Xiangyang.

Xiangyang’s old city lies south of the Han River, with Fancheng to the north. Together they occupied a strategically important crossing. Water was not a decorative edge to the fortifications: it helped determine approaches, communication and defence. The visible walls and gates carry later rebuilding, while the importance of the crossing extends across different historical periods.

Mi Fu, who lived from 1051 to 1107, is remembered as a calligrapher, painter and connoisseur of the Song period. His association with Xiangyang made him an important figure in the city’s cultural memory. He belongs to a world of brushwork, collecting and exchanges between writers and artists.