Water, Heroes and Donkeys
The Unlikely History of Liaocheng City
Legend has it that Cang Jie, buried locally in the southeast of Wangzongtang Village in Dong’e County’s Tongcheng Town, was an official of the Yellow Emperor and creator of Chinese characters. Chi You, leader of a rival tribe that waged and lost a war against the Yellow Emperor, is also buried nearby. It is interesting to note that the Chinese character 蚩chi, invented by Cang Jie, consists of two pictographic components – a worm under a hill. Could this have been a subtle insult to Chi You, his archenemy?
Liaocheng has borne witness to many important events in Chinese history – the Beixing Alliance in 681 BC, the Battle of Maling in 354 BC, battles between the states of Qi and Yan from 284 to 279 BC, and others. Poets and scholars have penned many famous poems in Liaocheng, and great writers have set folktales told on every hearth in China in the city, such as Outlaws of the Marsh, The Plum in the Golden Vase, Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio, and The Travels of Lao Can. Liaocheng cherishes these memories, and memorial halls to great men such as general Zhang Zizhong, scholar Fu Sinian, Ji Xianlin and painter Li Kuchan dot the cityscape.
As water is quite scarce in urban areas of the North China Plain it is difficult for most Northerners even to imagine an old town encircled by a rippling lake.
One poem vividly describes Dongchang Lake, nestled in the heart of Liaocheng: “The lake, like jade, reflects a thousand trees, and its cool breeze breathes life into the ancient streets.”
A tale from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio gives the lake a romantic connotation. A beautiful girl named Yanzhi was pursued by many young men, but fell in love with a scholar. One night, a young libertine tried to woo her away, but Yanzhi refused him. He stole one of her shoes but lost it on his way home. A bandit found the shoe and sneaked into the girl’s house that evening. He stumbled upon Yanzhi’s father and killed him.
At first Yanzhi’s lover, the young scholar, was suspected of the murder and confessed under torture. Later the shoe provided an important trail of clues for the local magistrate, and the libertine was found and convicted. By the end of the story, however, the criminal was sentenced and the lovers married.
Visitors can see a visual account of the story in a series of paintings lining the walls of a pavilion beside Dongchang Lake. Almost every famous lake in China has associations with a beautiful woman. The West Lake in Hangzhou is the setting for White Snake, the romance between a snake fairy and a poor doctor, and Mochou Lake in Nanjing is named in honor of a young woman who drowned herself after the emperor killed her husband for refusing to give her up to be one of the ruler’s concubines.
The lake was dug out in 1070, and the soil removed was used to build Liaocheng town. Nowadays waters from the Yellow River and the Grand Canal also make their way to the lake. In autumn, hundreds of birds from the north come to roost there, attracting a cohort of keen birdwatchers.
The town of Liaocheng has remained essentially unchanged since its construction 1,000 years ago. The outer wall is square and its streets form a grid. At the center rises the town emblem, Guangyue Tower. Built in 1374, it has survived over 600 years of war and fires and never been rebuilt.
As Liaocheng residents wanted the tower to be the grandest in the country, it was designed to measure a total 33 meters in height, split into a nine zhang tower and nine chi base. In Chinese culture, the number nine is regarded as a symbol of dignity. Qing emperors Kangxi (1654 - 1722) and Qianlong (1711 - 1799) both visited Guangyue Tower; Qianlong described it as “the grandest tower in the world.”
Since Dongchang Lake is now connected with the Grand Canal, boating is the best way to enjoy its scenery. As a commercial dock, Liaocheng has heavily depended on the canal throughout its history. The city’s main constructions stand along it. They include Shanshaan Guildhall, the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) Iron Pagoda, and the Haiyuange, a Qing Dynasty (1636 - 1911) private library. Shanshaan Guildhall was one of eight major business guilds in ancient Liaocheng, and is the only one still standing. An architectural gem, its rooms are embellished with flawless carvings, paintings and calligraphic works.
Water has now become Liaocheng’s big tourist draw card. The city has constructed a Water City Pearl Theater, Water City Square and a Canal Museum. Recently, it also held the first Water Cultural Festival.
