Tomb of the Two Maidens

Tomb of the Two Maidens

The Tomb of the Two Maidens is famous primarily because the Tang Dynasty’s Silla scholar Cui Zhiyuan wrote the poem "The Fairy's Red Pouch" after visiting here.

Cui Zhiyuan, also known by his courtesy name Haifu and pseudonym Guyun, was from Hugu, Hunan region (present-day South Korea). At the age of twelve, he came to China to study, passed the imperial examination as a "Guest Scholar" at eighteen, and was later appointed as the magistrate of Lishui County in Jiangnan West Circuit (which included present-day Gaochun). During his tenure, Cui Zhiyuan came to the Zhaoxian Post on the eastern shore of Gucheng Lake in the southern part of the county on official business. Intrigued by its reputation, he visited the nearby "Tomb of the Two Maidens," which inspired him to write the epic poem "The Fairy's Red Pouch." After completing his four-year term as county magistrate, with the help of his friend Gu Yun, Cui Zhiyuan joined the retinue of Gao Pian, the military governor of Yangzhou, where he gained Gao’s admiration and was recommended to the imperial court, earning the title of "Palace Attendant and Imperial Censor" and being awarded the red fish bag insignia. During his time in China, Cui Zhiyuan authored twenty volumes of "Essays from the Osmanthus Grove," five volumes of "Collected Works from Zhongshan," the long poem "The Fairy's Red Pouch," and dozens of other surviving poems. At the age of thirty, in September of the fourth year of the Zhonghe era (884) during the Tang Dynasty, he returned to his homeland. He served as the royal tutor and Hanlin academician, and later as prefect of Taishan and Fucheng commanderies. At the age of forty-two, he resigned from office and retreated into seclusion, devoting himself to nature until the end of his life. Cui Zhiyuan’s literary works have been highly esteemed, especially the story of "Cui Zhiyuan and the Tomb of the Two Maidens," which has become a celebrated tale between China and Korea. After his death, he was posthumously honored as the Minister of the Interior, granted the posthumous title "Marquis of Wenchang," and revered as the "Father of Chinese Literature" and "Father of Eastern Literature," often referred to as the "Originator of Korean Literary Writing." Mr. Cui Zhiyuan became an important cultural envoy in the history between China and Korea. His life and talent have been upheld as models of diligence and scholarly dedication for future generations, and his writings have had a profound impact on the cultural and literary histories of both China and Korea. As a result, the "Tomb of the Two Maidens" often attracts Korean visitors to Gaochun for research and exploration, prompting local cultural heritage workers to conduct in-depth investigations of the tomb site.