Stone Carvings at the Jing'an Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Qi, Xiao Ze

Stone Carvings at the Jing'an Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Qi, Xiao Ze

The stone carvings at the Jing'an Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Qi, Xiao Ze, are Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Stone Carvings at the Jing'an Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Qi, Xiao Ze

Jiangsu Provincial-level Cultural Relics Protection Unit, Batch 1 & 2, adjusted and announced in March 1982. The stone carvings at the Jing'an Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Qi, Xiao Ze, from the Southern Dynasties (493 AD), are located in Tianjia Village, Jianshan, Danyang County. In 1988, they were announced as part of the "Stone Carvings of Southern Dynasties Tombs in Danyang" and listed in the third batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Stone Carvings at the Jing'an Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Qi, Xiao Ze

Xiao Ze (440–493 AD), son of Xiao Daocheng and Liu Zhirong, ascended the throne at the age of 43 after the death of Emperor Gao (his father) and reigned for 12 years (482–493 AD). He died of illness and was buried in Jing'an Mausoleum. His reign title was Yongming. The Jing'an Mausoleum of Emperor Wu of Qi is located in Qian'aitemple, Jianshan Township, Danyang City, Jiangsu Province. Xiao Ze was appointed as crown prince in the first year of the Jianyuan era (479 AD) and became emperor in the fourth year of Jianyuan. He passed away in the eleventh year of Yongming (493 AD) at the age of 54. Before the founding of the Qi Dynasty, Xiao Ze followed his father Xiao Daocheng in various military campaigns and achieved notable military accomplishments. Most notably, in the first year of the Shengming era (479 AD), when the Song Dynasty general Shen Youzhi rebelled in Jingchu, Xiao Ze, without waiting for a court decision, led troops to occupy Punikou City (present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi), believing this would effectively block the rebels from advancing downstream. Upon learning of this, Xiao Daocheng was overjoyed and said, "Xiao Ze is truly my good son!" After ascending the throne, Xiao Ze also held several military drills for the imperial guards on Xuanwu Lake in Jiankang. During his reign, he continued the governance policies of his father Xiao Daocheng, restoring stipends and official salaries, promoting agriculture and commerce, reducing taxes and corvée labor, and providing relief to the poor. He also practiced lenient law enforcement, emphasized education, built Confucian temples, and helped bring about a relatively stable society. The Jing'an Mausoleum was initially built in the eleventh year of Yongming. The Book of Qi – Annals of Emperor Wu records: "In July of the eleventh year of Yongming, the emperor fell ill. On the day of Wuyin, as his condition worsened, he issued an edict stating: 'The mausoleum is the eternal resting place. I have long regretted that the Xi'an Mausoleum (the tomb of Empress Wu, his wife) was not befitting. Now, the most eastern plot among the three eastern lands may be used to bury me, and let it be named Jing'an Mausoleum.' The History of the Southern Dynasties, Volume 4, also records the emperor’s dying edict: 'After my death, dress me in painted summer robes and pure black rhinoceros-hide garments. None of the funerary objects or clothing shall be made of precious materials or embroidered fabrics. Only one set of plain mourning garments and two swords of usual wear—one long and one short, with iron rings—shall be placed in the coffin. The rites of sacrifice are meant to come from the heart; do not offer animal sacrifices at the spirit tablet. Only prepare cakes, tea, dry rice, wine, and dried meat as offerings.'" Although the Jing'an Mausoleum has not been excavated, the burial objects appear to have been relatively simple. Today, the mound of the Jing'an Mausoleum has been leveled, and only a pair of stone beasts remain in front—the Tianlu (heavenly deer) on the east and the Qilin (unicorn) on the west. The Tianlu is 3.15 meters long, 2.1 meters tall, with a neck height of 1.55 meters and a body circumference of 3 meters. The Qilin is 2.7 meters long, with a remaining height of 2.2 meters, a neck height of 1.4 meters, and a body circumference of 2.51 meters. These figures are tall and slender, with long necks and slim waists, prominent chests, and an overall slightly S-shaped form, giving an impression of elegance and grace. The combination of exaggerated overall forms and finely detailed carving is remarkable—for example, the heads feature bulging cheeks, slightly rounded mouths, and tufts of fur resembling small wings protruding from the forehead and corners. In addition, the decorations on the head, neck, back, and wings are rich and intricate, adding a sense of luxury. In terms of carving techniques, round chisel work is predominantly used, and there is a thoughtful integration of round sculpture, relief, and line engraving, making these truly representative works of Southern Dynasties tomb stone carvings.

Panoramic View of Jing'an Mausoleum

Tianlu Beast at Jing'an Mausoleum

Tianlu Beast at Jing'an Mausoleum

Remains of Qilin at Jing'an Mausoleum

Head of Tianlu Beast at Jing'an Mausoleum

Remains of Qilin at Jing'an Mausoleum

Further Reading:

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