Zhaoguan Scenic Area

　　The Hanshan Zhaoguan Scenic Area is situated 7.5 kilometers north of Hanshan County. To the east is Mashan Mountain, and to the west is Chengshan Mountain. The whole mountain range stretches from east to west, creating a natural barrier. Due to the two peaks of Zhaoguan facing each other across a narrow pass, the terrain is steep and highly defensible — easy to guard but hard to attack. It can truly be described as a classic mountain pass where “one man could hold the pass against ten thousand.” Since ancient times, it has been a strategic military location contested by warring armies.

　　The reason why the ancient Zhaoguan is so widely known is not only because it was an ancient battlefield, but more importantly, it was the setting of the timeless story of “Wu Zixu Passing Through Zhaoguan.”

　　During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhaoguan marked the border between the states of Chu and Wu. To the north of the pass was the state of Chu, and to the south was the state of Wu. It was historically referred to as the “head of Wu and tail of Chu.” In the seventh year of King Ping of Chu’s reign (522 BC), Wu Zixu’s father and elder brother were killed due to slander by the treacherous minister Fei Wuji. Fearing retaliation from Wu Zixu, King Ping of Chu sought to eliminate him entirely, ordering soldiers throughout the Chu kingdom to hunt him down with a bounty on his head. Determined to avenge his family, Wu Zixu had no choice but to flee from Chu to Wu, heading toward Zhaoguan. Exhausted and desperate after a perilous journey, when he finally reached Zhaoguan, he discovered his own portrait hanging above the gate and heavily armed guards stationed at the pass — making escape seemingly impossible. Fueled by vengeance and driven to utter desperation, he aged overnight, his beard and hair turning completely white. Under these circumstances, he decided to turn the situation to his advantage. Disguising himself as an elderly civilian and with the help of Huangfu Nuo, he managed to bluff his way through the checkpoint.

　　In 506 BC, Wu Zixu led an army of 100,000 soldiers from Wu and breached the Chu capital. By then, King Ping of Chu had already died, so Wu Zixu exhumed the king’s tomb, whipped his corpse as revenge, and declared, “The sun is setting on my path, so I must act in reverse.” The idioms “at one's wit's end” and “to act in a way that is contrary to justice” both originate from this event. Moved by his courage in avenging his family, people later built a memorial shrine (Wu Xiang Temple) at Zhaoguan in his honor.

　　According to the Hanshan County Annals, the Wu Xiang Temple was first built in the first year of the Longxing era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1163 AD). It was renovated in the 24th year of the Wanli era (1596 AD) by Guo Jifang, the magistrate of Hezhou, and expanded again in the 33rd year of the Wanli era. At that time, the temple featured a brick-and-stone structure with three visible and five hidden bays, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, upturned eaves, and an imposing presence. Unfortunately, this historic site was destroyed in war.

　　The current Wu Xiang Temple was reconstructed in 1993 by the Hanshan County Committee and County Government. Standing 16 meters tall and 23 meters wide, it is a five-bay, double-eaved, hip-and-gable roofed, antique-style building. The entire structure is made from over 7,000 bluestones in more than 100 different sizes, making it exceptionally solid. Above the grand arched gate are the two characters “Zhaoguan,” calligraphed by the renowned modern calligrapher Lai Shaoqi. Above the gateway arch are four seal script characters “Xiong Ju Wu Chu” (Majestically Guarding Wu and Chu), written by the Anhui calligrapher Ge Jieping. Inside the shrine stands a 4.2-meter-tall statue of Wu Zixu, symbolizing the county’s population of 420,000 at the time. Historically, Wu Zixu has been highly regarded. The historical tale of “Wu Zixu Passing Through Zhaoguan” has been passed down through generations and is widely known. Thanks to this legacy, Zhaoguan Scenic Area has attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists.

　　The Ancient Zhaoguan Traditional Street is designed and built according to the planning of the Zhaoguan Scenic Area, featuring Huizhou-style architecture with white walls and black tiles, interspersed with taverns and teahouses.

　　This scenic area is primarily developed around the concept of “One Pass, One Street, Two Gardens, Ten Sights.” The One Pass refers to the Ancient Zhaoguan, and the One Street refers to the Ming-Qing Street. The Two Gardens are Shenshan Park and Mashan Park. The Ten Sights include “Racing Horse Temple, Shenshan Temple, Bow and Crossbow Valley, Bow Stone Platform, Stele Corridor, Sunrise Viewing Pavilion, Stone Cliff, Horse Treading Spring, Beacon Tower, and Drum Beating Tower.”