Exploring the World's Number One Prefecture: Seeing Mountains and Waters Is Not as Good as Seeing History

The imperial inscription by Emperor Qianlong, "A unique strategic location at the edge of the sun, the world's most complex and difficult first prefecture," fully expresses Zhuozhou's important position near the capital. The legend of "One Prefecture, Two Emperors" is unique to Zhuozhou. Emperor Liu Bei of the Han Dynasty started his uprising from Zhuojun, building the Shu Han kingdom with benevolence; Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin's ancestral home was Fanyang, and he established the Song Dynasty through the Chenqiao Mutiny. The oath of the "Peach Garden Three Brotherhood" further rooted the spirit of loyalty and righteousness here, becoming an important source of Three Kingdoms culture. During the Liao Dynasty, twin pagodas stood at the city corners. The southern pagoda of Zhidu Temple has a simple round top, while the northern pagoda of Yunju Temple has a tall pointed spire. Although the old scene of the "Twin Pagodas in Clear Smoke" has changed, these thousand-year-old structures still witness the passage of time in Zhuozhou. The "Tonghui Lantern Market" began in the Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang, and reached its peak in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, once attracting emperors to stop by. Today, the lights still shine, with intangible cultural heritage skills and traditional light and shadow interwoven, continuing the city's lively atmosphere and heritage. Cultural heritage nurtures talents. The Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Huineng, hailed from here, and his philosophy of "Bodhi originally has no tree" has had a profound influence; Luo Binwang, one of the Four Talents of the Early Tang, used his pen as a sword to depict the mountains and rivers; Shi Tiesheng questioned life through his writing, leaving a spiritual echo. In Zhuozhou, history is not cold words but a tangible and perceptible present. The stories of Zhuozhou are found in its bricks and stones, in its lights, and more importantly, in the cultural heritage passed down through generations. This "World's Number One Prefecture" always tells the depth of history with quiet strength.