Kong Ming Stele Travel Guide

Kong Ming Stele - Location

There is a neat and smooth white precipice in "U" shape under the Jixian (Gather Gods Together) Peak facing river cliff which is in Yichang, Hubei Province. It looks like a giant stele. According to legends, it is inscription of Zhuge Liang on the precipice, hence named it Kong Ming Stele.

Kong Ming Stele - History

Based on legends, when Zhuge Liang leaded army into Shu area, he passed by Wu Gorge and carved his important tactics Longzhongdui (a work about military tactics which was written by Zhuge Liang) on the precipice. He used it to express the intention that he would unite with Wu Kingdom but not Wei Kingdom. Later, Liu Bei wanted to avenge Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, he sent army to fight with East Wu Kingdom mistakenly, and he failed. Lu Xun who was great general of East Wu Kingdom leaded army to chase Liu Bei. When he reached the foot of Jixian Peak, he read Zhuge Liang's inscription and deeply moved. So he ordered his army to retreat. So the idea that it is Kong Ming Stele was widely spread.

Kong Ming Stele – Scenic Spot

In fact, Kong Ming Stele was not written by Zhuge Liang and the inscription is not Longzhongdui. Although there were many inscriptions of every dynasty, there is no inscription from Zhuge Liang. As rock exposure to weather for a long time, many inscriptions on the stele are damaged. Only a small part of it can be clearly seen. Now, when you pass there by boat, you only can see fifteen big words" Wu Gorge is high and precipitous, beautiful peaks towering up, twelve peaks of Wu Gorge", among them, the most obvious words are the six words of "Wu Gorge is high and precipitous". Based on legends, the words were written by Zhuge Liang, so named the stele as Kong Ming Stele. But we can sure the stele was inscribed in Ming Dynasty by the several small words next to the big words: some year in Jiajing period of Ming Dynasty. It is important historical relics in Wu Gorge. In ancient, the workers carved these words on the precipice when surging river knocks on it. So we can see how brave and persistent the workers were.

With Three Gorges Project was built, the Kong Ming Stele which is under the submerge line will be moved to other place.