Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Geography, Volume 12

The King of Yue’s PlatformAlso known as Yue Wang Tai. Located on Yuexiu Hill in modern Guangzhou, it was a site of major historical importance, representing the early administration of the region. is located within the current administrative seat of GuangzhouThe major port city and capital of Guangdong province, known historically to Westerners as Canton.. It was built by Zhao Tuooriginal: 趙佗. An official of the Qin dynasty who, following the dynasty's collapse, established the independent kingdom of Nanyue (204–137 BCE) and declared himself king., the King of Nanyue during the Han dynasty. Atop the platform stands a five-story tower. From this height, it commands a view of the interconnected mountain ranges and looks out toward the distant sea; it is truly a magnificent spectacle of the Lingnan regionoriginal: 嶺表 (Lingbiao). Literally "Beyond the Peaks," a classical term for the lands of southern China..

A poem by Song ZhiwenA prominent court poet of the early Tang Dynasty (c. 660–712 CE). says:

Upon the river stands the King of Yue’s Platform,
How many times have I climbed high to gaze?
The southern dark-sea merges with the edge of heaven,
While north-facing doors open toward the sun.
The "north-facing doors" (beihu) is a classical trope suggesting a place so far south that the sun appears to the north, emphasizing the tropical latitude of Guangzhou.

A poem by Zhang JiulingA high-ranking minister and poet of the Tang Dynasty (673–740 CE) who hailed from the Lingnan region. says:

At the city’s corner, high battlements reflect in the winding water,
Ten thousand households open their doors.
In the neighborhoods, the betel palms rise up,
While seasonal birds, the kingfishers, arrive.

These two poems are sufficient to fully capture the splendor of the platform.