Jiading Hui Long Tan Park

Transportation is very convenient, with the bus station right outside Exit 2 of Jiading North Subway Station on Line 11, and bus route 13 goes directly to Hui Long Tan. It is said that during the Shun period of the Ming Dynasty, the then Jiading County Magistrate artificially built a hill here to increase the fortune of the imperial examinations, naming it 'Ying Kui'. At the foot of the hill, a small stream gathered to form a pond, which was the prototype of the original Hui Long Tan. By the Zhengde period, the then inspector had renovated and expanded Ying Kui Hill, while also dredging the surrounding river channels. Here, we must mention a famous person from Jiaxing - Xu Xuemo, an official of the level that could enter the cabinet. He was on good terms with Zhang Juzheng, and his daughter married the second son of the later Grand Secretary Shen Shixing. Xu Xuemo continuously persuaded local officials to renovate the area, which led to the creation of Hui Long Tan and the prototype of Ying Kui Hill. Xu Xuemo himself wrote: 'This is where the divine beings originated, hence it is named Hui Long Tan, and the related name is also Hui Long, recognizing the transformation.' The above text partially quotes the magazine '2016 Imperial Examination Studies Colloquium' article 'Hui Long Tan and the Imperial Examinations of Jiading County during the Ming and Qing Dynasties', authored by Li Ke. Jiading District has 1 national protected site (Confucius Temple), 10 city protected sites (including Qiu Xia Pu and Gu Yi Garden), and out of 43 district protected sites, one can see 6 attractions in Hui Long Tan Park: Wan Fo Pagoda, Jia Yun Peak (a rock), Jing Ting, Bin Xing Bridge (outside the west exit of Wen Chang Pavilion), Bai Niao Chao Feng Platform, and the Memorial Monument of Ming Zhong Jie Hou, Mr. Huang Erxian. Personally, I think the most worthwhile sight is definitely the Bai Niao Chao Feng Platform. In ancient architecture, what makes most people exclaim 'wow' is definitely the caisson ceiling. There are caisson ceilings in grottoes, tombs, palaces, and ancient opera stages. Bai Niao Chao Feng Platform is an opera stage, also known as 'Da Chang Tai', and naturally uses the common opera stage model: 'chicken cage top'. The advantages of the chicken cage top are twofold: one is sound gathering, which serves as a natural loudspeaker and allows the sound to linger. The other is fire prevention, as the well-like structure at the highest point of the hall suppresses fire both physically and psychologically. The interesting part of Bai Niao Chao Feng Platform is that each layer of the caisson ceiling has small birds, making the entire opera stage resplendent and resembling a phoenix spreading its wings. Next is the Kui Xing Pavilion, which has been around since the Qing Dynasty. Now surrounded by trees, there's not much of a view from the pavilion, but it's a symbol of good fortune. Nearby, there's also a Scholar's Bell, newly built with funds from local enterprises and individuals. Both the pavilion and the bell are exquisitely made. Nowadays, Hui Long Tan also has a place for anti-corruption education called Lian Yuan, with a very delicate layout. My only complaint about Hui Long Tan: The pond water is too dirty, I suggest cleaning up the water area.