Historically, there were four academies in Hunyuan, with Fengshan Academy being one of them. Fengshan Academy existed during the Ming Dynasty and was located in Shenxi Village, north of the city. The national-level wetland park, the nationally key cultural relic protection unit Lü Lǚ Shéncí Temple, and "Shenxi Night Moon," one of the "Eight Sceneries of Shenchuan," are also located here. In recent years, the Hunyuan County Committee and County Government, relying on abundant tourism resources, have launched a reconstruction project for the cultural buildings related to Fengshan Academy. Mr. Yang Xinru has conducted in-depth research into the history and culture of Fengshan Academy and wrote this article. It is now published for the readers to enjoy.

 

▲Shenxi National Wetland Park

 

　　 Exploring the Historical Glimpses of Hunyuan Fengshan Academy

 

　　At the foot of the famous Hengshan Mountain lies a national wetland park—Shanxi Shenxi National Wetland Park. This wetland park has a total wetland area of 315.99 hectares, with a wetland rate of 78.14%. Within the wetland park, Fengshan Mountain is picturesque, the Fenglou Pavilion stands tall, geese fly across the sky, fishermen sing in the evening, smoke curls from chimneys, temples stand majestically; both natural landscapes and humanistic history are excellent. Among them, the most famous are the "Twelve Sceneries of Fengshan Mountain," related to Fengshan Academy. Since the Northern Wei Dynasty, this place has been an ideal place for literati and scholars to enjoy and study.

 

I. Hunyuan's Academy Culture
Four Academies, Fengshan Among Them

 

　　Hunyuan County is a land of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. Located in the heart of Yunzhong, the area has towering peaks, steep cliffs, and majestic momentum, with the description "Looking far, one doesn't know how many miles away, looking up one only sees thousands of mountains low."

　　Almost every mountain in the county has scenery, every ridge has ancient sites, every peak has fairy traces, and every ridge has legends. Hengshan Mountain, along with Mount Tai, Mount Hua, Mount Heng, and Mount Song, are collectively known as the Five Great Mountains, renowned throughout the country. The main peak, Xuanwu Peak (also known as Tianfeng Ridge), is located 4 kilometers southeast of Hunyuan County, with an altitude of 2016.1 meters, towering into the clouds, majestic in momentum, and known as the "North Pillar of Heaven and Earth," "Famous Mountain of the Isolated Frontier," "First Mountain of Suofang," and "Fifth Cave Heaven."

　　The water in Hunyuan is diverse and magical. The Hun River and Tang River are the mother rivers of Hunyuan, flowing on both sides. Where they pass through Hunyuan, the vegetation is lush, and the products are abundant; the Hengshan Mountain reservoir is like "an iron wall locking a dragon," with the description "Pine trees cover the mountainside with thousands of layers of green, and the moon reflects on the water's surface like a pearl," the scenery of mountains and waters intoxicates visitors; the Tangtou hot springs have water as warm as soup, able to cure all kinds of diseases, with miraculous effects; the Shenxi wetland has rippling blue waves, fish swimming in shallow water, geese flying across the sky, and fishermen singing in the evening, a unique water town scenery in northern China, a national-level wetland park. Wandering around Hunyuan, countless beautiful scenery makes people overwhelmed.

　　This blessed land has nurtured generations of outstanding talents, making Hunyuan's cultural prosperity increasingly flourishing. This land of mountains and waters has always attached importance to education and talent cultivation, with academies and private schools flourishing everywhere. Historically, Hunyuan has established many academies, especially during the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Among them, four academies were most famous: Cuiping Academy, Shixi Academy, Fengshan Academy, and Henglu Academy. Cuiping Academy was established during the Jin and Yuan dynasties, located on the halfway up Cuiping Mountain, two kilometers south of Hunyuan Prefecture; its original site now retains the Sanqing Taoist Temple, and the famous Hanging Temple is on the east cliff not far away; Shixi Academy was established during the Ming Dynasty by Shi Jie, a governor-general during the Ming Dynasty, located in the northern suburbs of Hunyuan City; Fengshan Academy was established during the Ming Dynasty, funded by Sun Cong, a clerk of the Ministry of Rites during the Ming Dynasty, located one kilometer north of the prefecture, by the Shenxi wetland and at the foot of Phoenix Mountain, adjacent to the famous water god temple—Lü Lǚ Shéncí Temple; Henglu Academy was established in the nineteenth year of Qianlong's reign, located within the ancient county city, nearly one hundred meters west of the Confucian Temple.

