Xingwang Palace

　　    A cultural relic protection unit of Hubei Province. Located in the northern part of Zhongxiang city, about 1 kilometer from the city center. It is a Ming Dynasty cultural heritage tourist site, initially built in the Hongzhi era (1488), and later expanded during Emperor Jiajing’s southern inspection tour to Chengtian Prefecture in the 18th year of the Jiajing reign (1539). Xingwang Palace was the princely residence of Prince Xingxian, father of Emperor Shizong (Jiajing) of the Ming Dynasty, and also the birthplace where Emperor Jiajing rose to power. The old Xingwang Palace once housed halls such as Longfei and Longqing, palaces such as Qingyun and Fengxiang, along with a three-arch stone bridge in front of the palace, a lotus pond beneath the bridge, a white marble imperial step carved with dragons and clouds, six carved stone dragon heads emerging from water, and vermilion walls surrounding the entire complex.