The Jingsheng Pavilion is also known as the Xizi Pavilion and the Jingzi Pavilion. In ancient times, paper that had been written on was not discarded carelessly; instead, it was taken to the Jingsheng Pavilion to be burned, as a sign of respect for Cangjie, the legendary inventor of Chinese characters, and for the written word itself. Such pavilions were commonly found along streets of the period.
The Jingsheng Pavilion in Sheliao, Zhushan Township, was funded and erected by Chen Zijun in the eleventh year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing dynasty (1861). In the fifth year of the Guangxu reign (1879), scholar Chen Dacheng financed its renovation. Standing 235 cm tall and built mainly of stone, the pavilion is carved on every side with auspicious motifs—gourds, qilin, deer, and bamboo—symbolizing wealth and good fortune. A pair of inscribed lines flanks the structure: “Those who consign paper to the flames truly know the worth of the written word.”
The Sheliao Jingsheng Pavilion was damaged in the 921 Earthquake; after two years of reconstruction, it has been designated a county-level historic monument.