Hometown of Li Mi

Hometown of Li Mi

The Hometown of Li Mi is a cultural tourism attraction.

The hometown of Li Mi is situated in Long’an Village, Baosheng Township, northwest of Pengshan County, approximately 25 kilometers from the county seat. It neighbors four counties and five townships: Qishan Township and Dengmiao Township of the same county, Zhengjun Township of Meishan County, Huilong Town of Qionglai City in Chengdu, and Wuxing Town of Pujiang County. Surrounded by mountains, it was the former residence of Li Mi, the governor of Hanzhong during the Jin Dynasty. The area boasts beautiful natural and cultural landscapes such as the Dragon Cave wonder, Tang Dynasty cliff carvings, Longmen Temple, and Dragon Pool Spring Rain, and is known as a “feng shui treasure land.”

The Hometown of Li Mi was first built during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty. In the second year of the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty (1866), the Longmen Temple cliff carvings were reconstructed, totaling 10 niches, with the second niche selected for inclusion in the overseas edition of “Chinese Grotto Art” and the “Complete Collection of Chinese Fine Arts.” The largest statue of Maitreya, seated, stands 5.85 meters tall. In 1984, it was designated as a county-level cultural relic protection unit. To the left of the “Great Buddha,” there is a stone cave with an entrance only 30 centimeters wide, but the cavern extends deep inside and is difficult to observe fully. The inner walls of the cave feature scale-like textures, which are quite unique. In Long’an Township, there are three Phoebe zhennan trees and two yellow catalpa trees, all century-old towering giants that form a stunning and picturesque ecological landscape. The mountain gate of Li Mi’s hometown features typical Ming Dynasty architectural styles such as carved brackets and dougong (bracket sets), giving it a distinctive character. In June 1988, it was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit. When standing on Dragon Eye Mountain behind Longmen Temple, you can see nine peaks before your eyes.

The formation of this “feng shui treasure land” of Li Mi’s hometown consists of the Chongqiu Mountain Range from Qionglai, passing through the main ridges of Pujiang County, Hongya County, and the Xingguan Mountain of Meishan, coming to rest here. To the left is Qing Shen Mountain, to the right Bai Hu Mountain, behind Dragon Eye Mountain, and in front Wu Bao Mountain. This is the place where Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo three times, and where Deng Ai, the Western Expedition General of the Three Kingdoms, stationed his troops. It is also associated with legends such as the “Nine Sons and Ten Jinshi (successful imperial examination candidates),” the classic “Six Dragons Sending the Elderly,” and the divine physician Dr. He...

Li Mi (224–287 AD), a literary figure of the Western Jin Dynasty, also known as Lingbo, was a native of Jiufeng Longmen in Wuyang County, Jianwei (Commandery). His grandfather, Li Guang, once served as the governor of Zhuti during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Li Mi lost his father when he was just six months old and was forced to be given to another family by his mother at the age of four, but was raised by his grandmother, Lady Liu. As a child, Li Mi was physically weak and often ill, but he loved learning and extensively studied the Five Classics, excelling particularly in the “Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals.” He was gifted in literature and known for his eloquence. In his youth, he held positions such as Gentleman of the Secretariat of Shu Han, Chief Clerk to the Grand General, and Crown Prince’s Attendant (tutor to the crown prince). He undertook multiple diplomatic missions to Eastern Wu. After the Wei conquered Shu, the Western Expedition General Deng Ai invited Li Mi to serve as his Chief Clerk, but Li Mi declined. In the third year of the Taishi era of the Jin Dynasty (267), Emperor Wu of Jin issued repeated edicts summoning Li Mi to serve as the Crown Prince’s Attendant, with both the commandery and county governments pressing him incessantly. At the time, Li Mi’s grandmother was already 96 years old and in poor health. Thus, he submitted a memorial explaining why he could not accept the appointment. This became the famous “Memorial on Remonstrating with My Lord,” later hailed by posterity as “a timeless masterpiece of prose.”

The Hometown of Li Mi enjoys convenient transportation: a 5-kilometer cement road connects it to the Baosheng Township government seat; a 7-kilometer road leads to the Chengya Expressway via Huilong Town of Qionglai; and previously disconnected roads to Dengmiao Township, Qishan Township of the same county, and Zhengjun Township of Meishan City have now been opened.

In February 1988, Master Nengchong, who resided at the temple, arrived at Longmen Temple. He subsequently repaired the cliff carvings, the main hall, and the mountain gate of Longmen Temple, and built a new main hall for the temple.