The Temple and Tomb of Shi Kefa (Shi Kefa Memorial Hall)

The Temple and Tomb of Shi Kefa (Shi Kefa Memorial Hall)

The Temple and Tomb of Shi Kefa (Shi Kefa Memorial Hall) is a national AAA-level tourist attraction, a key cultural relics protection unit of China, and a patriotic education base.

The tomb of Shi Kefa is located by Meihualing near No. 24 Guangchuwai Street in Yangzhou.

Shi Kefa, styled Xianzhi and also known as Daolin, was a native of Xiangfu, Henan (present-day Kaifeng). A successful candidate in the imperial examinations under the Chongzhen Emperor, he was a high-ranking official of the Southern Ming regime and a famed general who resisted the Qing invasion. Initially serving as a judicial officer in Xi’an Prefecture, he was later promoted to Minister of War in Nanjing. In the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen era (1644), the Ming dynasty fell and the Southern Ming’s Hongguang regime was established, appointing him as Minister of War and concurrently Grand Secretary of the Eastern Hall to lead military operations in Yangzhou. In April of the second year of the Shunzhi era (1645), Qing forces besieged Yangzhou. He refused to surrender and held firm. After the city fell, he was captured and chose death over submission. His adopted son and deputy general, Shi Dewei, was unable to find his remains and instead buried his clothing and hat at the foot of Meihualing, fulfilling his dying wish. A temple was initially built outside the East Gate during the early Qing period but later collapsed. During the Qianlong era (1736–1795), a temple was erected west of the tomb and he was posthumously honored with the title “Loyal and Righteous.” It was destroyed during the Xianfeng era (1851–1861) and rebuilt in the ninth year of the Tongzhi era (1870). Renovations were carried out in the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935) and again in the 37th year (1948). The existing structures, with the exception of the Ink Legacy Hall and the Immortal Abode of Plum Blossom, were mainly built in the late Qing dynasty. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the site underwent multiple restorations and was opened to the public as the “Shi Kefa Memorial Hall” in 1988.

The Temple and Tomb complex faces a river, with the tomb on the east and the temple on the west, standing side by side and connected. The main gate on the east has a flush-gable roof, flanked by a pair of areca-patterned stone drums, with the golden characters “Tomb of Lord Shi” above the entrance. Upon entering, there is a courtyard enclosed by corridors on both sides. At the center of the courtyard is the “Hall of Offerings,” with a famous couplet hanging on either side composed by Zhang Erjin: “A few plum blossoms—tears; the bright moon of Yangzhou—the loyal heart of a minister.” Inside the hall is a seated lacquer-figure sculpture of Shi Kefa, created in 1985 to commemorate the 340th anniversary of his martyrdom. On the walls hang couplets including one from the 28th year of the Daoguang era (1848) written in seal script by Wu Xizhai: “Born with the spirit of Wen Tianxiang, died as resolutely as Zhuge Liang,” and another inscribed by Guo Moruo: “Hard to forget the Ten Days atop Crane Tower, together we admire his eternal legacy by the Plum Blossom Ridge.”

Behind the Hall of Offerings lies the symbolic tomb of Shi Kefa, fronted by a three-bay brick memorial archway inscribed with “Tomb of the Loyal and Righteous Lord Shi,” forming the tomb precinct along with surrounding walls. Within the burial grounds are lush ginkgo trees and intertwined wintersweet shrubs. At the center stands a bluestone tomb stele, 1.8 meters tall, 0.65 meters wide, and 0.21 meters thick, inscribed with “Tomb of Lord Shi Kefa, Minister of War, Commander-in-Chief of the Ming Armies, and Concurrent Grand Secretary of the Eastern Hall.” Behind the stele is the earthen mound of the tomb, 1.6 meters high. During the Cultural Revolution, the mound was leveled, but in 1979, upon restoration, 20 jade belt fragments were unearthed, confirming it as a symbolic tomb, consistent with historical records. On either side of the rear wall are moon gates inscribed with “Meihualing.” The back of the wall also features inscribed stelae including the “Record of the Reconstruction of the Shi Kefa Shrine and Tomb at Meihualing” from 1902, as well as the “Visiting Meihualing” stele and four stone carvings of plum blossoms. Inside the gate lies an earthen mound stretching east-west across the garden, known as Meihualing. In spring, the plum blossoms on the ridge emit a subtle fragrance, symbolizing Shi Kefa’s noble character. To the east of the ridge is a two-story pavilion with a hip-and-gable roof, bearing the plaque “Immortal Abode of Plum Blossom.” Visitors can ascend the stone steps to enjoy the view and “admire the blossoms, inspiring poetic mood.” Among the ridges are rockeries and winding caves to explore. To the north lies the “Qingxue Pavilion,” a three-bay structure with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof and corridors on three sides. The interior walls display Shi Kefa’s “Letter in Reply to Prince Dorgon,” his last letters, portrait, and eight stone engravings of his calligraphy, hence also called the “Ink Legacy Hall.” There is also a 200-year-old wintersweet tree in front of the pavilion, with gnarled branches and dense foliage like an umbrella, believed to be the oldest wintersweet in Yangzhou.

