Tomb of Li Ruiqing

Tomb of Li Ruiqing

The Tomb of Li Ruiqing is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing City.

Li Ruiqing, courtesy name Zhonglin, also known as "Mei’an" and with the alias Qingdaoren, was a renowned calligrapher in China’s late Qing Dynasty and an expert in appraising calligraphy and paintings. After the Xinhai Revolution, he left Nanjing, went into hiding, and settled in Shanghai under an assumed identity. Wearing a Taoist cap and living a reclusive life, he called himself "Qingdaoren." In his later years, he made a living in Shanghai by selling calligraphy and paintings. Due to his unique insights into the origins and development of calligraphy, he gained great fame, attracting a constant stream of people seeking his paintings and calligraphy, as well as students eager to learn from him. Even prominent figures in the Japanese calligraphy world crossed the sea to request his works. He was as famous as another calligrapher of his time, Zeng Xi (Nongran), and highly praised by the renowned calligrapher Wu Changshuo. The late calligrapher Hu Xiaoshi and the master of traditional Chinese painting Zhang Daqian were both his distinguished disciples. One of his representative works, “Pine, Rock, Peony, and Ganoderma Painting,” was highly esteemed in the art world and praised by Wu Changshuo, who wrote “Song of Qingdaoren Painting Pine,” describing his painting as having “hands that create rugged strokes, with a majestic spirit that seems to prop up the southern mountain,” highlighting the unique characteristics of Li Ruiqing’s calligraphy and painting art.

In early August 1920, Li Ruiqing passed away due to a stroke at the age of 54. His tomb is located on the eastern side of present-day Xuemei Ridge at the foothills of Niushou Mountain in the southern suburbs of Nanjing. The tomb faces south and is built with block stones and concrete, standing 1.3 meters high. The burial mound has a circumference of about 20 meters and resembles a horseshoe when viewed from afar. More than ten privet trees and tall trees grow beside the tomb, lush and upright. The cemetery has been restored to its former appearance and is now shaded by verdant mountains and greenery, presenting an elegant and simple atmosphere. It is surrounded by farmhouses and nestled in a tranquil mountain and water village setting. At the same time, a Jade Plum Hermitage was built beside Luohan Spring (also known as Ganying Spring) on Xuemei Ridge at the eastern side of Hongjue Temple Pagoda on Niushou Mountain to commemorate him.

It was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit in March 1992.

Li Ruiqing (1867–1920), courtesy name Zhonglin, also known as Mei’an and Meichi, was from Linchuan, Jiangxi. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, he moved to Shanghai to make a living by selling calligraphy, gaining fame under the alias "Qingdaoren." As mentioned earlier, the so-called "Southern Zeng and Northern Li" refers to Li Ruiqing, the "Northern Li," who had a strong preference for Northern steles. He himself claimed to “love studying inscriptions on bronze vessels, as well as those from Hanzhong and the Shimen cliff.” His calligraphy based on Northern steles had an extremely solid foundation rooted in seal and clerical scripts. By applying the brush techniques of seal and clerical scripts to Northern stele calligraphy, his characters were vigorous, rough, spacious, and carried a metallic resonance. His strokes were bold and rich in antique charm, contrasting with the flowing and smooth style of Zeng Xi from the “Southern School”... More details about Li Ruiqing ++

Guli Subdistrict: Guli Subdistrict 13 — Guli, Gongtang, Zhangxi, Xiangyang, Jiantang, Zhucun, Tongqian, Dongshanqiao, Zutang, Jishan, Xiahui... More details about Guli Subdistrict ++