Peibi Village in Shanxi

Peibi Village in Shanxi

Over the two thousand years of China’s feudal society, there was one unique aristocratic family that stood out—the Pei clan of Hedong and Wenxi. The birthplace of this prominent family is now Peibi Village in Liyuan Town, Wenxi County, Shanxi Province.

Peibi Village in Wenxi County, located 25 kilometers from the county seat, officially opened to domestic and international tourists on the third day of the third lunar month in 1995. It showcases the rich historical and cultural legacy of the prestigious Pei clan, along with a series of newly developed scenic spots.

The Wenxi Pei clan was one of the most distinguished families in Chinese feudal history. Its founding ancestor was a descendant of Feizi, the progenitor of the Qin state. A branch of Feizi’s lineage was enfeoffed in the area known as “Fei Yi,” and thus adopted the name based on their territory. During the reign of King Xiang of Zhou, the sixth-generation descendant Ling was granted the title of Lord of Jieyi, and subsequently dropped the “Yi” (territory) radical and adopted the “Yi” (clothing) radical, changing the surname to “Pei.” Later, the Pei clan split into three branches, settling in Hedong, Yanjing, and Xiliang, but tracing their genealogy, all originated from the Pei clan of Wenxi—hence the saying “There are no other Pei clans under heaven.” From the Qin and Han dynasties through the Wei, Jin, Sui, and Tang periods, the Pei clan reached its zenith, and even after the Five Dynasties, its legacy endured. The family’s remarkable number of notable figures and their achievements in virtue, governance, and literature were truly unparalleled in both Chinese and world history. According to the *Pei Clan Genealogy*, the family produced 59 chancellors, 59 generals, 14 Secretariat Directors, 55 Ministers, 44 Vice Ministers, 11 Attendants, 10 Censors, 25 military governors, surveillance commissioners, and defense commissioners, 211 prefects, and 77 county magistrates. Among those who received noble titles were 89 dukes, 33 marquises, 11 counts, 18 viscounts, and 13 barons. The clan also had 3 empresses, 4 crown princesses, 2 princess consorts, 21 imperial sons-in-law, and 20 princesses, truly exemplifying “generals and ministers in succession, nobility in one family.” This is how China’s “Chancellor Village” got its name.

The Pei clan also boasted numerous accomplished scholars worthy of admiration. For example, Pei Xiu of the Western Jin Dynasty was China’s most outstanding cartographer, hailed alongside the European scholar Ptolemy as one of the two brilliant stars in the history of ancient map development, representing the East and West respectively. His “Six Principles of Cartography”—scale (proportion), orientation (direction), distance (mileage), elevation (terrain), angle (alignment), and straightness (curvature)—laid a scientific foundation for later map-making and held an extremely important place in the history of world cartography. Pei Xiu’s son, Pei Hui, was a philosopher and thinker of the Western Jin Dynasty who, during a time when people revered Zhuangzi and Laozi and engaged in lofty metaphysical discussions, proposed unique and simple materialist views such as “nothing cannot give rise to something” and that “something” is the basis for the existence and change of all things. The Southern Song historian Pei Songzhi annotated the *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, while his son Pei Yi and great-grandson Pei Ziyu authored immortal works such as *Collected Explanations of Records of the Grand Historian* and *A Brief History of the Song*, collectively known as the “Three Historians of the Pei Clan.” Pei Shiji of the Sui Dynasty wrote *The Western Regions Record*, which provided detailed accounts of the politics, economy, culture, transportation, and customs of 14 Western Regions states, offering significant value for studying northwestern Chinese society during the Sui and Tang periods. Pei Shiqing of the Sui Dynasty was the first person in Chinese history to lead an official government delegation from the Sui Dynasty to visit Japan, making important contributions to the development of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations. Other notable figures include the Eastern Jin novelist Pei Qi, the Northern Wei literary figure Pei Bomin, the Eastern Wei poet Pei Rangyun, and the Tang Dynasty historian Pei Guangting.

