Yan Dun

　　Yan Dun, also known as "Yan Dun" (Smoke Mound), is located in the southwest of Chongwen District, south of the railway outside Yongdingmen Gate. It is a brick platform topped with a stele personally commissioned by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, and is one of Beijing’s famous inscribed stone monuments. In 1984, it was listed as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit.

　　Yan Dun was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Historical records indicate that during the Yuan and Ming dynasties, there was a concept of the “Five Towns” of Beijing, with the southern town being Yan Dun. Since the south corresponds to fire in the Five Elements (Wu Xing), a beacon tower was constructed to represent this element. When Yan Dun was initially built in the Yuan Dynasty, it was merely an earthen mound, situated outside Lizhengmen Gate of Dadu. By the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign in the Ming Dynasty (1553), when the outer city of Beijing was constructed, the mound was encased in bricks.

　　Yan Dun is a square-shaped mound that is wider at the base and narrower at the top. The base measures 14.87 meters on each side, while the platform itself is 13.9 meters long. The height from the base to the platform is approximately 9 meters. The surrounding parapet wall atop the platform, which was about 1 meter high, no longer exists. On the northwest corner of the mound are two stone doors; stepping through them and ascending 45 steps leads to the top. At the center of the platform is a square stone altar, upon which stands a square stone stele approximately 8 meters tall. The lower part of the stele consists of a Sumeru pedestal with entasis, adorned with five layers of carvings around the base, depicting patterns such as clouds, dragons, bodhi beads, and bodhi leaves. The entasis section features 24 exquisitely carved water deity statues in high relief, all bare-chested and barefoot, seated atop waves. Each statue is uniquely shaped and lifelike, showcasing the exceptional carving skill of ancient artisans. The upper part of the stele is crowned with a square, four-sloped roof-shaped cover, with a dragon carved along each of the four ridges. The dragons are depicted in dynamic, undulating motion, their heads raised as if poised to leap toward the treasure finial. The front and back of the stele bear inscriptions in both Chinese and Manchu, commissioned by Emperor Qianlong in the 18th year of his reign (1753), titled “Imperially Commissioned Ode to the Imperial Capital” and “Imperially Commissioned Ode to the Imperial City,” both personally written by Qianlong. With its eloquent prose and majestic tone, the text praises Beijing’s strategic geographical location and the peace and prosperity of the nation, overflowing with content that glorifies the feudal dynasty. The inscriptions on the Yan Dun stele serve as an emblematic record of the Youyan region of Beijing, and can be regarded as an historical chapter of the city.