Fang Xiaoru's Tomb

Fang Xiaoru's Tomb

Fang Xiaoru's Tomb is a cultural relic protection unit in Nanjing.

Nanjing Fang Xiaoru's Tomb

Fang Xiaoru's Tomb is a key cultural relic protection unit in Nanjing. The current tomb area features an axisymmetric layout consisting of a memorial archway, spirit way, bronze bust of Fang Xiaoru, 24 stone tablets, a platform in front of the tomb, the tombstone, the burial mound, and a screen wall behind the tomb. It follows the natural contours of the mountain, preserving the original environmental setting. The entire tomb area is constructed from bluestone. The environment is quiet, with tall trees and dense forests, ancient cypresses reaching to the sky, forming a scenic spot of its own.

Fang Xiaoru was born in 1357 and died in 1402. He was a native of Ninghai, Zhejiang. He was the teacher of Zhu Yunwen, the eldest grandson of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. Because he refused to draft an edict legitimizing the usurpation of the throne by Zhu Di, the Jianwen Emperor’s uncle, he was executed along with his entire family. This is known as the "extermination of the ten familial relations." Later, he was posthumously honored as the "Grand Master of Loyalty and Righteousness." When the 16th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chongzhen, learned of his story, he deeply mourned him.

During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, the famous playwright Tang Xianzu (best known for his work "The Peony Pavilion") repaired his tomb, erected a stele, and built a memorial shrine, which were later destroyed in war. During the Qing Dynasty, when Li Hongzhang served as the Viceroy of Liangjiang, he renovated the tomb and erected another stele. Later, Han Guojun, the governor of Jiangsu Province during the Republic of China, also restored it, but these were all eventually burned down.

In 1999, the Yuhuatai Scenic Area specially invited Professor Ding Hongwei from Southeast University to design and restore Fang Xiaoru's Tomb. In 2002, on the 600th anniversary of Fang Xiaoru's martyrdom, his descendants donated funds and worked with the Yuhuatai Administration to renovate the tomb once again.

Fang Xiaoru (1357–1402), a native of Ninghai, was a minister, scholar, litterateur, essayist, and thinker of the Ming Dynasty. His courtesy names were Xizhi and Xigu, and his art name was Xunzhi. He once named his study "Xunzhi," and because his hometown was formerly part of Goucheng, he was also called "Mr. Goucheng." Additionally, while serving as a professor in Hanzhong Prefecture, the Prince of Shu bestowed the name "Zhengxue" (Orthodox Learning) upon his study, so he was also known as "Mr. Zhengxue." Later, he refused to draft the enthronement edict for Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, who launched the Jingnan Campaign. As a result, he and over 870 of his relatives, friends, and students were killed, making him the only person in Chinese history to suffer the punishment of "extermination of ten familial relations"... More details about Fang Xiaoru ++