Kougong Temple

While the brick road was paved during the Sui (581-618) and Tang dynasties (618-907), the poles were set in the Song Dynasty. From the remains it can be concluded that the temple was smaller than most. Many relics, such as glazed ware, tiles and religious articles (spiral hair of Buddha, hands and other Buddha parts as well as a gold-plated copper Buddha) were excavated at the site. Archeologist Wang Ran believes there was a legendary Kougong Temple built to commemorate Kou Zhu.

The Kougong Temple reflects the people's respect for Kou Zhun, prime minister during the reign of the Song Taizong and Song Zhenzong. At age 19 Kou wrote the imperial examination and was awarded the rank of Jinshi (palace graduate). Later, he was appointed to an official position. Kou served as a county official in Badong for three years. He was known as an honest and just official. In those three years, the commoners of Badong County made great progress. As a result, Kou was promoted several times to finally become the prime minister under Song Emperor Taizong. He had achieved a great deal for the Song Dynasty. It is said that every time Kou went to the imperial court, court officials feared he would expose their faults.

The following story details the political talents of Kou Zhun. At the time, junior officials were known to use extortion and corruption to force locals to pay their taxes. Kou therefore decided to post the tax records and other detailed information on the county gate. From then on, everyone paid his and her taxes and no official dared to resort to extortion or corruption. This was perhaps the earliest form of an "open government".

Relics, like a sliding steel weight 0.67 meters high, 1.3 meters thick and weighing 140kg, from the time of Kou Zhun are preserved at the Badong County Museum.

There are two stories about the sliding weight.

According to Gao Yuanzhang, a scholar whose family lived in Badong in ancient times, a long stone laying over the river produced many whirlpools and rapids in the part of the Yangtze River that crossed Badong County. And any passing boat would most likely capsize. It is said that there were many holes in this huge stone that looked just like a "steelyard beam and the holes like gradation markings. The huge stone was therefore called a beam stone. It is said that when Kou Zhun arrived he ordered a cast be made of this huge sliding weight or "steelyard" to press down on the beam stone. It is now completely submerged due to the Three Gorges Reservoir project.

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