Xuzhou's top attraction - Xima Terrace

Since ancient times, Pengcheng has been one of the nine provinces, where dragons and tigers have fought for thousands of years. Xima Terrace is located at the highest point of Hubushan in the center of Xuzhou. In 206 BC, the world-renowned hero Xiang Yu, after destroying the Qin Dynasty, established himself as the Overlord of Western Chu and set his capital in Pengcheng (now Xuzhou). On the south mountain of the city, he built a terrace for watching horse plays, martial arts performances, and military reviews, hence the name Xima Terrace. To commemorate the hero Xiang Yu and praise his historical achievements, Xima Terrace has undergone several reconstructions. Today, the ancient Xima Terrace is strictly structured, well-proportioned, solemn and majestic. The layout follows the mountainous terrain, gradually ascending, and is well-arranged. The mountain gate is a three-bay gatehouse-style gate. On the wall of the entrance, there are a few seal characters 'Pulling up the mountain and covering the world'. On the high platform on the east side, there is a bronze cauldron, engraved with the four characters 'Overlord's Heroic Wind'. The cauldron is rectangular, with two ears and four feet, weighing 6.5 tons, 2.25 meters high, 1.91 meters long, and 1.51 meters wide. The belly of the cauldron is cast with a inscription praising Xiang Yu's historical achievements, the 'Xima Terrace Ding Inscription'. A glazed tile eave and a red wall connect the two simple and elegant courtyards on the east side. The eastern courtyard is called Chushi Shengchun Courtyard, composed of a corridor, Xiongfeng Hall, and east and west side halls. In front of the hall stands a stone statue of Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Western Chu, 2.85 meters high, wearing a helmet and armor, standing on a rock against the wind. Xiongfeng Hall is the main hall of Chushi Shengchun Courtyard. The two dragon columns in front of the hall are precious cultural relics, one of the oldest components preserved in the Xima Terrace architectural complex, with rough carving and vivid shapes. On the back wall of Xiongfeng Hall, there is a set of Western Chu Spring and Autumn murals, 14 meters long and 1.3 meters high, which reproduce the heroic and tragic life of Xiang Yu. The western courtyard is called Qiu Feng Xima Courtyard. Xima Hall is the main hall of the courtyard, surrounded by a corridor, with 24 red columns around the hall, and the four walls are carved window lattices. The screen in the hall is a picture of Autumn Wind Xima, made of 144 square and rectangular bricks of different sizes, 9 meters long and 2 meters high. The picture of Xiang Zhuang's sword dance describes the tense atmosphere of the Hongmen Banquet that year. The west side hall is a large mural, depicting the scene of the Overlord saying goodbye to his beloved after the defeat at Gaixia. The history of China is full of changes, and the ancient Xima Terrace has experienced vicissitudes. For two thousand years, Xima Terrace, as the trace of Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Western Chu, has attracted countless literati to visit. The scenic area is full of famous trees and exotic flowers, and there are many attractions such as the Overlord's Heroic Wind Ding, Chongjiu Terrace, Wuzuo Trough, Xima Stake, Xiangwang Arsenal, Renjie Ghost Hero Stone, etc. It has become a shining pearl in the domestic tourism of Xiang Yu's traces, and is also an outstanding representative of Chu-Han culture in Xuzhou. Fengyun Pavilion can be said to be the symbol of Xima Terrace. In the middle of the pavilion are the three characters 'Xima Terrace' written by Mo Yuqi, the right deputy of Xuzhou's military preparation during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. More than 2,000 years ago, Xiang Yu sat here watching the soldiers playing horses under the mountain, and he could also see his own palace to the north. Thousands of years of victory, Xima Terrace is indeed the top attraction of Xuzhou, a historical and cultural city!