Nine Lions Playing with Lotus Sculpture

Nine Lions Playing with Lotus Sculpture

Nine Lions Playing with Lotus Sculpture

The famous ancient Chinese philosopher, educator, statesman, and military strategist, as well as the founder of the School of Mind, Wang Yangming, once sighed in his "Record of the Elephant Shrine": "On Mount Lingbo, there stands an Elephant Shrine." And today, with the unveiling of the "Nine Lions Playing with Lotus" sculpture in Qianxi County, how can the people of Qianxi not exclaim: "At Shuixi Square, there is elegance and beauty." The Nine Lions Playing with Lotus sculpture, as a symbol of urban culture, marks a major event for Qianxi County. The author is exceptionally excited and brimming with thoughts.

In recent years, the Qianxi County Party Committee and government have pursued pragmatic development strategies and put forward the "Four Major Strategies" to drive county economic growth. The Nine Lions Playing with Lotus sculpture is a key component of implementing the strategy of "Urban Construction Driving the County, Tourism Energizing the County." Why was this sculpture built? As one renowned philosopher put it: "A nation that loses its own culture is a nation adrift and rootless." A person’s life lies in their spirit, a region’s development lies in its culture. Every nation and place should have its own culture. What is called growth for a person is termed development for a region. It is precisely this culture that serves as the inexhaustible source supporting its development. According to the "Qianxi County Annals," there is a local legend about "Nine Lions Playing with Lotus." When it comes to lions, the people here have admired and revered them for generations. They embody human-like kindness and have become auspicious symbols in people’s hearts. The county has long been referred to as both the "Lion City" and the "Lotus City." Building a Nine Lions Playing with Lotus sculpture has been a long-held aspiration. The construction of this sculpture is also an important measure to support the strategy of "Tourism Energizing the County" and to advance "Urban Construction Driving the County."

Speaking of tourism, it is an emerging economic industry with multiple functions encompassing economy, society, environment, and culture, and it boasts rich cultural connotations. For tourists, traveling is primarily about experiencing different cultures, a form of cultural lifestyle consumption. For tourists, tourism resources mainly consist of culturally meaningful entities that satisfy their psychological needs. Thus, the importance of culture in tourism cannot be overstated.

Qianxi boasts abundant tourism resources that are relatively concentrated geographically, spread across the east, south, west, and north. The eastern region features key attractions such as the Liuguang River Gorge, Suofengying Gorge, Shaba Lake, and Jiulong Mountain’s Elephant Shrine. The southern and southwestern areas are highlighted by sites like Da Hai Lake, the Tomb of Li Shijie, Dongfeng Lake, and Daqingpo Forest Farm. The western part includes Zhiga Alu Lake, Shajing Guanyin Cave, and Kejia Haizi Cluster. The northern and northwestern regions center around the Hundred Miles Azalea Scenic Area.

According to reports, under the leadership of the county Party Committee and government, the people of Qianxi are pursuing pragmatic development and uniting their efforts for takeoff. They have formulated the "Qianxi County Tourism Development Master Plan" and detailed plans for attractions such as Shuixi Park, the Tomb of Li Shijie, and the Kejia Haizi Cluster. A tourism resource project database has been established, and a number of tourism investment projects—such as the Huawu Miao Village and the Kejia Haizi Freshwater Lake Cluster—have been launched. Efforts are focused on creating the premium tourism route "Wujiang Source Hundred Miles Gallery (Dongfeng Lake – Huawu Miao Village – Zhijindong Cave)."

Today, the completion of a cultural landmark marks a beginning, a first step. It is the realization of a work imbued with profound meaning and deep national sentiment. It is a symbol, an inspiration, an encouragement, a unifying force...

The “Nine Lions Playing with Lotus” celebrates a prosperous year; the azaleas bloom with new color, composing a fresh chapter. Let Qianxi thrive as it embarks on the path of tourism-driven growth. With foresight and long-term planning, bold strokes are drawn—and the passage of history will surely affirm these efforts in time to come.