TheconstructionoftheYamenherestartedin1303inYuanDynasty,andthepresentbuildingswerebuiltinQingDynasty.ItwasthemostwellpreservedgovernmentofficeofcountrylevelinfeudalChina.Sinceouropeninguptotheoutsideworldin1984,ithasattractedanumberofourgovernmentofficialsandvisitorsformbothathomeandabroadbecauseofitsspecialhistory,science,attractivevalueanditsowncharm.Wehavethefamoussaying:Beijingisthedragonheadwhilethedragon’stailisinNeixiang.Itisalsooneoftheimportantculturalrelicsofstatelevel.
ThefrontpartbuildingoftheYamenwascalledascreenwall,whichwasbuiltwithbluebrickreliefsculpture.Inthemiddleofthescreen,thereisastrangebeast,whichiscalled“Tan”.Itwassaidtobeagreedybeastthatcouldswallowgoldandsilvertreasuresinthelegend.Hereinthepicturewecanseethataroundittherearetreasureseverywhere.Butheisnotsatisfied.Hismouthopenswidelyintendingtoswallowthesuninthesky,butasaresult,hefallsoffthesteepcliff,havinghisbodysmashedintopieces.ThepictureonthescreenwasfirstcreatedbyZhuYuanzhang,thefounderoftheMingDynasty.Thepurposeofthedrawingistowarnthegovernmentofficialsnottotakebribesandbreakthelaw.Hereisthemainentrance,halfwaythereisanothergaterightinthemiddle,calledYimen,thesecondmainofficialentrance.Itusedtobeopenonlyonthedaywhennewgovernortookhisplaceorwhenhigherofficialcametovisit.Onbothsidesofthesecondgate,there’retwosmalldoors,theoneontheeastwascalledLifedoor,whiletheoneonthewestwascalledDeathdoor,orGhostdoor,whichwasusedonlybythecriminalswhentheyweresentencedtodeathandweregoingtobekilled.PassingthroughYimen,youcanseeagrandbuildinghereinfrontofyou.Thatisthegreathall.Thegreathallwastheplacewherethegovernorofthecountyannouncedthegovernmentorders,andalsosomeimportantceremonieswereheldhereandsomeimportantandseriouscriminalcasesweretriedhere.Inthemiddleofit,atrialdeskwasplaced,andonthedesk,thefourtreasuresofthestudyandtheredandgreenbamboopiecesusedfortrialcouldbefound.Onthefrontsideofthescreen,there’sapictureofseawater,tideandthesun,meaningthatanofficialshouldbeasclearasthesunandthemoonandascleanasseawater.Inotherwords,anofficialshouldbehonestandupright.Whentheprosecutorandthedefendantweretakentothehallfortrial,theymustkneeldownonthestones.Thesquarestoneontheeastwasfortheprosecutor,andtherectanglestoneonthewestwasfortheaccused.Sincemostcases
involvedmoredefendants,thestoneforthemwaslongerthen.Thehousebehindthegreathallwascalleddoormanhouse.ThemanwhoguardedthehousewascalledDoorman,whowasthecountygovernor’srelativeorpeoplewhowereclosetohim.Nowwehavecometothesecondhall.ItwastheplacewheretheCountyMagistratedealtwithsmallcases.Pleaselookatthesefamouscouplets,whichmeansthatbeforelaweveryoneisequal.Sothejudgesshouldpassthefairestjudgmentonpeople.ThisiscalledFuziYard,anancientformofaddresstoaConfucianscholarortoamasterbyhisdisciples.Fuziwasusuallytheofficial’sassistantwhowasusuallytheirclosefriendofknowledgeableandartistictalent.Everyone,includingthecountygovernorrespectfullyaddressedhimasLaoFuzi,sotheplacewhereFuziworkedwascalledFuziYard.Finally,let’sgotothethirdhall.Itwastheplacewherecountygovernordidhisdailywork.Ifthecaseshedealtwithwereofgreatimportance,hewoulddoithere.Therewasalsoagardenbehind.Itwasherethatcountygovernorenjoyedhisfreelifeandgotawayfromhisgovernmentaffairs.Aswecanseenow,there’remanysuccinctcoupletswithrichintensionhere.Butthisonebeforethethirdhallwasthemostfamous.ItwaswrittenbyGaoYigong,acountygovernorinNeixiangcounty.Itmeansthatbeingthelocalofficials,wereardedthecommonpeopleasourparents.Weworkedforthemvoluntarilyandwillingly.Nowadays,manyofourPartyleaderslikeChairmanJiangZeminreaditwithdeepfeelings,andPremierZhuRongjisingshighpraiseofit.Thewordscanbenodoubtregardedasfamoussayingandepigram,andtheonlyoneofitskind.SonowtheYmeninNeixiang,togetherwiththeMuseumPalaceinBeijing,andtheothertwoinHebeiandShanxi,hasformedaspecialinternationaltorerouteofthefourgreatancientChineseYamens.NeixiangisnowgoingoutofHenanandintotheworld.WewarmlywelcomeallthereiendsfromallovertheworldtovisitNeixiang,andenjoytheelegantdemeanoroftheancientYamen.