Hometown of Dai Mingshi

　　   Hometown of Dai Mingshi, located in Qingshui Village, Kongcheng Town, 1 kilometer northwest of the "Eighteen-Li Long Ridge." It faces west and covers an area of 4,662 square meters. In front of the village lies a crescent-shaped pond called "Qingshui Pond." After Dai Mingshi was convicted, his family and clan members committed suicide by jumping into the pond, which later became known as "Ghost Pond." The village is surrounded by farmland on the east, south, and west sides, with barren hills to the north.

　　   The village is enclosed by green trees, while the houses inside, with their tiled roofs and ancient walls, create a serene and pleasant atmosphere. According to the *Dai Family Genealogy*, Dai Mingshi’s sixth-generation ancestor, Nan Ju Gong, relocated here during the Ming Dynasty. The family passed down a tradition of literature and scholarship, "plowing with the pen and farming with the inkstone," hence the name "Yanzhuang" (Inkstone Manor). Dai Mingshi was born here and spent most of his life in the village. He wrote an essay titled *Record of Inkstone Manor* recounting these events. Dai Mingshi’s former residence was located in the northern part of the village. Originally, it had two courtyards, each with five rooms in the front and back sections, connected by walls on both sides, forming an inner courtyard.

　　   In the 50th year of the Kangxi reign (1711), after Dai Mingshi was imprisoned, the house was demolished, though the foundation remains.

　　   At the age of 20, Dai Mingshi supported his parents through teaching. By the age of 27, his essays were widely read across the country. In the 22nd year of the Kangxi reign (1683), he took the imperial examination, and in the 26th year, he was appointed as a tutor for the Plain Blue Banner based on his status as a tribute student. Although offered the position of county magistrate, he declined, stating that "in this indifferent world, there is no one worth conversing with." He then traveled extensively through Yan, Yue, Qi, Lu, and other regions.

　　   In the 50th year of the Kangxi reign (1711), Zuo Douchi, the Left Censor-in-Chief, cited passages from *The Southern Mountain Collection · Letter to Yusheng* that referenced the resistance of the Southern Ming against the Qing. He accused Dai Mingshi of "distorting right and wrong, with many reckless and rebellious statements," and petitioned the court to "order the Ministry to impose severe punishment as a warning against arrogance and disrespect." As a result, the *Southern Mountain Collection* case was brought up, and Dai Mingshi was arrested. On March 6 of the 53rd year of Kangxi’s reign (1714), he was executed in public. This incident is historically known as the "Southern Mountain Case." Dai Mingshi was later buried in his hometown, and his tombstone was inscribed with "Tomb of Dai Nanshan."