　　Hunyuan's academy culture has a long history, nurturing generations of outstanding talents. For example, Liu Ji won the top prize in ci and fu in the first year of Jin Tianhui, and the Liu family had nine Jinshi scholars in one generation, famous throughout the country; Liu Ji's great-great-grandson, Liu Qi, whose "Guiqian Zhi" and Yuan Haowen's "Renchen Miscellaneous Compilation" together formed two major historical materials for compiling the "History of Jin," and was publicly praised by the Kangxi Emperor; Lei Yuan was the leader of the literary world at the end of the Jin Dynasty, with three generations of Jinshi scholars, dominating the literary world of the Jin Dynasty; Su Baoheng studied at Cuiping Academy, served as the right prime minister of the Jin Dynasty, with father and son both being Jinshi scholars, enjoying great reputation in the imperial court; Li Yi, who served as the censor of Henan Road, was promoted to the left governor of Zhejiang on April 29th, the first year of Jingtai (June 8th, 1450), and held the administrative power of a province; the most famous is Li Yumei, the "Great Qing River Marshal," who studied at Henglu Academy, served as magistrate, prefect, governor, acting governor-general, and governor-general of Hedong River, implementing the "throwing bricks and building dams" method, which solved the historical problem of Yellow River flooding. During his five years in office, the Yellow River was calm, saving 1.3 million taels of silver, nearly half of the court's annual river management expenses. People worshiped him as the "River God" and called him "King Li." The emperor posthumously conferred on him the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, bestowed the posthumous title of "Gongqin," and granted an imperial sacrificial burial. The "Draft History of Qing" praised him as the "crown of river officials." His two sons, Li Xuan and Li Yao, also spent their student years in Hunyuan academies, and achieved great success as prefects and governors, and their achievements are recorded in history.

 

▲Reconstructed Fengshan Academy

 

II. Sun Cong and His Family History
The Founder of Fengshan Academy

 

　　According to the Hunyuan County Annals: Sun Cong, a native of Hunyuan Prefecture, Datong Prefecture, Shanxi Province, was from the same hometown and surname as Sun Gongliang, a Censor-in-chief and acting Minister of Works during the Yuan Dynasty. During the Chenghua period, he was appointed as a Zhongshu, and during the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, he served as a clerk in the Ministry of Rites. After retiring and returning home, he settled in Shenxi Village, Hunyuan, and later founded Fengshan Academy.

　　In Dongzheng Village, Luyang Town, Rucheng County, Hunan Province, stands the Sun Family Ancestral Hall (Dongzheng Sun Clan Imperial Censor's Residence), the ancestral hall of the Sun Fengji family, a Ming Dynasty Shanxi Dao Inspector General. The Sun Family Ancestral Hall was initially built in 1644 AD, with a building area of 4733㎡. It features an ancient gate, two halls, two courtyards, a common brick and wood structure with a gable roof and small grey tiles. The gate features a coupled scroll and a plaque. The gate couplet reads "Source and stream are long, spiritual and beautiful gathering, orchids and fragrant osmanthus are born on high peaks", and the plaque reads "Loyalty and Righteousness Shine Brilliantly". This plaque was inscribed by Zhu Ying, the Right Grand Censor of the Ming Duchayuan, for Sun Fengji, an Inspector General in the 13th year of the Chenghua reign, and was re-carved in 2011. Ancestral hall materials indicate that this branch of the Sun family is the Dong Zang Sun family, originally from Luling County, Jiangxi Province. Their founding ancestor, the Ti Ling Gong, settled in Dong Zang in the early Song Dynasty and later branched into Jiangwu and Shankeng. The Sun family members involved in the ancestral hall include: Sun Fengqing, a Ming scholar who served as a county instructor; Sun Fengji, a Ming Shanxi Dao Censor; Sun Konglu, a Ming Shiqian Prefecture Magistrate; Sun Mengzong, a Ming Magistrate; Sun Fengkui, a Ming Provincial Sacrifice; Sun Ke, a Ming Provincial Sacrifice, etc. It appears that the Sun family might have originally been from Luling County, Jiangxi Province, later moved to Rucheng County, Hunan Province, and finally settled in Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province.

