The Ten-Faced Stele

The Ten-Faced Stele

The Ten-Faced Stele is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Ten-Faced Stele is located in the former site of the Eight Sacrificial Gods Temple, north of the road outside the Dongmen Gate of the new town in Miyun County, covering an area of 540 square meters. This stele is a key cultural relic under protection in Miyun County. The Eight Sacrificial Gods Temple faces south and is situated to the north. Upon entering the mountain gate, you will see two Ten-Faced Steles, both of pavilion-style structure, standing on either side of the north-south pathway. Originally known as the “Yanshan Meritorious Deeds Stele,” the stele stands about 5 meters tall. Its top, body, and base are all made of carved bluestone slabs assembled in pairs. The head of the Ten-Faced Stele is umbrella-shaped, topped with a gourd-like finial; the body is nearly cylindrical in shape, divided into 10 flat surfaces, each consisting of polished bluestone slabs that are 30 cm high and 50 cm wide, fitted together. The stone surfaces bear vertically inscribed texts. The base is slightly larger than the body. From a distance, the entire stele resembles a pavilion, but up close it looks like a pagoda. The Ten-Faced Stele commemorates the deeds of famous Ming Dynasty generals Qi Jiguang and Tan Lun, who were transferred to the north to train troops, stationed for defense, manage the army, and engage in military campaigns. The inscriptions were composed by Wang Daokun, Vice Minister of War in the first year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1573).