Tomb of Xiao Rong

Tomb of Xiao Rong

The Tomb of Xiao Rong, the Prince of Jian of Liang's Guiyang Commandery, is located southwest of Zhangjiaku in the northeastern suburbs of Nanjing, approximately 2 kilometers from the Tomb of Xiao Xiu in Ganjiaxiang. According to the *Compilation of Historical Events of the Six Dynasties*, Xiao Rong’s tomb was situated in Beicheng Township, 10 kilometers north of Jiankang City.

Xiao Rong, styled Xuanda, was the fifth son of Emperor Wen of Liang, Xiao Shunzhi. During the Southern Qi dynasty, he held positions such as acting military aide to the Prince of Yuzhang, acting military aide to the Prince of Poyang, imperial palace attendant, and chief clerk to the Prince of Jiangxia. In the third year of the Yongyuan era of Qi (501), Emperor He of Qi, Xiao Baojuan, ordered Xiao Rong to take poison and commit suicide along with his elder brother Xiao Yi. He was 30 years old. In the second year of the Zhongxing era (502), he was posthumously appointed as Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. In the first year of the Tianjian era of Liang (502), he was posthumously enfeoffed as the Prince of Guiyang Commandery, with the posthumous title “Jian” (Simplicity). In November of the same year, he was buried on Yibi Mountain. In the thirteenth year of Tianjian (515), his wife, Wang Mushao, passed away and was interred in November beside Xiao Rong’s tomb.

Two stone winged lions (stone xiezhi) currently remain in front of Xiao Rong’s tomb. The eastern xiezhi is relatively intact, with its head slightly tilted, measuring 3 meters in length, 1.45 meters in chest width, and 3.92 meters in height. The western xiezhi was originally missing half, measuring 2.95 meters in length, 1.1 meters in chest width, and 2.6 meters in height, but has since been restored. The two xiezhi are spaced 2.5 meters apart. They have no horns, short necks, raised heads with tongues hanging down, upright chests and striding postures, appearing as if ready to take flight. The carvings are exquisitely crafted and full of vitality.

Xiao Rong’s tomb was long unidentified, and some had speculated that it might be the tomb of Xiao Yingzhuo, the Duke of Xiangdong and Chancellor of Southern Qi, who held the titles of Palace Attendant, Minister over the Masses, and Prime Minister. However, it was generally referred to as the “Unidentified Tomb at Zhangjiaku.” In September 1980, during infrastructure construction by the Nanjing Petrochemical Plant, a tomb was discovered about 1,000 meters northwest of the stone carvings. The tomb yielded the epitaphs of Xiao Rong, the Prince of Guiyang, and his wife, Wang Mushao, the Grand Princess Dowager of Guiyang Commandery, thereby confirming that the stone carvings in front of this previously unidentified tomb were the remnants of the Tomb of Xiao Rong, the Prince of Guiyang of Liang.

The tombs of Xiao Rong and his wife were severely damaged in earlier times, with almost the entire front portion destroyed. The remaining part of the tomb is 9.8 meters long, the burial chamber is 3.15 meters wide, and 1.78 meters high. The burial objects were looted, leaving only two stone epitaphs unearthed in the corridor. The epitaph of Xiao Rong was inscribed by Ren Fang, featuring powerful brushwork and a bold style, representing a form of regular script with slight clerical script influence. The epitaph of Wang Mushao was inscribed by Wang Sheng, the seventh-generation descendant of Wang Dao, characterized by vigorous and unrestrained strokes.