Banhou Garden

　　    Ban Chao, a native of Fufeng, Shaanxi. In the year 95 AD, due to his meritorious service in pacifying the Western Regions, Emperor He of Han, Liu Zhao, enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Dingyuan, granting him the land of Dingyuan, now known as Zhenba.

　　    "Banhou Garden" is located on the west bank of the artificial lake above the second flip gate at the west end of the Riverside Bridge. It stretches 95 meters in length and 9 meters in width, nestled against the mountains and beside the water. The garden features pavilions and corridors in the architectural style of the Han Dynasty, a statue of Ban Chao, the Ban Chao Fief Stele, stone carvings depicting stories of Ban Chao (such as "Dropping the Brush to Join the Army", "Nothing Venture, Nothing Gain", "Thirty-Six Cavalrymen Raiding the Barbarian Camp at Night", "Barbarian Tribes Submitting in Droves", and "Enfeoffed as Marquis"), as well as evocative ancient military camp lanterns as its main structural elements. These are complemented by landscaped flower beds and pedestrian pathways, harmoniously blending the majestic and rustic charm of the Han Dynasty with the vivid and lively spirit of modern times. It condenses thousands of years of Zhenba's history and showcases the city’s profound and rich cultural heritage. The statue of Ban Chao exudes the heroic vigor of a legendary figure who fought to uphold national unity and ethnic harmony. The Fief Stele embodies the trials and tribulations of Zhenba’s mountain city through millennia of change. Facing the rows of military lanterns, one can’t help but envision the vast deserts and ancient battlefields of the past; bowing one’s head...

　　    The stone carvings of the "Stories of Ban Chao" further stir within one’s heart the heroic aspiration to ride forth in a chariot and shoot down the celestial wolf. Leaning on the railing and feeling the breeze while paying homage to the ancients, one feels the green mountains grow even greener and the clear waters flow even longer.