Did you know that Xiaokunshan Hill is more than just a scenic spot? It’s a place steeped in history and legend. Today, we will explore the cultural significance of this famous landmark.
Xiaokunshan Hill stands in Xiaokunshan Town. It is the southernmost of Songjiang’s Nine Peaks. These include Shegong, Fenghuang, Xueshan, Sheshan, Chenshan, Tianma, Jishan, Hengyun and Xiaokunshan hills.
Legend says that Lu Ji and Lu Yun studied here for years. They were grandsons of Wu Kingdom general Lu Xun. The brothers became known for their literary talents. Xiaokunshan Town once had ten famous scenic spots. Some have disappeared over time. Recently, the town reestablished ten new scenes. These allow visitors to experience its landscape and culture.
As a Chinese saying goes, Any mountain can be famous with the presence of an immortal. Xiaokunshan Hill is 54.3 meters high. It is famous for two brothers: Lu Ji and Lu Yun. They were renowned men of letters in the Western Jin Dynasty. The Thatched House of Lu Brothers in Xiaokunshan Park commemorates them. After ten years of study on the hill, they began their officialdom in Luoyang. Later, the two brothers were killed in political turmoil.
Cranes were a symbolic animal in ancient Songjiang. Lu Ji, the elder brother, once asked if he could hear a crane’s whoops again. It reminded him of his hometown. A replica of Pingfu Tie is displayed at the Thatched House of Lu Brothers. This is Lu Ji’s calligraphy work and one of the earliest of its kind in China. The original is kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing. Stone-carved letters are visible on cliffs near the Nine Peak Zen Temple. It’s said that the two brothers’ reading platforms were once located there.
In the north of Dangwan Village is the Xia Family Park. It commemorates Xia Yunyi and Xia Wanchun. They were father and son who died fighting the Manchu troops in Songjiang. This was during the transition between the Ming and Qing dynasties.
In 1644, the Ming Dynasty fell. The Qing Dynasty army advanced south. When they broke through the Jiangnan areas, Xia Yunyi resisted but failed. He chose to commit suicide by drowning. Before his death, he urged his son to give their family properties to the army. He wanted him to fight the Manchus.
Xia Wanchun was a gifted poet. He was overwhelmed by grief and swore to fight the Manchus. During a wipeout by the Manchu troops, his army was destroyed. He was captured and killed with 30 others. This included his father-in-law after the enemy lured them to surrender.
Qian Qinzhuan, Xia Wanchun’s wife, became a Buddhist nun. She lived the rest of her life this way after the death of her father, husband, and son. Chen Yi, the first mayor of Shanghai, wrote inscriptions for the Xia family tomb. In June 2010, the park became a patriotic education base in Songjiang.
The Tangmiao Village Culture Relics Site is 11 kilometers west of downtown Songjiang. It was discovered in 1962 and listed as a city-level cultural relics site in 1977. Ancient relics were unearthed along the Huatian River in 1980. The site covered 64,000 square meters. It consisted of two phases of relics. The later-phase relics included pottery and Han Dynasty artifacts. The earlier-phase relics included tombs dating back 6,000 years.
Songjiang boasts three ginkgo trees over 1,000 years old. One is in Xiaokunshan Town. It survived a fire and new branches grew out of the burned bark. Now, the new tree and the old tree look like a grandfather hugging a grandson.
The Ringing Slab Bridge stretches across the northeast end of a village river. It dates back to the Qing Dynasty. Its pier structure resembles a pair of bells. The bridge is also called Yongxing Bridge.
The Chen Family Old Residence is a Hui-style building inside the Xiaokunshan Industrial Park. It was built around the 1920s-1930s. It belonged to a well-off Chen Family.
A landmark bell tower in Xiaokunshan Town is chiming again. It had been in disrepair for 18 years. The bell tower is on top of the Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank building. It was built in 1992 but stopped ticking in 2003. In December 2021, it started chiming again. Residents were surprised and happy.
The Xiaokunshan government and Xu Xiake Cultural and Tourism Group jointly established a strategic development program. Xiaokunshan will further explore the cultural heritage of Xu Xiake. A park featuring rice-cultivating culture will be built.
Xiaokunshan Hill offers a blend of natural beauty and cultural depth. From the tales of the Lu brothers to the patriotic legacy of the Xia family, every corner tells a story. Take a moment to appreciate the rich history and scenic views. Let the spirit of Xiaokunshan inspire you.