Xīnjiàn

Xinjian lies west of the Gan River around Nanchang. In the Western Hills stands Wanshou Palace, a Daoist sanctuary dedicated to Xu Xun, revered as a protector and immortal. The palace became a centre of the Jingming tradition, which taught loyalty and filial devotion alongside religious practice.

The Song court rebuilt the sanctuary on a grand scale, with halls, gates and galleries spread across the hillside. It was repaired again under the Ming and enlarged under the Qing. By the later Ming the palace had become a focus of local worship, drawing communities to its festivals. Devotion to Xu Xun travelled with Jiangxi merchants, giving the Western Hills a place in a network of temples far beyond the province.