Xunyang Tower (浔阳楼), located in Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, stands as a historic and cultural landmark. It is situated near the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge, complementing the bridge’s architectural grandeur. The tower is named after the ancient name of Jiujiang, “Xunyang,” though its exact construction date is unclear. The current structure was rebuilt in 1987.
Covering an area of 2,800 square meters, Xunyang Tower features a main building area of 1,000 square meters, constructed in the style of the Song Dynasty architecture. The tower is supported by a granite stone base and features a nine-hipped roof. The building is designed with four stories, and its total height is 21 meters.
The tower’s name first appeared in a poem by Wei Yingwu, a governor of Jiangzhou during the Tang Dynasty. Xunyang Tower gained significant fame through its depiction in the classic novel “Water Margin” by Shi Nai’an, which includes famous stories such as Song Jiang’s poetic inscriptions and Li Kui’s dramatic rescue. The design of Xunyang Tower draws inspiration from illustrations in the “Qingming Shanghe Tu” (Along the River During the Qingming Festival) and from versions of “Water Margin.”
The large characters for “Xunyang Tower” were inscribed by Zhao Puchu, a renowned calligrapher. Inside the tower, the first-floor hall features couplets taken from “Water Margin,” with the words “There is no better wine in the world, but there is a famous tower in the world” handwritten by Wang Xia. The main hall displays a large plaque inscribed with the phrase “Time Flows On.” The walls are adorned with large porcelain murals depicting scenes from “Water Margin,” such as “Song Gongming’s Exile to Jiangzhou.”
The second floor serves as an exhibition hall, showcasing books, artifacts, and porcelain sculptures of the 108 heroes from Liangshan. The third floor is a corridor for displaying calligraphy and paintings, while the fourth floor offers a refined setting with an antique-style music and tea room.
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 hour |
| Ticket Price | 20 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 9.00 – 20.30 |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0892-8357717 |
Location and Transportation
Xunyang Tower is located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River in Jiujiang City’s Xunyang District, Jiangxi Province. Specifically, it stands outside the Jiuhuamen Gate. To get there, you can take bus 5, 17 North Route, 51, 82, or Tourist Line 1 and get off at Xunyang Tower Stop (浔阳楼站).
