This attraction introduction is compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · Scenic Spots section). Ticket prices, opening hours, transportation, and contact information mentioned in the text may be outdated. Please refer to the latest official announcements from the scenic area before traveling; some content consists of historical background/cultural introductions and is for reference only.
The Junzilian sculpture is currently the most representative and distinctive urban sculpture in the city. This sculpture is named after the meaning in Song dynasty writer Zhou Dunyi's "On the Love of the Lotus," which praises the lotus as the gentleman among flowers. The sculpture's base is black marble, simulating the color of mud. A budding lotus "emerges from the mud" and stands in a clear rippling pool. In the pool are four gracefully standing lotus-picking girls holding lotus seed pods and smiling slightly. Around the pool, 50 fountains spray in arcs toward the center, colorful under the sunlight. The entire sculpture decorates the south gate of Xiangtan City, long known as the "Lotus City," with vigorous elegance.
The sculpture is located at Jianshe Square in Xiangtan City. It was completed in 1985. The designer was Xu Shuyang, a professor at the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts. The Junzilian sculpture adopts abstract artistic techniques; a budding lotus symbolizes a beautiful future. The main scene of the sculpture is 31.5 meters high, the lotus-picking girls are 3.5 meters high, and the pool is 30 meters in diameter. The entire group sculpture is a monochrome three-dimensional composition of figures and objects.
There is also another joking interpretation of the sculpture at "Junzilian Square," calling it "a betel nut cut into four pieces."
Lotus and betel nut—which better represents Xiangtan? In fact, there is no doubt about this. Since Xiangtan is also called "Lotus City," it naturally deserves the name. Moreover, "lotus" is not only culture; it is also an industry, supporting the reputation of the "Hometown of Hunan Lotus."
"Emerging from the mud yet unstained, bathed in clear ripples yet not seductive." Zhou Dunyi's "On the Love of the Lotus" came from Xiangtan. Presumably, he had seen something at the time before he felt inspired. Therefore, although the abundance of lotus flowers in Xiangtan County astonishes outsiders, locals do not take it as unusual and still fondly recall the splendid scenes of former times.
Enjoying a bowl of refreshing lotus seed soup is one way of life for the people of Xiangtan; the indispensable Longpai soy sauce is another way of life for them.
People accustomed to Longpai soy sauce often cannot adapt to other brands, because Longpai soy sauce has enough flavor. No matter what dish it is, sprinkle a few drops, and the sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty of life are all in it—that is authentic Hunan cuisine.
