Tomb, Monument, and Statue of Zhan Tianyou

Tomb, Monument, and Statue of Zhan Tianyou

The Tomb, Monument, and Statue of Zhan Tianyou is a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing.

Zhan Tianyou was China’s first-generation railway engineering expert. From 1905 to 1909, he oversaw the construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway, the country’s first independently designed and built railway. The bronze statue of Zhan Tianyou was erected in 1919, and his tomb was relocated here in 1982 from Wanquan Village in Haidian District.

The bronze statue of Zhan Tianyou is located at the Qinglongqiao Station on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway in Yanqing County. Zhan Tianyou was born on April 26, 1861, in Nanhai County, Guangdong Province, during the 11th year of the Xianfeng reign in the Qing Dynasty. In 1872, during the 11th year of the Tongzhi reign, he passed the examination for a government-sponsored scholarship to study in the United States. In June 1881, during the 7th year of the Guangxu reign, he graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale University with a degree in civil engineering, and returned to China in August of the same year. He successively served as an instructor at the Foochow Shipbuilding College and the Guangzhou Naval and Land Forces School. In 1888, during the 14th year of the Guangxu reign, he became an engineer for the Tianjin Railway Company. Between 1905 and 1909, he oversaw the construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway and was a pioneering figure among China’s first-generation railway engineering experts. He passed away from illness at Hankou Renji Hospital on April 24, 1919, at the age of 59. In the same year, a full-standing bronze statue of Zhan Tianyou was erected at Qinglongqiao Station. Originally located in Wanquan Village, Haidian District, Zhan Tianyou’s tomb was moved to Qinglongqiao Station on May 20, 1982. The tomb consists of nine semi-relief granite stone blocks and a pristine white marble semi-circular mound. Beneath the mound lies the burial chamber, which houses the urns of Mr. Zhan Tianyou and his wife, Tan Juzhen. The tombstone is edged with granite and features a black marble surface inscribed with over 500 characters detailing “The Life of Mr. Zhan Tianyou.”

Location

Qinglongqiao, Yanqing County, Beijing

Zhan Tianyou (1861–1919), courtesy name Juancheng, was a native of Nanhai County, Guangdong. A great patriotic engineering expert, at just 12 years old, he was selected as part of China’s first group of government-sponsored students to study in the United States in July 1872. In 1881, he graduated with honors from Yale University, earning a bachelor's degree. After returning to China, he participated in the Battle of Mawei. Later, he was transferred to the Whampoa Naval School as an instructor. He subsequently led the construction of several railways, including the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway. He passed away from overwork at 3:30 PM on April 24, 1919, in Hankou, at the age of 5... [More details about Zhan Tianyou]

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units in Beijing