting; the white deer’s bell echoes through clouds for miles.”

On the first floor of the pavilion, there is a full-length portrait of Pei Xiu, facing the surging Zi River flowing northward, exuding a graceful and carefree demeanor. Climbing to the top of the pavilion and looking into the distance, every window frames a different view, each pane like a painting. Looking north, a rainbow bridge spans the river, with the Yiyang Building soaring into the sky; looking south, the national highway bustles with traffic, and the ancient city peeks out like a red apricot blossom; looking east, the newly built riverside scenic belt recreates the scene of “Spring View from Xiwang”; looking west, the Zi River stretches like a colorful ribbon for miles, with a group of white deer sculptures below the pavilion seemingly listening to the “Ancient City March.” This compact Peigong Pavilion combines towers, pavilions, and terraces into one, integrating the river, trees, flowers, grass, and flowing water. Around the pavilion, there is a memorial platform for the famous writer Ye Zi, an art corridor showcasing paintings of the ancient Ten Scenic Spots of Yiyang, a group sculpture of white deer, artificial stone bells, serene winding staircases, and a small riverside pavilion. Visiting Peigong Pavilion on weekends is truly a delightful experience.

Location of the Attraction

National Highway 319, Heshan District, Yiyang City, Hunan Province

Pei Xiu (791–864), a prominent prime minister of the Tang Dynasty. Styled Gongmei, he was of Han ethnicity, born in Jiyuan (now Jiyuan, Henan Province), with ancestral roots in Wenxi, Hedong (now Wenxi, Yuncheng, Shanxi Province). He served as Minister of Personnel and was granted the title of Marquis of Hedong County, later posthumously honored as Grand Tutor. He was skilled in writing and calligraphy, drawing inspiration from the styles of Ouyang Xun and Liu Gongquan. Many temples invited him to inscribe their plaques, and he left numerous inscriptions in Mount Lu, Henan. He was a renowned calligrapher of the late Tang Dynasty, though only one of his calligraphic works survives today.

“The landscape of Litan is majestic, the ancestral pagoda stands above the clouded river. Though catastrophic times may come to an end, the true spirit never fades. Years pass in vain aging, yet who truly understands the message? Arriving here, worldly dust fades away, and fame and fortune can be let go.” Read what he wrote... More details about Pei Xiu++

Huilongshan Subdistrict: Located on the southern bank of the Zi River in Heshan District, Yiyang City, Hunan Province, Huilongshan Subdistrict stretches from Jinshan Road in the east to Zhixi River in the west, borders the Chaoyang Development Zone to the south, adjoins Huilongshan County in Taojiang to the west, and faces the Zi River to the north, across which lies Ziyang District. The Zhixi River runs from south to north through the center of Huilongshan Subdistrict before joining the Zi River. Covering a total area of 35.8 square kilometers, the subdistrict administers six communities—Huilongshan, Nanzhan, Zhixihe, and Longshan Port—and eight agricultural administrative villages, with a total population of 69,000, including 47,000 urban residents and 22,000 rural residents. The area boasts picturesque scenery in Huilongshan... More details about Huilongshan Subdistrict++