 

▲弘治版《浑源州志》 Shaanxi Left Provincial Treasurer, Sun Fengji, Corrected

 

　　Sun Cong was a child of officials and came from a prominent family. His father, Sun Fengji, whose courtesy name was Yuqing, was from Hunyuan Prefecture, Datong Prefecture, Shanxi. He lived approximately from the Yongle reign (1403-1424) to the Chenghua reign (1465-1487) of the Ming Dynasty. He passed the imperial examinations in the Zhengtong reign (1447), and following ancient examination customs, was appointed County Magistrate of Chang'an County (present-day Chang'an, Shaanxi). Upon taking office, he promoted good deeds and punished bullies, thus improving local social customs. As a result, his reputation was high in Shaanxi, and he gained a good reputation in northern Shaanxi. After further investigation by the court of Sun Fengji's achievements, he was promoted to Inspector General and was sent to inspect the Changlu (present-day Cangzhou, Hebei) salt fields, and later to Yulin (present-day Yulin, Shaanxi) as a military inspector. Wherever he went, Sun Fengji strictly enforced official conduct and public morals, resulting in strict discipline in the region. Later, the court appointed him to inspect Sichuan. At that time, ethnic minorities along the Yangtze River in Sichuan had serious internal conflicts due to interests, but the local garrisons and governors did not take it seriously, neither managing nor reporting it, resulting in huge losses to the lives and property of people on both sides. Sun Fengji reported to the court and severely punished these incompetent officials. He organized the local people to fight drought, rescue disasters, and prevent epidemics. The people of Sichuan were very grateful and circulated a folk song: "Gentle spring breeze and fine rain, Sun Fengji from Shanxi."

　　Following this, Sun Fengji was promoted to Deputy Censor of the Shaanxi Provincial Censorate, and soon to Vice-Censor of the Shaanxi Provincial Censorate (equivalent to a current vice-provincial level leader in charge of political and legal affairs), responsible for "correcting evil officials, suppressing treachery, settling lawsuits, righting wrongs, improving discipline, and purifying governance." (Ming History, Hundred Officials' Register) While in office, he repeatedly overturned unjust, false, and wrong cases, and the people were very supportive. After he was stationed in Guyuan (present-day Guyuan, Ningxia), he excelled in governance and diligently worked; his achievements were remarkable, and local gentry and people were convinced of his ability. He was then promoted to Right Provincial Treasurer of Shaanxi, then to Left Provincial Treasurer, and later retired due to illness. Some materials say that he was dismissed from office due to being 'old and ineffective,' but I believe that he may have been disgusted with the arbitrary rule of Liu Jin and others, and deliberately feigned illness to return home. Sun Fengji lived at home for five years before passing away on the eleventh day of the fourth month of the Hongzhi five year (1492), at the age of seventy. His tomb is located near Guce Village, two li northeast of Hunyuan City. In the same year, Wang Yangming, one of the "two and a half sages" in Chinese history, was twenty years old and easily passed the Zhejiang provincial examinations. In the Ming Dynasty Shaanxi Province, Sun Fengji was the Provincial Treasurer who served for the longest time. The old people of Guan Zhong and the children of Qin Chuan all remember his name. Sun Fengji had two wives, his original wife, Du Shi, the daughter of the retired scholar Du Jingsheng from Hunyuan County, was posthumously honored as Ru Ren for her virtue, and his concubine Zhang Shi, was Sun Cong's mother.

