A Night Tour of Tengwang Pavilion

Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang, Jiangxi, one of the three famous towers in the south of the Yangtze River, is a must-visit when you come to Jiangxi. It is also a treasure of ancient Chinese literature. Wang Bo, a great talent, your elegance is admired by later generations. Firstly, I was fortunate to watch a breathtaking performance of Tengwang Pavilion at night, with tickets purchased online for 'Dreaming of Tengwang Pavilion'. The night breeze was cool, and the open-air seating was fully occupied. The performance, with Tengwang Pavilion as the backdrop and under the brilliant lights, seemed to transport us back to those glorious historical moments. Amidst the changing lights and shadows, historical figures appeared one after another, crossing a thousand years to engage in a spiritual dialogue with us. Wang Bo's Tengwang Pavilion, with its long recitations, was stunning and his talent soared to the skies, it's a pity that he only lived for a little over twenty years. His 'Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng' is still hailed as a model of parallel prose literature. 'The setting sun and the lonely wild duck fly together, autumn water shares the same color with the vast sky.' This eternal masterpiece still echoes in my ears today. The performance featured performing artists in song and dance, and afterwards, historical figures from different eras were portrayed with varying scenes, music, and costumes that matched the characteristics of the characters: Su Dongpo, Wang Anshi, Huang Tingjian, with their political ambitions and great talents; Xin Qiji and Wen Tianxiang, who were concerned about their country and people amidst turmoil and were skilled in both literature and martial arts; Tang Xianzu, with his gentle murmurs of love; Wang Yangming's journey through the philosophy of the mind, with a heart as bright as his teachings. Poetry and prose emerged amidst the lights and shadows, and the search for dreams was not only a retrospective of history but also a traversal of literary atmosphere. Lights crisscrossed and colors overflowed, which were the characteristics of this performance. At the end of the show, dozens of performers came together to perform the popular dance 'Subject 2', and as I saw them line up to take a bow, I guessed this dance, and it turned out I was right. Stepping into Tengwang Pavilion, there is an elevator inside, newly built, but to truly appreciate it, it is better to ascend step by step. Climbing the tower, one reminisces about the sentiments of the ancients. Outside, Tengwang Pavilion has three stories, with each floor distinctively arranged and covered with glazed tiles, offering a panoramic view of Nanchang and the Gan River. Under the night sky, the lights twinkled, and the water of the Gan River was somewhat dry, due to the winter season, hence the low water level. Inside the tower, one could view Tengwang Pavilion through different historical periods with 3D imaging, as if being there in person. It stood tall, it collapsed, it stood erect, it was damaged, recording history, which is also a lament of history! The most admirable was Liang Sicheng's hand-drawn architectural blueprints, which are works of art that astonish. Each floor tells a different historical story, depicting the scene when Wang Bo wrote the 'Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng'; there is a full-body sculpture of Wang Bo; as well as displays of longevity paintings and contemporary crafts; ancient chime bells; and what I found most unforgettable was the introduction to historical figures from Jiangxi, including many civil and military top scholars from Jiangxi during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Truly a place rich in cultural heritage, living up to its reputation. The scenery before me is an encounter with history, an embrace of culture. This profound cultural heritage, as a person from the Northeast, is something I deeply yearn for. Leaving Tengwang Pavilion, the night was late. Would the ancient people from a thousand years ago be inspired to write poetry at this moment? I think they would, they definitely would.