Stone Carvings at the Xuiling Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan

Stone Carvings at the Xuiling Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan

The Stone Carvings at the Xuiling Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, are Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Stone Carvings at the Xuiling Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan

Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit First and Second Batches Announced after adjustment in March 1982 Stone Carvings at the Xuiling Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan Southern Dynasties (549 AD) Jiulin Liujiacun, Danyang County In 1988, as part of the “Danyang Southern Dynasties Tomb Stone Carvings,” it was announced as part of the Third Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

Stone Carvings at the Xuiling Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan

Xiao Yan (464–549 AD), son of Xiao Shunzhi and Lady Zhang Shangrou, forced Emperor He of Qi to abdicate in his favor at the age of 39. He reigned for 48 years (502–549 AD) and died of starvation, buried in Xuiling. His reign titles included Tianjian, Putong, Datong, Zhongdatong, Datong, Zhongdatong, and Taiqing. The Xuiling Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang is located in Sanchengxiang, Jinglin Township, Danyang City, Jiangsu Province, about 100 meters north of the Jianling Tomb of his father, Emperor Wen Xiao Shunzhi. The tomb mound of Xuiling has long been leveled, and only one stone qilin remains in front of the tomb, located on the northern side of the sacred way. It is approximately 1 meter in length, 0.8 meters in height, 1.45 meters in neck height, and 2.35 meters in body girth. Among the extant stone carvings from Southern Dynasties tombs, those with identifiable tomb owners and identifiable as Liang Dynasty tombs based on artistic style account for more than half. Their production dates also fall within the forty-plus years of Emperor Wu’s reign. This stone qilin from Xuiling can be regarded as a representative work of Liang Dynasty stone carving. In terms of carving and decorative techniques, this stone qilin is distinctly different from the stone carvings of the Qi Dynasty, which combined round sculpture, relief, and openwork, along with an overall exaggerated yet locally detailed approach. Instead, it tends toward simplicity and realism, striving to render the hard stone round, soft, and elastic. More importantly, it emphasizes a strong sense of volume — a large head and long neck, head raised toward the sky, majestic and domineering, exuding extraordinary presence and an overwhelming aura. Emperor Wu of Liang was an extremely important figure in Chinese history. Erudite and versatile, both civil and military, in the late Southern Qi period, he served as Governor of Yongzhou, stationed in Xiangyang, where he quietly forged weapons and prepared ships, awaiting a major upheaval. In 500 AD (Yongyuan 2 of Qi), under the pretext of suppressing Emperor He of Qi's rival Xiao Baojuan (Emperor He), he led troops to capture Jiankang and seized de facto power over the Southern Qi regime. In 502 AD (Zhongxing 2 of Qi), he forced Emperor He of Qi to abdicate in his favor and officially ascended the throne. After taking the throne, Emperor Wu of Liang implemented a series of reform measures: he expanded official ranks and titles, employed both aristocrats and commoners, minimizing internal conflicts within the ruling class. He reduced taxes and corvée labor, promoted agriculture, and issued multiple edicts for the construction of water conservancy projects across regions. He restored the Imperial Academy, established schools, repaired Confucian temples, personally lectured to imperial students, and authored over 200 volumes including “Exegesis on the Classic of Filial Piety” and “Sixty Hexagrams of the Book of Changes.” The period of Emperor Wu’s rule was among the most stable and prosperous decades in Southern Dynasties history. However, as the overarching ruler, he also displayed miscalculations and obstinacy. By his time, relations between the Northern and Southern Dynasties had eased, but driven by fame-seeking adventurism, he repeatedly provoked border conflicts, all of which ended in failure. Finally, he even ordered the construction of a floating dam on the Huai River, hoping to flood the Northern Wei forces. The result was a catastrophic breach that killed tens of thousands of residents on both banks of the Huai River overnight. His devotion to Buddhism was equally absurd. Not only did he build numerous Buddhist temples, but he also three times entered Tongtai Temple to become a monk himself, only to be ransomed back by his ministers for hundreds of millions of coins. As the saying goes, “Four hundred eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties, amid the mist and rain how many towers remain?” — illustrating just how many temples filled Jiankang at the time. While the people suffered in poverty, they were forced to support thousands of monks. He also organized debates to attack the atheist Fan Zhen and his theory of the annihilation of the soul. In 549 AD (Taiqing 2), the rebel general Hou Jing captured the Jiankang palace city — the Taicheng. Emperor Wu was imprisoned in the Jingju Hall, yet continued to recite sutras. In April, he died of worry, anger, and starvation. The Qing dynasty poet Yuan Mei wrote a poem titled “Poem on the Doubtful Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang,” which includes the lines: “An old man spoke of the Tomb of Emperor Wu of Liang; though his words were not precise, my heart pounded. When karmic retribution could not redeem the self, who would offer eight ritual cakes to the Taicheng?”

Qilin of Xuiling Tomb

Qilin of Xuiling Tomb

Front View of Qilin of Xuiling Tomb

Further Reading:

· First and Second Batches of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units