　　Sun Cong's younger brother, Sun Ming, passed the imperial examinations in the Zhengde reign (1507). Sun Cong's grandfather, Sun Shu, was ennobled as Wenlin Lang and Guangxi Dao Inspector General due to Sun Fengji's prominence. Sun Cong's great-grandfather, Sun Zhen, is also recorded in the Qianlong edition of "Hunyuan Prefecture Annals, Filial Piety and Righteousness": "Sun Zhen, was filial. When his father was ill, he prayed to heaven to take his place; when his mother was ill, he cut his own thigh to feed her, and both recovered. Sun Zhen's grandson, Sun Fengji, became a Provincial Treasurer." With such a family tradition, Sun Cong must have been loyal and righteous.

 

▲顺治版《浑源州志》人物志·贤哲·孙逢吉

 

　　Sun Cong came from a prominent family with a strong academic background, and his learning and character were undoubtedly excellent. However, unfortunately, it was a case of 'what made him successful also led to his downfall'. His association with the powerful eunuch Liu Jin, who was accused of cruelty to his relatives, impacted his career. Liu Jin (1451—1510), a native of Xingping, Shaanxi, where Xingping was a county under the jurisdiction of Xi'an Prefecture in the Ming Dynasty, was also known as Huai Li. It is said that the famous Longxi Li family originated here. Xingping County's fame is linked to two historical figures: one is Yang Guifei (Yang Guizi), and the other is Liu Jin. Liu Jin's original surname was Tan. At the age of six, he was adopted by the eunuch Liu Shun, later castrated, entered the palace as a eunuch, and changed his surname to Liu. After being pardoned for a crime during the Hongzhi reign, he served Zhu Houzhao, gaining the favor of the Ming Wuzong Emperor. He was promoted several times and became the chief eunuch of the Supervisor of Rituals. Afterwards, he controlled the government, acted tyrannically, exploited the people, and was the leader of the "Eight Tigers." People called him the "standing emperor," while the Wuzong Emperor was the "sitting emperor." After Liu Jin's arrest, millions of taels of gold and silver were found in his home, along with forbidden items such as counterfeit imperial seals and jade belts. In August of the fifth year of Zhengde (1510), Liu Jin was executed by lingchi (a slow, cruel method of execution). Sun Cong's father, Sun Fengji, served in Shaanxi for many years and undoubtedly had close ties with the grand eunuch Liu Jin. Sun Fengji had a good reputation in Shaanxi. Although Liu Jin, as the chief eunuch of the Supervisor of Rituals, held immense power in the court, he also wanted to cultivate relationships with local officials. This served a dual purpose: increasing his influence in his hometown and showcasing to the world his demeanor of honoring talent, valuing family, and cherishing capable individuals. Naturally, he would actively seek to cultivate a relationship with Sun Fengji, a local official from his hometown known for his strong family values and scholarly background. Thus, he betrothed his sister to Sun Cong, Sun Fengji's son. From Sun Fengji's perspective, based on my speculation, first, as a local official, he couldn't afford to offend Liu Jin, the emperor's favorite, and had no choice but to accept the marriage proposal. Second, his eldest son, Sun Cong, had not passed the imperial examinations, so by associating with the most powerful figure in the capital, Liu Jin, it would be possible to secure an official position in the capital for him. Third, in the fiercely competitive and dangerous political arena, marrying into the Liu family would provide the Sun family with a protective shield, significantly reducing the risk of being attacked or framed by political opponents. As for who Liu Jin's sister actually was, there are two accounts: one states that Sun Cong married Liu Jin's cousin, and the other that he married Liu Jin's half-sister. Because Sun Cong failed to pass the imperial examinations, he only held the low-ranking position of "Clerk of the Ministry of Rites."

