A stone inscription that’s at least 700 years old was found in Fangshan county of Luliang city in western Shanxi province. The stone inscription, dating back to the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271-1368), is believed to be a recording of a geographical location.

The stone inscription is carved on a round-top bluestone slab, 57 centimeters tall and 45 centimeters wide and 10 centimeters thick. Fifty-four characters are carved on the stone in regular script form, describing the exact location of a traditional village in Fangshan.

According to the words on the stone indicating the distance between the village and Zhongdu, a capital city in the Yuan Dynasty in present-day Hebei province, workers from the Fangshan Cultural Relics Bureau estimate that the stone inscription was set up in the Yuan Dynasty. But the slab is estimated to have been put up between 1264 and 1266, according to historical records.

The stone inscription, providing more evidence for researchers to study the history of Fangshan and Luliang, has a high historical value.

The stone inscription found in Fangshan, Shanxi province. [Photo / Sxrb.com]