General Sun Yue's Tomb

General Sun Yue's Tomb

General Sun Yue's Tomb is a cultural tourism attraction.

On the southern side of the beautiful Xianlong Mountain in the温泉 area and to the west of the Revolutionary Martyrs' Memorial Park of the Luanzhou Uprising during the 1911 Revolution, stands a solemn and magnificent tomb — this is General Sun Yue's Tomb.

Sun Yue, courtesy name Yuxing, was born in 1878 in Gaoyang, Hebei Province, and was a descendant of the famous late-Ming general Sun Chengzong. In his early years, he joined the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance and participated in the 1911 Revolution and the movement against Yuan Shikai. He was the planner and leader of major historical events such as the "Beijing Coup" and the "Oath-taking Ceremony in Wuyuan," and was a distinguished patriotic general in modern Chinese history. Due to his long-term military campaigns around Beijing, he was publicly buried on the sunny side of Xianlong Mountain in the温泉 area of Beijing, with a memorial hall built to his east.

General Sun Yue's Tomb covers an area of about eighty acres and faces south. The tomb platform is semi-elliptical, with bluestone steps, surrounded by bluestone...

...and cement-built bases and railings. Originally a earthen mound, the tomb was rebuilt in 1990 using water-washed stone to form a pyramid shape. In front of the tomb stands an epitaph, written by veteran statesman Zhang Ji and calligraphed by the renowned calligrapher Shen Yinmo. In front of the tomb platform is a grove of over 300 pine and cypress trees, lush and orderly, lined up like soldiers standing guard for General Sun Yue. In the center of the pine and cypress grove, directly facing the tomb, stands a four-cornered pavilion with a pointed roof. At the center of the pavilion is a white marble memorial stele, with "Memorial Stele for Mr. Sun Yuxing" inscribed prominently on the front, dated "May, the 20th Year of the Republic of China," and signed at the bottom "Respectfully Erected by Xu Yongchang." The reverse side bears an inscription composed by Xu Yongchang and calligraphed by Li Liejun.

About twenty meters to the west of the tomb is a six-cornered pavilion with a pointed roof. At its center stands a white marble memorial stele, with "Memorial Stele for General Sun Yuxing" inscribed in the middle of the front, while the reverse side bears the inscription text and the names of officers from the rank of company commander and below of the 40th Army, including Commander Pang Xun. On the hillside behind Xianlong Mountain stands another memorial stele for Sun Yue. The front of the stele is inscribed with “Memorial Stele for General Sun Yuxing, Supervisor of Zhili Military Affairs and Governor, Composed by Xu Yongchang, Calligraphed by Li Liejun, the 23rd Year of the Republic of China.” The reverse side features an inscription composed by Wang Daoyuan in May of the 18th Year of the Republic of China, calligraphed by Zhang Hairuo, and carved by Li Yueting of Beiping Hanmaozhai.

Not far to the east of the tomb is a uniquely styled building that blends Chinese and Western architectural elements — this is the Sun Yue Memorial Hall. The building faces south, with the central structure designed in traditional Chinese style, appearing as a two-story building from the outside. The upper floor has a traditional hip-and-gable roof, while the lower floor features a four-pillar, three-bay layout with a front porch and rear pavilion, decorated with Suzhou-style paintings between the eaves. Tall castle-like gables on the east and west sides shield the central Chinese structure. The interior is single-story, with walls inlaid with many stone inscribed elegiac couplets, plaques, and steles commemorating General Sun Yue, written by prominent figures. The central wall features a white marble elegiac couplet written by Tan Yankai: “Carved in stone to pass on eternal aspirations, the coffin sealed brings slight solace to the nation.” To the left is inlaid “The Tomb Stele of Mr. Sun Yuxing of Gaoyang,” composed and written by He Qigong. To the right is “The Spirit Way Stele of General Sun, Member of the National Government,” composed and written by Feng Yuxiang. The east and west walls also feature commemorative plaques inscribed by Chiang Kai-shek, Li Liejun, Yang Hucheng, Lu Zhonglin, Song Zheyuan, Han Fuju, and others. This memorial hall has now been repurposed as the library of Beijing Geriatric Hospital.

At the intersection leading from the温泉 area to the Summer Palace, there is also a large stone bridge, with the three characters “Yuxing Bridge” inscribed on its side. Later, due to road widening, the stone bridge was replaced by the current concrete bridge, which was also built in memory of General Sun Yue.

Lofty are the Western Hills, warm flow the温泉 springs, verdant the pines and cypresses, noble the spirits of the loyal and brave. A renowned general rests here forever, his spirit enduring, an endless inspiration.

温泉 Area: The 温泉 Town is located in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, in the southern part of the new northern district of Haidian. Blessed with a prime location surrounded by mountains and water, it has historically been rich in scenic landscapes and dotted with gardens and villas.

Historical records indicate that the area now known as 温泉 Town was largely part of Changping County (formerly Jundu County) before the Ming Dynasty, with the southwestern part possibly belonging to Yuhexian County from the late Tang to the early Jin Dynasty. In the late Ming Dynasty, roughly along the boundary of the current Baiwang Mountain to 温泉 road, the area north of Tai Zhou Wu, Yangjiazhuang, and Dongbuzitou belonged to Changping County (Prefecture), while the area south, including Baijiatuan, 温泉, Gaolizhang, and Xinzhuang, belonged to Wanping County. By the early Qing Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Kangxi... Detailed information on the 温泉 area ++