　　There are also two accounts of the relationship between Sun Cong and Liu Jin: One states that "Liu Jin was uneducated, and when dealing with official documents and memorials, he would take them back to his private residence and discuss them with his brother-in-law Sun Cong, Clerk of the Ministry of Rites, and Zhang Wenmian, the powerful official of Huating," proving that Sun Cong was a close confidant of Liu Jin. The other account states that Sun Cong disliked Liu Jin's character and actions and was not favored by Liu Jin. When a court official wanted to recommend Sun Cong, Liu Jin vehemently rejected him. If the first account is true, then when Liu Jin fell from power because of the serious crime of rebellion, according to the law and custom of thoroughly punishing those deeply involved, his family's property should have been confiscated. According to records, Liu Jin's entire family was arrested. Not only "relatives and those who lived with him," but even his relatives in his hometown of Xingping were brought to the capital in chains. As a close relative and confidante of Liu Jin who was involved in his official affairs, Sun Cong would inevitably be implicated. However, given that Sun Cong ultimately retired and returned to his hometown, it shows that Liu Jin truly "did not favor" Sun Cong. It is possible that he was influenced by his father, Sun Fengji, and adopted an attitude of outwardly complying while secretly opposing Liu Jin. A minor official would not have had much impact on Liu Jin's actions, and the fact that Zhang Wenlin, the head of the Ministry of Justice, was known for exercising considerable discretion and clemency, even more so than his superiors, might have saved many people from death, and Sun Cong could have been among them. This experience is somewhat similar to the situation faced by another son-in-law of Liu Jin, Shaojinfu, a scholar from Shaanxi. As Liu Jin's son-in-law, Shao Jin fu, known for his talent and literary abilities, did not view this marriage as an honor but instead tried to avoid it. However, despite his resistance, he eventually married into the Liu family. But after his marriage, he did not take advantage of Liu Jin's influence, but instead focused on self-cultivation, remained reclusive, and devoted himself to study. This virtuous behavior determined his fate. According to the epitaph of Shao Jin fu, after Liu Jin's execution, "the emperor pardoned him because he was not involved in any wrongdoing, allowing him to return to civilian life." Sun Cong and Shao Jin fu, this brother-in-law and son-in-law pair, were truly "fellow sufferers," fortunate to have lived to a ripe old age.

 

▲ National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit - Lü Lǜ Shéncí (Temple of Lü and Lǜ, the two musical scales)

 

3. Sun Cong and Fengshan Academy
Phoenix Mountain, Shenxi Water, and the Eight Views of Shenchuan

 

　　Fortunately, Sun Cong retired and returned to his hometown; otherwise, there would be no Fengshan Academy and the "Twelve Views of Fengshan" in Shenxi Village, Hun County. After returning home, Sun Cong devoted himself to the cause of education in his hometown, using his own funds to establish the Fengshan Academy, cultivating many talents for Hun County.

　　Fengshan Academy is located at the foot of Phoenix Mountain, near the Lü Lǜ Shéncí in Shenxi Village. According to the Qianlong edition of the "Hunyuan Prefecture Chronicle, Mountains and Rivers," it states: Phoenix Mountain is seven li northwest of the prefecture, two li high, and extends five li. The Shenxi River originates from the foot of the mountain. During the Ming dynasty, Clerk Sun Cong built Fengshan Academy at the foot of the mountain, and created the Phoenix Singing Pavilion, Cuiwei Tower, Deyuexuan, Autumn Fragrance Garden, Book Collection Cave, Guqin Cave, Chess Playing Platform, Fishing Islet, Bi Shui Dou, Caiyun Rock, Goldfish Pond, and Ruilian Pool, calling it a place of great beauty. These landscapes are currently being restored, and the Fengming Tower is nearing completion. Looking from afar at Phoenix Mountain, the tower stands proudly on the peak, creating a magnificent view against the backdrop of water and mountains.

