Ouyang Xiu Memorial Hall

**Historical Context** Ouyang Xiu (1007–1072) was a Chancellor, historian, and essayist who, like France's Voltaire or Britain's Samuel Johnson a few centuries later, dominated the literary and political conversation of his age. He led the Song-dynasty classical-prose revival, edited the *New History of the Five Dynasties*, and rose from poverty to the highest office in the empire—a story embodied in the famous "Reed-Drawing Mother" sculpture here, which depicts his widowed mother teaching him to write characters in the sand with a reed. The hall was founded in 1987, expanded in 1997, and upgraded in 2007 and 2017, and now serves as a provincial patriotic education site. **Architecture** Spread across roughly 50 acres, the complex mirrors the restrained elegance of 11th-century Song garden design, a Chinese tradition that paralleled Europe's Romanesque building era but pursued a far more intimate, contemplative aesthetic. Flying eaves curve over pavilions such as the replica Old Drunkard's Pavilion, the Mingdao Pavilion, and the Longgang Qianbiao Stele Pavilion, all reflected in a serene artificial lake. Rockeries, winding pebble paths, and long stele corridors recall the spirit of European Romantic gardens like Stowe, but on a far more human scale. **Cultural Significance** The core exhibition occupies the Prime Minister's Mansion, chronicling Ouyang's contributions to politics, prose, and historiography—fields in which his influence is comparable to that of Erasmus on early modern European letters. Highlights include the tribute to Yongfeng's first zhuangyuan (examination champion) of the Southern Song, the nearby Ming-era Bao'en Temple Pagoda, and inscriptions of Ouyang's most celebrated works, including echoes of his lyrical "Zuiwengtingji," or "Record of the Old Drunkard's Pavilion." **Practical Visit Information** The memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with extended hours until 8:00 p.m. in summer. Admission is free. It sits about 60 km south of central Ji'an, roughly a one-hour drive or taxi ride, or reachable by intercity bus from Ji'an Qingyuan Bus Station followed by a local connection. The address is 1 Yongshu Road, Yongfeng County; contact 0796-2511392 to confirm hours before traveling. Most signage and audio guides are in Chinese, so a translation app is highly recommended for non-readers. **Why Visit** Few sites outside Europe offer such a focused portrait of a single great mind set within an evocative period landscape. The combination of a reconstructed Song official's residence, a tranquil classical garden, and a walkable small-town setting makes this a rewarding stop for travelers interested in literature, governance, and the quieter corners of Jiangxi province. Pair it with an evening stroll along the historic Enjiang riverfront and a taste of local specialties like cured fish and steamed rice skins for an unhurried half-day cultural excursion.