Yanxi Pavilion

Yanxi Pavilion

Yanxi Pavilion is a cultural relic protection unit of Lianzhou City.

Renowned through the ages for Han Yu’s famous essay “Record of Yanxi Pavilion,” Yanxi Pavilion is located at the foot of the scenic Yanxi Mountain in the northeast of Lianzhou City (present site of Lianzhou Middle School). Built during the Zhenyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (circa 800 AD) by Wang Hongzhong, the Prefectural Registrar of Lianzhou, the pavilion has a history of over 1,200 years. For centuries, it has been a renowned tourist destination frequented by literati and scholars. Poets from the Tang Dynasty such as Yuan Jie, Liu Yuxi, and Meng Jiao, philosopher and litterateur Zhou Dunyi from the Song Dynasty, and Zhang Jun, prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, all visited here and left stone inscriptions and calligraphy on the surrounding cliffs. The builder of the pavilion, Wang Hongzhong—whose real name was Wang Zhongshu—was demoted to the position of Prefectural Registrar of Lianzhou in the 13th year of Zhenyuan (797 AD) after serving as an Outer Gentleman of the Ministry of Rites. In October of the 19th year of Zhenyuan (803 AD), Han Yu, then an Imperial Censor, was demoted to the post of magistrate of Yangshan County under Lianzhou Prefecture. When Han Yu visited the pavilion during his trip to Lianzhou, he was so inspired that he wrote “Record of Yanxi Pavilion” and named the pavilion “Yanxi,” which means “the joy of the Duke of Lu,” taken from the phrase “Praise for the Duke of Lu’s Feast.” Moreover, behind the pavilion there is a high cliff with a large rock resembling a swallow in low flight, and in spring, swallows are often seen playing among the green trees in front of the pavilion, hence the interpretation that it is a “pavilion beloved by swallows.” The dragon-shaped eaves, upturned corners, carved beams, painted rafters, and the bold ancient steles within the pavilion, together with the surrounding green trees and steep cliffs, form a picturesque scene, while the poetry and prose of eminent figures have been passed down through the ages amid this beauty.

In the 19th year of Zhenyuan (803 AD), a great drought struck the capital region, crops failed, and famine spread as people cried out in hunger. Yet, officials such as the Prefect of the Capital Li Shi continued to report to the imperial court that “although there is a drought this year, the grain harvest is good,” and they continued to impose heavy taxes and levies, driving the people to “tear down their houses to sell the tiles and wood, or borrow against their wheat seedlings to pay taxes” (as recorded in the “Book of Tang” and the “Veritable Records of Emperor Shunzong”). Han Yu was dissatisfied with Li Shi’s actions and composed the “Petition to the Censorate on the Drought and Famine” to impeach him. However, Emperor Shunzong of Tang was a foolish and greedy ruler, and Li Shi, being a member of the royal family, refused to heed Han Yu’s honest advice. As a result, Han Yu was demoted from Imperial Censor to the post of magistrate of Yangshan County in Lianzhou. Han Yu’s close friend Zhang Shu was also demoted to the position of magistrate of Linwu County in Hunan. The two traveled south together, passing through Gui Ridge in Chenzhou before arriving in Linwu. Zhang Shu remained in Linwu, while Han Yu crossed Shuntou Ridge to reach Lianzhou. Another close friend of Han Yu, Wang Zhongshu, had already been waiting for him in Lianzhou. Wang Zhongshu had been demoted in the 13th year of Zhenyuan (797 AD) from an Outer Gentleman of the Ministry of Personnel to the position of Prefectural Registrar of Lianzhou. After arriving in Lianzhou, Wang Zhongshu indulged in the landscape and built an exquisitely crafted pavilion by Haiyang Lake for daily banquets and poetry writing. He asked Han Yu to name the pavilion and compose a record for it, and Han Yu gladly agreed. He named the pavilion “Yanxi,” meaning “the joy of the feast,” taking the phrase from the “Book of Songs” that says “The Duke of Lu feasts with joy, it is praise.” Han Yu also wrote the “Record of Yanxi Pavilion” for the pavilion.

Han Yu left many poems about Lianzhou during his time there, including one enduring essay and seven poems: “Lodging at Longgong Shoal,” “Maiden Gorge,” “Passing Through Tongguan Gorge,” “Tongguan Gorge,” “Answering Zhang Shiyi on the Huangshui River,” “Farewell to Master Hui,” and “Farewell to Master Ling.” His essay “Record of Yanxi Pavilion” is beautifully composed and has been widely read through the ages: “The mound is called the Mound of Awaiting Virtue, hidden in ancient times but revealed today, embodying the way of patience. The stone valley is called the Valley of Humility, the waterfall is called the Spraying Egrets Waterfall—the valley speaks of capacity, the waterfall of virtue. The cave is called the Cave of Secluded Dwelling, marking the season of entry. The pool is called the Pool of the Gentleman, empty to gather its beauty, full to release its impurities. The source of the spring is called the Spring of Heavenly Blessing, flowing from high to nourish the low.” His five-character regulated verse “Lodging at Longgong Shoal”: “Vast and surging, the shoal roars loud and soft. The rushing waters flash like lightning, the startling waves gleam like frost. Awakening from dreams, the lamp casts a halo, late at night the rain brings coolness. Why is half of the morning talk filled with thoughts of home?”—a piece that lingers in the heart.

Location

No. 71 Panyu Road, Lianzhou City, Guangdong Province