　　When establishing the academy, Sun Cong also created many poems and songs, and the most well-known is "Eight Views of Shenchuan." The original poem is recorded below:

 

Ci Xia Yan Yu (Misty Rain at Ci Xia Gorge)

Two mountains stand facing each other, reaching the sky, One gorge, like a gate, extends far and near. Misty air touches the clear sky, lingering still, Smoke traces with rain, hazy and unclear. In the faint distance, a temple nestles in the rock, The path leads to the temple, hidden from sight. Sitting for long, one forgets the vastness of the world, Pure and boundless happiness, taking in the clear breeze.
Lan Qi Fu Qing Huan Mo Mo (Misty Air Brushes the Clear Sky and Remains Hazy), Yan Hen Dai Yu You Meng Meng (Smoke Traces With Rain, Hazy and Unclear).
Yan Chao Fan Yu Wei Mang Li (Temple Nestles in Rock, Faintly Visible), Lu Jie Ling Ci Yin Yue Zhong (Path Leads to Temple, Hidden From Sight).
Zuo Jiu Dun Wang Tian Di Kuo (Sitting for Long, Forgetting the Vastness of Heaven and Earth), Wu Duan Qing Xing Yi Guang Feng (Boundless Happiness, Taking in the Clear Breeze).

Yue Ding Song Feng (Pine Wind on the Peak)

Heaven opened Hengyue Mountain, magnificent and towering, Sharp peaks rise, piercing the purple clouds. Lush pines and bamboos twine around the peak, The wind whispers and rustles through the branches.
Yu Yu Song Huang Pan Jue Ding (Lush Pines and Bamboos Twine Around the Peak), Xiao Xiao Feng Chui Xiang Lin Shao (Wind Whispers Through the Branches).
Rain falls from a half-empty sky, transforming the gnarled branches; all sounds are hushed, the melody of nature's music takes hold.
A short rest in the deepest shade of green, my mind and spirit suddenly freed from worldly clamor.

 

Evening Sunset

Hengshan Mountain;As the setting sun dips westward, a few points of light remain on the cliffs.
Flocks of crows fly in, merging with the mist; wild clouds roll away, and the evening sky clears.
Several peaks, partially hidden, reveal their golden green; throughout the valley, colorful peaks stand like a screen of brocade.
The material wealth of ages past has undergone many changes; yet the setting sun here makes an unchanging covenant.

 

Longshan Mountain After the Snow

Longshan Mountain stands tall, covered in snow; its natural position is exceptional here.
The icy chill of winter has never known respite; the clear, bright scene is a sight for tens of thousands of years.
Jade trees in rows, glistening and bright; silver rivers in curves, exuding a fresh vitality.
Leisurely ascending for a distant view, the heart refreshed; a human amidst the icy peaks, among several heavens.

Icy Spring

From rock crevices, the icy spring trickles down, its clear stream flowing since what year?
Autumn mountain shadows dip into a small green snail; night moonlight floats, rounding the precious mirror.
The clear icy spring inspires poetic creativity; the cold seeps into the paper screens, leading to dreams.
Do not take it as ordinary; one stream flows to the ocean, blocking hundreds of rivers.

 

Autumn Colors on the White Cliffs

Ancient cypresses grow densely on the cliffs; autumn colors are abundant.
The sky is filled with green shadows, stirred by the cool breeze; throughout the ravine, cool and refreshing air drifts.
Strong trunks stand tall, defying time; unique branches refuse to succumb to frost.
Temple halls are built to support the beams and pillars, worthy of their height of one hundred feet.

 

Moonlight on the Divine Creek

Every time I pass by the temple by the Divine Creek, I hold up the moon's reflection in the waters.
Wind on the water creates broken ripples; the moon in the heavens shines down, its shadow swaying.
Unblemished, its brilliance is strong; all sounds cease, the night is full of Qi.
Sitting and listening to the bell sounds, unable to tire of the view; leaning on the railing, my interest knows no limit.

 

Clear Sky in the Distant Valley

From the valley's mouth, green hills pile high; the sky clears, and the scenery appears before my eyes.
Long shadows chase after the sunlit forest below; faint light welcomes the wild stream's bend.
Some days I follow the dragon's trail; some days I wander freely, unconstrained.
The force of Heaven and Earth—one clear, one dark; sometimes rain, sometimes sunshine throughout the nine heavens.

