Xinma Village

　　Xinma Village is situated on the southern bank of the Xun River, over 30 kilometers west of the county seat, within the territory of Tianping Town. Legend has it that during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Liang Song, the top scholar of the Southern Han Dynasty, retired from his official post in his later years. Emperor Liu Gong bestowed upon him a white horse to ride back to his hometown. While passing by Donghao River (now near Xinma Village), a sudden mountain flood occurred, and both the rider and the horse were swept into the Xun River and drowned. Since then, a white horse was often seen appearing on the riverbank, and thus the area became known as Baima River (White Horse River). The settlements north of the river (under the jurisdiction of Pingnan County) and south of the river (under the jurisdiction of Teng County) were both called Baima (White Horse). Later, to distinguish it from the Baima north of the river, the one south of the river came to be known as Xinma (New Horse). The village is surrounded by the river on its northern, eastern, and western sides, and backed by mountains to the south. Nestled against the hills and beside the water, it boasts various fruit trees, lush bamboo, and centuries-old, twisting and towering banyan trees. The green foliage provides ample shade, and stone tables and benches are placed under the ancient banyans by the riverside. The path from the riverside dock to the village is paved with bluestone, forming a flagstone street with over ten shops lined up along a commercial lane of several dozen meters. There are several ponds in the village, encircled by bluestone, with weeping willows swaying gracefully. In the northeastern part of the village, near the river, stands a monument commemorating Yuan Chonghuan, the late Ming Dynasty military governor. The inscription reads “Hometown of Yuan Chonghuan, Late Ming Dynasty Military Governor,” honoring Yuan Chonghuan, a national hero and military governor of Jiliao during the late Ming Dynasty. The monument is 10 meters tall, 2.50 meters wide on each side, built with red bricks, surfaced with washed stone, topped with yellow glazed tiles, and has a cement platform with railings at its base, covering an area of 64 square meters. The village also has remnants related to Yuan Chonghuan’s former residence, such as stone piers and stone troughs used for feeding horses. It is said that there is an ancient banyan tree planted by Yuan Chonghuan himself, with luxuriant foliage and a gracefully twisting form, standing firmly by the great river. Yuan Chonghuan wrote a poem titled “The Small Banyan Tree in the Plate Grows Day by Day, Transplanted into the Earth, I Compose This Poem to Mark the Occasion,” which reads: “The banyan grows in central Guangdong, dismissed by people as useless wood. Twisting upward, it reaches the sky; its swaying shade covers the ground. In scorching summer heat, it alone stands lush and green. I treasure these few feet of branches, companion to me in not withering away. In spring, I transplanted it with my own hands, nurturing it as if it were a child. How diligent was my watering, going back at least twice a day. I hope its branches and leaves will thrive, sheltering with deep meaning. Ten years is not a distant plan; time will record it. Even if an axe cuts it down for firewood, I leave it to future generations.”

　　Liang Song 　　Liang Song was a native of Gongzhou (present-day Pingnan, Guangxi). His courtesy names were Zigao and Zhongqiu. His birth and death years are unknown. He was the top scholar in the first year of the Bailong era (925) of the Southern Han Dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Liang Song was diligent and studious from a young age, gifted in poetry and prose. Emperor Liu Yin of the Southern Han, emulating the Tang system, initiated the imperial examination for the yiyou year in Guangzhou. During the palace examination, Liang Song composed the poem “Ode to Lychees”: “Dew moistens rouge-like sheen, bright to the eye; red robes wrapped a thousand times are hard to paint. Fair ladies savor all delicacies on the plate, yet Heaven favors those born beyond the ridges. Citrus and pomelo, far inferior, fail to enter tribute lists; salt and plum should be blended in harmonious broth. If the Golden Gate has a place to nurture you, you must claim the first rank among mortals.” The emperor was so impressed that he named Liang Song the top scholar and appointed him as a Hanlin Academician. Later, with imperial permission, he resigned and returned home to serve... Details+