Mount Xian

Xiangyang City

This intricate double-page woodcut depicts the majestic Mount Xian Xianshan and the fortified Xiangyang City. In the tradition of Chinese cartography and art, this scene is rendered in the shanshui literally "mountain and water"; a style of landscape representation that prioritizes the spirit and atmosphere of a place over mathematical scale style.

The illustration captures the following key features:

• The City of Xiangyang: Shown with its formidable city walls overlooking the water. Historically, Xiangyang was a vital military stronghold and a center of trade due to its position on the Han River.
• Mount Xian: The jagged peaks rising behind the city. This mountain is famous in Chinese history as the site where the Jin dynasty general Yang Hu 221–278 AD used to roam; a monument to him, the "Stele of Tears," became a major landmark for later poets and travelers.
• The Han River: Although not explicitly labeled in the text, the water surrounding the city represents this major tributary of the Yangtze, which defined the life and defense of the region.

The craftsmanship of this woodcut print original: "muke banhua" is evident in the sophisticated use of texture. Different types of "hemp-fiber" and "ax-cut" brushstrokes—replicated here by the engraver's tool—give form to the weathered rocks and the lush foliage clinging to the cliffs. Such illustrations were commonly found in local gazetteers comprehensive geographical and historical records of a specific district to provide readers with a sense of the "famous sights" mingsheng of the empire.