Qíyáng

Qiyang lies on the Xiang River in southern Hunan. On the river's south bank, a stream called Wuxi runs beneath cliffs covered with inscriptions. The Tang poet and official Yuan Jie named the stream and made his home nearby; the stone faces became a gathering place for the words and calligraphy of later visitors.

In 771 Yuan Jie had his prose tribute to the restoration of the Tang dynasty carved on the cliff, written in the hand of the great calligrapher Yan Zhenqing. Its text, lettering and setting became celebrated together as the three marvels of Wuxi. Scholars and officials continued to add poems and inscriptions through the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, creating a remarkable record in stone beside the river.