To the west of the tomb lies the shrine hall. Its gate is aligned with the tomb gate, sharing a similar design, with the golden characters “Shi Kefa Shrine” above. The courtyard is flanked by covered walkways, with an entrance on the east leading to the “Hall of Offerings” and one on the west to the “Meihualing.” The central structure is a three-bay shrine hall, inscribed with the name “Shrine.” The central bay is higher than the side bays, with a total width of 12.45 meters and depth of 5.9 meters. Each section features a hip-and-gable roof, connected yet staggered in height for a distinctive look. The central shrine holds a portrait of Shi Kefa, beneath which rests his spirit tablet, inscribed “Spirit Tablet of Lord Shi Kefa, Commander-in-Chief of the Ming Armies, Grand Tutor, Grand Preceptor to the Crown Prince, Minister of War.” Above the shrine hangs a horizontal plaque reading “Loyalty and Integrity.” Multiple couplets adorn the interior and exterior. In front of the hall are two ancient iron cauldrons unearthed from the Yanfu Road construction site, used during the Liang Dynasty for water control.

Era: Qing Dynasty

Address: West foothills of Meihualing, Guangchuwai, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province

Shi Kefa Memorial Hall

Located at No. 24 Guangchuwai Street, Yangzhou, at the foot of Meihualing, the entrance bears a plaque inscribed with “Shi Kefa Memorial Hall” by Zhu De. Facing south and fronting the ancient moat, it covers over 6,000 square meters and is the site of the Temple and Tomb of Shi Kefa.

Shi Kefa, a successful candidate in the imperial examinations during the Chongzhen era, once served as Minister of War and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Hall of the Southern Ming regime. In April of the second year of the Shunzhi era (1645), Dodo led 100,000 Qing troops in the siege of Yangzhou. Appointed at this critical moment, Shi Kefa led the resistance. Despite several offers of surrender by Dodo, he refused. Shi Kefa fought bloody battles alongside the people of Yangzhou, wrote farewell letters to his mother and wife showing his resolve to die with the city, but ultimately perished due to being outnumbered. His adopted son, Deputy General Shi Dewei, was unable to locate his body and buried his clothes and hat at the foot of Meihualing a year later. This marked the first instance of unified civilian-military resistance encountered by the Qing after entering the Central Plains. In retaliation, the Qing army carried out ten days of arson, killing, and looting against the people of Yangzhou, historically known as the “Ten Days of Yangzhou.”

To commemorate Shi Kefa, a shrine was built outside the East Gate in the early Qing period but was later destroyed. During the Qianlong era, a temple was built west of the tomb and he was given the posthumous title “Loyal and Righteous.” It was destroyed in the Xianfeng era and rebuilt in 1870. The current structures, apart from the Ink Legacy Hall and the Immortal Abode of Plum Blossom, were mainly built in the late Qing dynasty. After the establishment of the PRC, the site underwent multiple renovations and officially opened as the Shi Kefa Memorial Hall in September 1988. In the past decade, according to the municipal cultural development plan, relevant departments demolished 500 square meters of incongruous modern architecture, restored surrounding corridors, protected historic buildings and columns with paint, and enhanced exhibit designs in 2014. The stele corridor was renovated, and the Osmanthus Hall was urgently repaired. The Shi Kefa Shrine was listed as a provincial cultural relic protection unit in 1982 and a national one in 2013.

Entering the Shi Kefa Memorial Hall, you’ll find towering ginkgo trees in the courtyard, with the central “Hall of Offerings” featuring a couplet by Qing literatus Zhang Erjin: “A few plum blossoms—tears; the bright moon of Yangzhou—the loyal heart of a minister.” The central bay has a cloud-patterned plum screen with the plaque “Majestic as Mountains and Rivers.” Other couplets include one from 1848 by Wu Xizhai. The hall displays a lacquer statue of Shi Kefa. Behind it lies the symbolic tomb, fronted by a three-bay memorial archway inscribed “Tomb of the Loyal and Righteous Lord Shi.” The area features ginkgos and wintersweet, with a central stele commemorating Shi Kefa. To the north is the Ink Legacy Hall, displaying Shi Kefa’s letters, portrait, and 8 stone carvings of his writing, along with a 200-year-old wintersweet, the oldest in Yangzhou. The shrine and tomb gates are similarly designed, with the central shrine enshrining Shi Kefa’s image and spirit tablet. Since New Year’s Day 2016, free admission has significantly increased visitor numbers.

Type: Cemetery/Historic Building/Memorial Hall

Rating: AAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 1 hour

Phone: 0514-87341311

Opening Hours:

7:30-17:15

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Transportation:

Bus routes 210, 30, 45 to Dawu Restaurant Stop; routes 30, 8 to Arts & Crafts Company Stop

Tickets:

Adults 20 RMB, students 10 RMB, guide fee 20–40 RMB

Opening Hours:

April–October: 8:30–17:30; November–March: 8:30–17:30

Shi Kefa (1602–1645), born in Xiangfu, Henan (now Kaifeng), Ming dynasty, styled Xianzhi, also known as Daolin, was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. He served as a judicial officer in Xi’an Prefecture, later advancing to positions including Minister of Revenue and Department Director. In 1635, he was promoted to Right Censor-in-Chief, defending Chizhou and Taiping, overseeing northern armies against rebel forces. In 1636, he was elevated to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, inspecting Anqing and Guangzhou, directing military operations against Li Zicheng. Later, he rose to Minister of War in Nanjing, contributing to state affairs. In 1644, learning of Beijing’s fall, he initially supported the Prince of Lu, but amid struggles with Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng... [Shi Kefa Detailed Information++]

Further reading:

· First and Second Batches of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· China's National Third-Class Museums

· Seventh Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites