Tomb of Zeng Shuiyuan

Tomb of Zeng Shuiyuan

The Tomb of Zeng Shuiyuan is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

The Tomb of Zeng Shuiyuan is located on Widow Hill in Daijiaxiang within Yijiangmen, Nanjing. Zeng Shuiyuan, a native of Wuxuan, Guangxi, was a founding hero of the Taiping Rebellion. He participated in the Jintian Uprising and successively held the positions of Left Prime Minister of the Eastern Palace, Right Prime Minister of the Heavenly Office, and Chief Prime Minister of the Heavenly Office. He was wrongfully executed by the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing, and after being posthumously vindicated, his tomb was built here. The tomb was discovered in October 1953, consisting of a mound of yellow earth, and is the only known burial site of a high-ranking Taiping Rebellion general. After its discovery, the government carried out multiple restorations and preservation efforts. The current tomb mound is constructed from city bricks, with a diameter of 4.2 meters and a height of about 1.5 meters, surrounded by a cement-paved enclosure. In front stands a bluestone grave tablet. The original tablet was 0.97 meters high, 0.49 meters wide, and 0.09 meters thick, repurposed from an older stele, bearing five damages and missing its upper right corner. In 1954, a white marble frame was added, along with a white cement pedestal, and the tablet was re-erected facing northwest. It now measures 1.42 meters in total height, 0.93 meters in width, and 0.16 meters in thickness. The body of the tablet is bordered with scroll-pattern engravings, and the front bears four lines of running script:

“Native of Wuxuan County, Xunzhou Prefecture, Guangxi

Tomb of Zeng Shuiyuan, Hero of the Heavenly Kingdom

Son: Qibin

Rebuilt on an auspicious day in the ninth year of the Jiwei era of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom”

Except for the second line, which is in larger characters, the rest are in smaller script. The two characters for “Taiping” are missing due to damage to the tablet. In 1975, a tomb path was added, built with ancient city bricks, featuring 44 steps, and a tomb pavilion was constructed in the middle of the path, surrounded by enclosing walls. It is now well preserved.

Further Reading:

· First and Second Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province