The Tomb of the Wanyan Xiyin Family

The Tomb of the Wanyan Xiyin Family

The Tomb of the Wanyan Xiyin Family is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The ancient tomb of Wanyan Xiyin is located in Dongcun Village, Xiaocheng Town, surrounded by lush forests and picturesque scenery in Shulan. It is 2 kilometers from the Yujing Highway, 2.5 kilometers from the town government, and 32 kilometers from Shulan City. As a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, the protected area spans 2,200 hectares. The tombs are distributed across five zones and include the residential area of Wanyan Xiyin.

Wanyan Xiyin was a renowned statesman, military strategist, and the creator of the Jurchen script in China’s Jin Dynasty history. He once served as the Left Prime Minister of the Jin State, holding the highest official rank, as well as the Jin Dynasty's military governor, commander-in-chief, and left and right military supervisors, eventually rising to the position of Minister and Left Prime Minister concurrently serving as Palace Attendant. However, due to slander orchestrated by Wanyan Wushu in collusion with Empress Fengman, Xiyin was executed in the third year of the Tianjuan era under Emperor Xizong of Jin, though he was later posthumously vindicated. The Tomb of the Wanyan Xiyin Family not only houses the remains of Wanyan Xiyin and his immediate family but also those of other prominent historical figures of the Jin Dynasty, including his father Wanyan Huandu, his brother Wanyan Mouyan, and his grandson Wanyan Shoudao. Several generations of the Wanyan Xiyin family made remarkable contributions to the establishment and development of the Jin Dynasty. This site stands as one of the few significant remnants of the Jin Dynasty in China today, holding immense historical value for the study of Jin history and the Jurchen script.

The ancient tomb of Wanyan Xiyin is divided into five burial zones, covering a total area of 136,360 square meters. The cemetery faces south with its back against the mountains and fronts a valley. The entire site is constructed from granite slabs, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and grand scale. Wanyan Shoudao, the legitimate grandson of Wanyan Xiyin and later the Left Prime Minister of the dynasty, erected a memorial stele for his grandfather in the cemetery: “The Divine Way Stele of the Late Left Prime Minister of the Great Jin, Duke of Jinyuan Commandery, the Loyal Wanyan Gong.”

Some of the ancient tombs among the five burial clusters were looted during the Japanese occupation of Northeast China. Coupled with severe damage during the Cultural Revolution, the site has been largely altered, and most of the remaining cultural relics are now preserved at the Jilin Provincial Museum. The stone statues, stone sheep, stone tigers, and steles in the cemetery have since been restored and replicated for visitors to pay respects and tour.

The Tomb of the Wanyan Xiyin Family is not only a scenic tourist destination but also an important historical site for studying the culture and history of the Jin Dynasty. Currently, the National Cultural Heritage Administration has approved planning and development projects for the site. The Shulan Municipal Bureau of Culture and the Xiaocheng Town Government have assigned dedicated personnel to guard the cemetery and have paved cement roads leading to it in preparation for full-scale development. It is only a matter of time before the world-renowned ancient tomb of Wanyan Xiyin becomes a famous tourist attraction.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units