Today, Peibi Village is home to many historical relics of the Pei clan, including architecture, steles, and tombs. The Pei Clan Ancestral Hall, also known as the Jin Duke Ancestral Hall, was built in the third year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (629). It features a front hall, rear hall, Number One Scholar Archway, and stele corridor, and was once grand in scale, but suffered repeated damage due to wars and was often rebuilt only to be destroyed again. The Jin Duke, Pei Du, styled Zhongli, was a key minister serving four Tang emperors—Xianzong, Muzong, Jingzong, and Wenzong—and alternated between military and civil roles, eventually being ennobled as the Duke of Jin. The Jin Duke Ancestral Hall is currently under reconstruction.

The Pei Clan Stele Corridor was rebuilt in the 1970s and preserves dozens of ancient steles, which hold high value both historically and in terms of calligraphy artistry. Among them, the *Pei Hong Stele*, combining elements of Wei and clerical scripts, features steady brushwork and was engraved in the third year of the Datong era (568) during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, making it the earliest surviving stele of the Pei clan. The *Pei Jingmin Stele* was composed by Li Baiyao, a historian of the early Tang Dynasty, and written in regular script by the calligrapher Yin Lingming. It closely resembles the style of Yan Zhenqing while also incorporating elements of Liu Gongquan’s work, exuding dignity and firmness with vigorous strokes. The *Pei Guangting Spirit Way Stele* was composed by Zhang Jiuling and written in running script by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji. It features bold brushwork and elegant characters. The *Ping HuaiXi Stele* was composed by the famous Tang Dynasty literary figure Han Yu and rewritten during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty by the Grand Councilor Qi Junzao. This stele commemorates the achievements of the eminent Tang chancellor Pei Du in suppressing the rebellion of Wu Yuanji in HuaiXi. It consists of four stone slabs erected side by side, creating a majestic presence, and is celebrated for its excellent text, calligraphy, and carving, earning it the title of the “Three Perfections Stele.” In addition, there are 17 steles of Pei clan genealogical prefaces carved between the Jin Dynasty’s Dading era and the Qing Dynasty, representing the essence of the clan’s heritage. These steles are invaluable resources for studying the history of the Pei clan and the art of calligraphy.

The Pei Clan Tombs are located five kilometers east of Peibi Village on Fenghuangyuan. In the past, the site was filled with numerous burial mounds and stelae, and although most have been leveled or destroyed, the general layout can still be observed, with some tomb areas still retaining stone tablets.

To protect the cultural relics of the Pei clan and develop tourism, the Wenxi County government decided to establish a Pei Clan Cultural Tourism Development Zone, constructing attractions such as the Pei Clan Stele Garden, the Jin Duke Ancestral Hall, the Pei Clan Ancestral Temple, and the China Pei Clan Culture City, as well as commercial and entertainment service areas. In 1994, the ancient temple fair on the third day of the third lunar month was revived, and many construction projects have been completed. The Pei Clan Stele Garden, the exhibition on the life and achievements of the Jin Duke Pei Du, the miniature landscape of the Pei Clan Cultural Tourism Zone, the giant stele of the Pei Clan founding ancestor’s statue, and scenic spots such as the Chancellor Platform and General’s Slope have begun receiving visitors.

Phone: 0359-7028752

Address: Government and Party Street, Wenxi County

Peibi Village: Peibi Village is located 500 meters south of Liyuan Town. The Da Yun Expressway and Da Yun Second-Class Highway run from north to south through the area. Behind the village, nine ridges resemble a phoenix, facing exactly from west to east, hence also called “Nine Phoenixes Facing the Sun.” Millennium-old cypresses on the ridges beautifully adorn Peibi Village. The provincial-level cultural relic—the Jin Duke Ancestral Hall—is situated on the eastern ridge of the village. Historically, the village produced 59 chancellors, 59 generals, and over a thousand other notable individuals, truly a place of outstanding people and abundant talent. Due to the large number of chancellors in the past, Peibi Village is also known as Chancellor Village. The village has a total of 4 residential groups, 264 households, 970 residents, and a labor force... More details about Peibi Village ++