　　Judging from the wording and artistic conception of these eight poems, they are indeed well-written, showing Sun Cong's considerable talent. For example, "Several peaks, partially hidden, reveal their golden green; throughout the valley, colorful peaks stand like a screen of brocade," "Wind on the water creates broken ripples; the moon in the heavens shines down, its shadow swaying," and "Some days I follow the dragon's trail; some days I wander freely, unconstrained," are all considered excellent examples of landscape description.

 

 

 

▲Eight Views of Shenchuan—Sun Cong Recorded from the Hongzhi edition of the Hunyuan County Gazetteer

 

　　From these poems, we can also see that Sun Cong's life after returning to his hometown in his later years was also leisurely and comfortable. While he could not help but reveal some helplessness due to his unfulfilled ambitions, the founding of the academy was a contribution to his hometown, making up for some of life's regrets.

 

▲The rebuilt Fengming Tower

 

4. Twelve Views of Fengshan Mountain
Twelve Poems on Fengshan Academy by Gui Jingshun

 

　　Gui Jingshun, whose courtesy name was Zhaoyi and literary name was Jiexuan, was a supplementary tribute student. He served as the magistrate of Hunyuan County at the end of the twenty-second year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. Gui Jingshun came from a scholarly family; many of his brothers served as officials, including Gui Zhengshun, magistrate of Qing County in Zhili; Gui Ersun, magistrate of Ruyuan County in Guangdong; and Gui Lishun, an official in the Hedong Salt Transportation Department.

　　The people have the most say and voting power when judging an official's performance, integrity, and honesty upon his departure. As the saying goes, "After the official leaves, the people's opinions are casually discussed." Among the magistrates of Hunyuan County, Gui Jingshun was highly regarded by all sides. In the seventh year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, Wang Yinkong, the prefectural instructor, recorded Gui Jingshun's benevolent governance in his work "Notes on the Magistrate's Governance": "Upon taking office, he immediately investigated and found the problems and benefits, and raised everything that benefited the people of the county in turn, making the governance just and the litigation fair. In the spring of the Qianlong Ji Mao year, neighboring counties suffered a poor harvest, causing the price of rice and wheat to soar in Hunyuan County; he encouraged donations and reduced grain prices, so the situation was resolved. Yong'an Temple is an important temple in the county, and the farmers used to pray for a good harvest every year. The magistrate publicly initiated the renovation of the temple and held lectures on the imperial edicts on the fifteenth and the thirtieth of every month, with scholars and commoners listening and being influenced. Henglu Academy in the county seat had been gradually ruined; the magistrate repaired it, posting signs saying 'Respecting the Ancient' in the main hall and 'Looking Up' in the back hall, building side rooms to accommodate students, fostering academic study, and inspiring scholars. Hunyuan lies in the north, with early winter and often frost in early autumn, damaging crops; he built a Frost God Shrine and led the people of the county to pray to it. This great divine response was highly regarded by the people." From the above, it is clear that the people of Hunyuan were deeply grateful for Gui Jingshun's administration.

　　Gui Jingshun placed particular emphasis on culture. He authored "Jie Xuan Poetry Anthology," and compiled the "Hengshan Mountain Records" (5 volumes) and the "Hun Yuan Prefecture Records" (10 volumes), which are invaluable historical materials for researching the history and culture of Hun Yuan. Later generations commented, “The loyalty, filial piety, integrity, meritorious deeds, and literary achievements of Hun Yuan today far surpass those of the past, is this not because of his observations and feelings?” (Excerpt from the "Hun Yuan Prefecture Continued Records" of the seventh year of Guangxu, authored by He Shu’en, the prefect.). The Datong prefect, Jia Xiang, commented on the "Hengshan Mountain Records": “Mr. Gui Taixing, with his profound and elegant talent, served as the prefect of Hun Yuan Prefecture. I had the honor of accompanying him as an imperial envoy to observe the ceremonies at the temple. Witnessing the brilliance of the imperial decree and the splendor of the ceremony, he revised the old edition and compiled this new record. Following the names and investigating the facts, clarifying confusion and filling in omissions, while the number of volumes remains the same, the organization is completely transformed, achieving a perfect balance of elegance and substance. It is certainly sufficient to illuminate the laws and regulations of the sage's era, and reveal the true face of the mountain spirit, and not merely superficial embellishment.”

