Tomb of Xia Yunyi and Xia Wanchun

Tomb of Xia Yunyi and Xia Wanchun

The tomb of Xia Yunyi and Xia Wanchun is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanghai Municipality.

Tomb of Xia Wanchun: Located in Dangwan Village, Shihu Lake Town, Songjiang District

Xia Wanchun (1631–1647) was a young hero and my childhood idol. As a child, I read a piece in Children's Literature called "Grass of the Southern Captive," which told the story of how he mocked Hong Chengchou after being captured and satirized Hong’s surrender to the Qing Dynasty. He was eventually executed. This is the main reason his name has lived on through history.

According to the Chronicles of Cultural Relics and Museums of Shanghai, the tombs of Xia Yunyi and his son were situated in the farmland north of Dangwan Village. In front of the tombs was a path, at the entrance of which stood a stone stele erected by a Qing Dynasty county magistrate. It was inscribed with “Tomb Path of the Ming Dynasty Loyal Official Xia Gongyi,” along with smaller characters reading “His ancestors are also buried here,” “His filial son, the martyred official Xia Wanchun,” and “Permanent prohibition against logging, grazing, or encroachment.” Most of the ancestral Xia tombs no longer exist; today, there is a row of five brick-chambered tombs housing three generations of the Xia family. Behind the tombs lies Tuoshan Mountain, which curves semi-circularly around them. These tombs have been robbed multiple times. In 1951, tomb raiders dug a hole, stole seals belonging to Xia Yunyi, and stuffed books into the tomb, causing damage. Later, officials from the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee investigated and recovered the seals, but the books were already ruined. In 1961, the Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Preservation Committee renovated the site, erected a tombstone, and had the inscription “Tomb of Xia Yunyi and Xia Wanchun” written by Chen Yi, then Vice Premier of the State Council. During the Cultural Revolution, the stone table and stools at the tomb were smashed, earth in the passageway was dug out, surrounding bamboo and trees were all cut down, and the site was planted with beans and wheat.

In 1981, the Municipal Cultural Relics Committee allocated funds for restoration, returning the site to its original appearance, and installed a sign marking it as a “Shanghai Cultural Relics Protection Unit.” In 1983, additional funds were provided for tree planting and greening, and personnel were assigned to protect the site.