Níngdū

Ningdu lies in the hills of southeastern Jiangxi, beside the Mei River. Northwest of the county town rises Cuiwei Peak, also known as Jinjing Mountain, a landscape of red cliffs, caves and wooded slopes. Its secluded heights became a refuge for scholars during the upheaval that ended the Ming dynasty.

The essayist Wei Xi withdrew to Cuiwei after the Ming fell. There he and a circle later known as the Nine Masters of Yitang taught students and wrote among the peaks. Wei's brothers Wei Xiang and Wei Li were also noted writers; together they became known as the Three Weis of Ningdu. Wei Xi declined an invitation to take a Qing literary examination, maintaining the independence that marked his circle.