　　During his tenure in Hun Yuan, Gui Jingshun also created many poems and verses. Among them are twelve poems on the theme of Fengshan Academy. They are recorded below:

 

Twelve Odes of Fengshan Academy, Preface

　　The academy was built by Sun Simucong, a native of Mingzhou. Its traces have long been lost, only the streams and stones remain. Yet, reflecting on the past and present, its influence endures, regardless of its physical existence or not. Therefore, these poems are composed to describe its renowned significance.

 

Fengming Pavilion

The phoenix sings among the mountains, and when it leaves, the mountains fall silent.

I do not see anyone in the pavilion; the setting sun hangs on the vine-covered wall.

 

Cuiwei Tower

Birds fly across the mountain scenery, and the empty green descends with the rain.

A faint sound of chanting is heard; a rat scurries through the pine eaves.

 

De Yue Xuan (Moonlit Pavilion)

The bright moon hangs in the sky, shining its light upon my pavilion.

Rolling up the curtain, I sit into the distant night; the only thing I obtain is silence.

 

Autumn Fragrance Garden

Reading in the autumn garden, my autumn heart keeps idle thoughts away.

Yellow butterflies flutter past; the fragrance lingers where there are no flowers.

 

Library Cave

Hewn from stone, the stone chamber; ancient books hidden in the depths.

White clouds hang over the solitary rock; autumn light illuminates the ancient lacquer.

 

Guqin Cave (Zither Cave)

Ancient cave sealed by white clouds, mountain moon rising from the eastern cliff.

Pine whispers harmonize with woodcutter’s songs, the zither’s music flows in the stream.

 

Go Board Platform

People of the past leisurely indulged in their pastime, now only the lingering emotions remain.

Fallen leaves echo on the empty platform, still seeming like falling pieces in the game.

 

Fishing Rock

Mountain dwelling and fishing in the stream, even without bait, it’s still delightful.

Fish stealthily listen, while the gentleman reads Zhuangzi.

 

Azure Water Cave

How crystal-clear is the azure cave, a world apart from worldly dust.

I smile at the simplicity of Ji Mountain, those falsely praised figures such as Chao and You are mired in the mud.

 

Caiyun Rock (Rainbow Cloud Rock)

Rainbow clouds like a maiden, their colors ever fresh.

Perhaps Nüwa, the Yellow Emperor’s consort, refined stones, leaving behind lingering smoke.

 

Goldfish Pond

Red scales hidden beneath azure waves, visible yet elusive.

Once, people who came here to admire the pool left black stains on the fish’s gills.

Rui Lian Pool (Auspicious Lotus Pool)

The lotus nature is ever fragrant; even after the flowers fade, the leaves still retain their fragrance.

Following your fashioning of clothes, it is unwilling to be covered by mandarin ducks.

 

　　These twelve poems perfectly present the twelve scenic spots built by Sun Cong. After reading them, the beautiful scenery seems to be before one’s eyes, leaving precious cultural materials for future generations.

 

 

▲Twelve Odes of Fengshan Academy - Gui Jingshun From the Qianlong edition of the "Hun Yuan Prefecture Records"

 

　　It is precisely because of the preservation of the above-mentioned historical materials that the leadership of the current county committee and county government can rely on first-class cultural and tourism resources to rebuild the cultural buildings related to Fengshan Academy, recreating the former wonders of Fengshan Academy and Shenxi Wetland. The reconstruction of the related cultural buildings of Fengshan Academy has revived Sun Cong’s cultural achievements, attracting tourists from home and abroad to journey through the mists of history, take a glimpse into the cultural essence of Shenxi Village, and admire the noble character of the ancestors, allowing everyone to enjoy the dual peak experience of both cultural and natural landscapes.

June 12, 2024

 

▲Shenxi National Wetland Park

 

 

Proofreading: Xuefang
Editing: Xuelin

Author’s Introduction

　　Yang Xinru, a native of Hun Yuan, Shanxi, is a member of the Shanxi Writers Association.