Tomb of Tai Bo

Tomb of Tai Bo

Tomb of Tai Bo

The Tomb of Wu Tai Bo is situated on the western slope of North Hongshan in Hongsheng Township, Wuxi County. Tai Bo, a figure from the late Shang and early Zhou period, was the eldest son of Ji Li, known as King Gu Gong of Zhou. In compliance with his father's wish—that his third younger brother Ji Li’s son Chang would succeed to the throne—Tai Bo, together with his second younger brother Zhong Yong, journeyed south to the land of Jing Man and arrived at Meili (present-day Meicun Town, Wuxi County). There, they founded the State of Gouwu, becoming the founding ancestors of the Wu Kingdom, a line that endured until the time of King Fuchai, when the kingdom fell.

The tomb was first built in the second year of the Yongxing era during the Eastern Han Dynasty (154), under the supervision of Mi Bao, governor of Wu Commandery. It is a commemorative burial site constructed by later generations. Having undergone multiple renovations throughout the dynasties, it is now relatively well-preserved.

In front of the tomb lies a crescent-shaped reflecting pool enclosed by stone railings. To the north of the pool stands a four-pillared, three-arched Jinshan stone Lingxing Gate. The four vertical pillars of the gate are adorned with cloud vases, while the lower pillar bases feature Qing-style designs. The lintel stone above the main gate bears four bold regular-script characters reading “Zhide Mu Dao” (The Path to the Tomb of Supreme Virtue). Passing through the Lingxing Gate, the terrain gradually ascends, leading via a passageway to the offering hall in front of the tomb. The hall was constructed in the 23rd year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1818), measuring three bays in width and four rafters in depth. On either side of the main entrance are stone pillars inscribed with a couplet composed by Qi Yanhuai, the county magistrate of Jiaqing: “Renouncing power thrice, he yielded the realm to two families; his merit rivals creation, one mound immortalizes the south forever.” Hung from the beam inside the hall is a plaque inscribed with the characters “Sanrang Gaizong” (The Lofty Example of Three Renunciations), written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty.

Behind the offering hall are three parallel stone stairways. At the top of the stairs lies the sacrificial altar. To the north of the altar is a square Qing stone stele pavilion with a hip-and-gable roof featuring upturned corners, topped with a gourd finial. The stele itself, carved from a single massive block of stone, is square in shape, with three seal-script characters “Tai Bo Mu” (Tomb of Tai Bo) rendered in double-hooked long-form calligraphy on the front. The eastern side of the stele bears an inscription titled “Record of the Reconstruction of Tai Bo’s Tomb,” written and inscribed by Yang Wen in the 14th year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1501). The rear (northern) side of the stele contains another record, “Record of the Second Reconstruction of Tai Bo’s Tomb,” composed by Gao Panlong in the 3rd year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1623). Ascending the steps behind the stele pavilion leads to the entrance of the enclosing wall (Luocheng), flanked by square stone pillars topped with crouching lion ornaments. At the center of the Luocheng stands a circular bluestone burial mound (the tomb mound) with a diameter of 4 meters. Directly south of the mound is a Sumeru pedestal stone stele with a hip-and-gable roof, inscribed with three large characters “Tai Bo Mu” (Tomb of Tai Bo), bordered by decorative carvings of flaming pearls, cloud patterns, and dragon motifs. The entire tomb complex covers an area of approximately 3 mu (about 2,000 square meters).