Ruins of the Xingshisi Tusi Government Office

Ruins of the Xingshisi Tusi Government Office

The Xingshisi Tusi Government Office is located in Xingshu Village, Zhènjiāng Village, Shuāngjiāng Town, Jiāngkǒu County, about 5 kilometers from the county seat. Historical records indicate that in the eighth year of Chunxi during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty (1181), Xingshisi was developed by Zàixī, the great-great-great-great-grandson of Yang Zaishi, the military governor of Chéngzhōu, along with his son Zhèngqiáng. In the nineteenth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1282), the Xingshisi Civilian and Military Tusi Government Office was officially established, and it has existed for more than 700 years. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the government complex had already reached a significant scale. The "Tongren Prefecture Annals" described the magnificence of the office as follows: “It faces the great river to the south, connects to Mount Fanjing to the north, is flanked by the Little River (Taoying River) to the east and bordered by the Ticreek to the west. Rolling hills and peaks are connected, with lush bamboo and ancient pines. Hibiscus flowers bloom on the Five Peaks Fairy Mountain, and waterways connect to boat traffic in all directions. The government office itself was also quite impressive.” This indicates that the scenery around the office was originally quite splendid.

The government town faced east and backed west, nestled against Yúnjǐng Mountain and facing the Tàipíng River. The town wall spanned approximately seven to eight hundred meters, encircled by earthen and stone fortifications about 3 meters high and 1 meter thick. In most sections, the foundations of the walls are still clearly visible. Gates were built on the eastern, southern, and western sides of the perimeter, each approximately 3 meters high and 2 meters wide, with gate towers erected above them. On either side of the East Gate (the main gate), there were smaller gates used by residents for daily access. The East Gate was located about 10 meters in front of the ancient nanmu tree that stands there today, and two stone plaques were erected at the entrance—one inscribed with the words “All Officials Must Dismount Here,” and the other likely bearing text related to the “Xingshisi Tusi Government Office.” The arched passage of the East Gate was demolished in 1958 during the construction of a power station and road, and the two stone plaques were repurposed for building a drainage channel for the Zēngwà Canal. Some remnants of the gate’s foundation still remain. The West Gate wall was constructed from large bluestones, and its base remains fairly distinct—it currently serves as a pathway for villagers. Part of the stone stair remains of the South Gate were destroyed in 2004 when a local farmer excavated the foundation for a new house. Inside the town, there were four main streets running horizontally: Upper Street, Middle Street, Lower Street, and Back Street. The Upper, Middle, and Lower Streets were actually connected—what is close to Zhènjiāng was called Upper Street, what is near Jinnán Bridge was called Lower Street, and the middle section was called Middle Street. After the liberation, these streets were replaced by a direct road leading to Tàipíng, which now runs through their original locations. Only about 50 meters of Back Street still remains, approximately 1.5 meters wide, with a herringbone-patterned stone pavement that suggests shops and stalls may have once lined the street. There were also several vertical alleys to facilitate resident movement. In the center of the southern part of the town stood the government hall. The original structure may have been destroyed in war, and a rebuilt three-room wooden building was burned down in the 27th year of the Republic of China (1938) due to a fire accidentally caused by a mentally unstable woman. To the right of the government hall was the School Garden, where students studied. To the left front of the government hall was the Indigenous Temple of the Yang family, next to which grew an ancient nanmu tree with a circumference of 8.7 meters. Although part of its trunk has dried up, the remaining section is still green and leafy. According to local residents, this tree was planted when the temple was first built and is over 800 years old. The Lou Chang Bǎ (also known as the Theater Stage) was located in the northeastern part of the government area, serving as a place for performances and gatherings. Other structures included the City God Temple, granaries, and residences, though their exact locations are unknown. In front of the town was a moat approximately 200 meters long, artificially dug and fed by water diverted from the Tàipíng River, eventually flowing back into the lower reaches of the Tàipíng. The town was flanked on both sides by small streams or ditches. Outside the town were additional structures such as the Training Ground (Jiàochǎng Bǎ), Execution Ground, prison, military storage area (Túnshàng), sentry posts (Dǎoshào Dòng), three checkpoints, pavilions, nunnery areas, and docks. These ancient constructions now only exist in name, with no visible traces of their former presence.

The ancestors chose to establish the government office here for several reasons: First, the environment was beautiful—the government was nestled against green mountains and faced a tranquil river, with clear waters and shady trees creating especially picturesque scenery. Second, food supply was abundant—the nearby Mówān Dam, Gànjiā Dam, and Zhènjiāng Dam were major rice-producing areas, serving as the breadbasket of the region. Third, transportation was convenient—both the Jiāngfàn Highway and Tóngsī Highway passed directly in front of the government office, and the Tàipíng River allowed for boat traffic, enabling various goods to be delivered straight to the dock at the front of the office. Given these favorable conditions, it was only natural for the ancestors to choose this location to build the government.

Although the Xingshisi Tusi Government began construction in the early Yuan Dynasty and was expanded during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, by the end of the Ming Dynasty, the government town had already attained a significant scale. However, due to warfare, the town was destroyed several times. In 1675, Wu Sangui rebelled against the Qing and passed through Tóngrén, devastating Xingshisi. In the early years of the Republic of China, the site was burned again. These multiple fires left very few ancient buildings within the government complex. In 1883, after the county seat of Tóngrén was moved to Jiāngkǒu, the Xingshisi Tusi Government was relocated to Wànshān. From then on, Xingshisi became a village settlement. Currently, it houses three villager groups, over 230 households, and more than 800 people. With the exception of a few families of mixed surnames, the majority share the surname Yang. The former site of the Tusi government town has undergone many changes and sustained considerable damage. Today, one can only imagine its past grandeur from the names that have endured through time.

In May 1985, the county government designated the former site of the Xingshisi Tusi Government Office as a county-level cultural relics protection unit.

Zhènjiāng Village: Located in the northeastern part of the county seat and along the Jiāngfàn Highway, Zhènjiāng Village is about 2.5 kilometers from the county seat of Jiāngkǒu. In 2005, the original Zhènjiāng Village and Suōjiā Village were merged to form the current Zhènjiāng Village. The village governs 21 villager groups, with a total of 803 households, a population of 3,548, and cultivated land area of 1,889 mu. The village Party branch has 10 Party subgroups and a total of 57 Party members. Zhènjiāng Village was among the first group of "Shuāngqiān Villages" (villages with dual development goals) and well-off standard villages in the county. In 2007, it was designated as a demonstration village for the county's grassroots Party organization advancement project. In April of the same year, a regional Party building work conference was held in Zhènjiāng Village. In recent years, Zhènjiāng Village has closely... [Zhènjiāng Village detailed information++]