The joint burial tomb of Zhang Shicheng and his parents

The joint burial tomb of Zhang Shicheng and his parents

The joint burial tomb of Zhang Shicheng and his parents is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

Zhang Shicheng’s Tomb is located in Shengdun Village, Xietang Township, Wuxian (now Suzhou), about one li north of Xietang Town.

Zhang Shicheng was a native of Baiju Changting in Taizhou during the Yuan Dynasty. He initially made a living by salt trading but later, unable to endure the oppression of the wealthy elite—, he gathered over ten thousand salt laborers and other oppressed people to start a rebellion in Taizhou. After defeating the large army led by the Yuan Dynasty’s Grand Chancellor Toghon Temür, he crossed the Yangtze River from Nantong to Changshu. In February of the 16th year of the Zhiyuan era (1356), he captured Pingjiang (present-day Suzhou), officially established it as his capital, and declared himself the King of Wu. In September of the 27th year of the Zhiyuan era (1367), the peasant rebellion army led by Zhu Yuanzhang captured Suzhou, and Zhang Shicheng was taken prisoner, sent to Jinling (present-day Nanjing), and hanged himself, at the age of 47. After Zhang Shicheng’s death, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered a coffin to be provided and granted him burial at the current site. The tomb covers an area of over 3 mu (approximately 0.2 hectares), standing about 1 meter higher than the surrounding farmland. On the western side of the mound, there used to be a Temple of King Zhang, and to the northeast of the mound lies a high hillock where the remains of Zhang Shicheng were actually buried. In front of the mound, there was originally a stele inscribed with “Tomb of King Zhang of Wu,” but it no longer exists.

The tomb of Zhang Shicheng’s parents is located east of Zhugong Bridge, outside Panmen Gate in Suzhou. In June 1964, after being excavated and examined by the Suzhou Museum, it was found that the earthen mound was 3.8 meters high, covering an area of 210 square meters. The tomb structure included glutinous rice-lime slurry and stone slabs, making it tightly sealed and solid. Below this, huge stones formed the burial chamber, with bricks used for the walls and the floor compacted with yellow earth and crushed stones. Inside the chamber, the nanmu wood coffin coffins were well-preserved, with the male on the left and the female on the right. The male was dressed in yellow brocade clothing and wore a silver-threaded crown, lying on a seven-star wooden board. The female wore a gold-threaded crown, with her hair adorned with numerous gold and silver hairpins and ornaments. She had a white jade amulet in her mouth, gold hoop earrings, and held golden bracelets shaped like dragon heads in both hands, gripping gold plaques representing the sun and moon. She wore a yellow brocade robe with wide sleeves, lined with silk cotton and a yellow silk shirt, paired with a silk skirt, and had on yellow brocade socks and crimson embroidered silk shoes. Beneath her lay a brocade silk cotton quilt, along with 48 gold and silver funerary coins inscribed with “Mingdao Tongbao” and “Mingdao Yuanbao,” placed on a seven-star wooden board. The grave goods were abundant, including more than 120 items made of gold, silver, jade, and bone—such as gold bracelets, hairpins, hair clasps, earrings, rings, silver mirror stands, cosmetic boxes, bowls, chopsticks, combs, jars, boxes, cups, spoons, needles, scissors, and more. Among them, the ivory mourning plaque, glass gui ritual object, and silver mirror stand are rare cultural relics of significant value. The silver cosmetic box was decorated with gold-inlaid floral patterns, showcasing high craftsmanship. According to the mourning plaque, this tomb is indeed the joint burial site of Zhang Shicheng’s parents. Further historical records such as the "Retreat Hermit's Notes" and the "Kangxi Shichang Annals" state: Zhang’s father died early and was originally buried at Jiulongkou in Dingxi, Taizhou. “On the 17th day of the 5th month in the 25th year of the Zhiyuan era (May 17, 1365),” Zhang’s mother, Lady Cao, passed away. On the 15th day of the 6th month that year, her husband’s remains were relocated from Taizhou to be “buried together.” The burial objects found in the tomb provide valuable physical evidence for studying Suzhou’s long-standing silk-weaving craftsmanship and traditional gold and silver jewelry-making techniques.