The 13th Year (1186) of Chunxi Period

Jiang Kui worked out Chanting at a Verdant Pavilion: Upon the Completion of Wuchang’s Tower of Pacifying Distant Regions. As soon as a tune was composed for the lyric, this masterpiece spread across Wuchang. And it has been alive since then.

The 4th Year (1177) of Chunxi Period

In The Diary of a Boat Trip to Wu, Fan Chengda mentioned attractions like South Tower on Yellow Crane Mountain, but spoke nothing of this tower. This supports Lu You’s record 8 years ago.

The 5th Year (1169) of Qiandao Period

Lu You said in My Journey to Shu, “Legend says Fei Yi flew to the heaven at Yellow Crane Tower. Later he returned here on crane-back and named the tower in this way. It is the greatest wonder in this world.” The book also records what Lu experienced in person, “Not a vestige of the tower remains. Even the old site is nowhere to be found.” It tells us that in early Southern Song, the tower had vanished.

The 8th Year (1138) of Shaoxing Period

As is known to all, Yue Fei was a great general fighting Jin invaders. When his troops returned to Ezhou, the patriot made an exhilarating lyric Red All over the River: On Mounting the Yellow Crane Tower, which lets loose his hopes of annihilating the enemies and restoring the lost territories.

Shaoxing Period (1131-1162)

You Yi created Ascending the Yellow Crane Tower, a household piece of Song poetry. You inscribed it at the tower and later erected a stele with this poem.

Yuangu Period (1086-1094)

“South Tower stands atop Yellow Crane Mountain due south of the prefecture seat. It was ever renamed ‘White Cloud Pavilion.’ In Yuangu Period, Sub-Prefectural Magistrate Fang Ze rebuilt it.” (Record of the Landscape of the Imperial Domain by Wang Xiangzhi, Southern Song) Then it received enormous praise, “No one can match the South Tower of Ezhou.”

The 2nd Year (1069) of Xining Period

The Stele of Miscellaneous Poems for Ezhou was erected at Doulao Pavilion behind the tower. In fact, there are 39 poems by 19 poets like Song Zhiwen, Cui Hao, Li Bai and Meng Haoran. Until Qing Era, the stele inscription had been legible.