Wenchang Palace in Guanglu Town, Yao'an

At the base of Fengxiu Hill in Yao'an, a ten-foot-tall boulder stands upright in a courtyard, bearing the carved poetry of scholars who wondered how it flew there. This is Wenchang Palace, founded during the Qianlong reign by Lu Yinji and other local villagers. In 1874, Zhao Zixiang and Ma Siliang rebuilt the complex after years of decay. Later, in 1901, the artist Zhao Heqing gathered local hands to hoist the massive 'Fly-from-Afar Stone' from its side to stand tall, carving their names directly into the rock.

The builders anchored the palace to the natural slope of the hill, creating a three-tiered layout that climbs toward the sky. Visitors ascend through the Kui Xing Pavilion, pass the Dacheng Hall with its 'Fish Leaping and Hawks Flying' plaque, and reach the main hall. Along the way, they encounter finely carved wooden partition doors depicting landscapes and figures. To the east, a massive screen wall displays four characters—Loyalty, Filial Piety, Integrity, and Honor—each measuring three feet across. Nearby, a dragon-shaped rockery once channeled cold mountain spring water through its stone mouth, wetting the soil for seasonal peonies.

Today, the palace serves as a sanctuary for living memory. The courtyard, once filled with Qing Dynasty poets, now echoes with the acoustic warmth of Meige folk songs, the Yao'an Flower Lantern, and the rhythmic Yao'an Bazi Qiang. These national-level oral traditions find a permanent home within these historic walls. Visitors can sit in the courtyard, sip local rose tea, and listen to the same wind that stirred the peony gardens a century ago.