Tomb of Zhang Yongfu

Tomb of Zhang Yongfu

The Tomb of Zhang Yongfu is a cultural heritage site protected by the Suzhou Municipal Government.

The Tomb of Zhang Yongfu is located to the east of the lower courtyard of Lingyan Mountain Temple. Zhang Xizuo (1672–1724), courtesy name Yongfu, was a poet of the early Qing Dynasty. Together with Sheng Qinglou, Huang Ziyun, and Shen Pan, he was known as one of the “Four Poets of Lingyan.” In his youth, he studied poetry with Ye Xie, who lived on Hengshan, and along with Shen Deqian, was considered one of Ye’s most accomplished disciples. In the 46th year of the Kangxi reign (1707), he co-founded the South City Poetry Society with Shen Deqian, Zhang Jingsong, Xu Kui, and others, dedicating themselves fervently to writing poetry. He later moved to Xiashatang in Mudu. He made a living by teaching students and fortune-telling, living in poverty—sometimes having no rice for days and resorting to gathering wild vegetables from the hills to stave off hunger. He was known for his noble character, refused to accept charity, maintained high moral integrity, and possessed exceptional poetic talent. Over his lifetime, he composed more than 500 poems, which were compiled into the collection *Chumo Collection*. He died at age 52, impoverished and hungry, with no children. His funeral arrangements were taken care of by his good friend Sheng Qinglou, who covered the expenses. Legend has it that more than ten years after his death, he returned to visit his old friends, brought 100 taels of silver to repay old debts, and then departed. This gave rise to the tale of the “man who came back.”

The Tomb of Zhang Yongfu was built in the 3rd year of the Yongzheng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1725). Lu Zhen inscribed the tombstone with “Tomb of the Poet Zhang Yongfu,” and later, Wu Yinpei from the Republican-era Wu Zhong Tomb Preservation Society erected a marker titled “Tomb of the Man Who Came Back.” In 1957, the tomb site was renovated. Covering an area of approximately 300 square meters, the tomb faces south and is situated on a north-south axis. The earthen mound stands 0.8 meters tall, with a base diameter of 4 meters. Currently, the “Tomb of the Man Who Came Back” stele has gone missing.