Tomb of the Five Martyrs

Tomb of the Five Martyrs

The Tomb of the Five Martyrs is a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Tomb of the Five Martyrs is located at No. 775 Shantang Street, outside Changmen, and was listed as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1956. The tomb currently faces south, fronting Shantang River, with a stone tablet embedded in the wall inscribed with the "Donation Record for the Tomb of the Five Martyrs" from the seventh year of the Chongzhen era. Contributors included Wu Mo, Wen Zhenmeng, Yao Ximeng, Qian Qianyi, and Qu Shisi. Behind the gate stands a two-pillared stone memorial archway with the inscription "Righteous Spirit Through the Ages," written by Yang Tingshu. Beyond the archway is the memorial hall, which is three bays wide and six bays deep. The central bay houses a stele inscribed with "Tomb of the Five Martyrs," approximately 2.2 meters high, which was moved here from the tomb gate during the 1981 renovation. The eastern side bay displays the stone carving of the "Inscription for the Tomb of the Five Martyrs" and ten Qing dynasty calligraphic stone strips. Behind the hall lies the tomb mound of the five martyrs, arranged in a row, enclosed by stone slabs, measuring 16.87 meters east-west and 6 meters north-south, with a height of 1.35 meters. The front features a stele inscribed with the names of the five men. The tomb site was originally overgrown and neglected but was restored twice to reach its current state.

The Five Righteous Men

The tomb of the five martyrs—Yan Peiwei, Yang Nianru, Shen Yang, Ma Jie, and Zhou Wenyuan—who sacrificed their lives opposing the eunuch Wei Zhongxian during the Ming dynasty. During the Tianqi era (1621–1627), the eunuch clique held power, leading to a dark period in the imperial court. Li Shi, the eunuch in charge of the Suzhou textile administration, and Governor Mao Yilu, who catered to Wei Zhongxian, brutally oppressed and exploited the people, sparking strong public resentment. In the sixth year of Tianqi, after Wei Zhongxian sent imperial guards to Suzhou to arrest Eastern Forest Party members—and following the executions of Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou, which consolidated his grip on power—he promoted those who flattered him or were his followers to key government positions. Some acted as his advisors, while others specialized in espionage and murder. The public dubbed these individuals derogatorily as the “Five Tigers,” “Five Hawks,” “Ten Dogs,” “Ten Boys,” and “Forty Grandsons.”

Wei Zhongxian wielded immense power. Both court and local officials had to flatter him to keep their positions. When Wei Zhongxian traveled, his procession rivaled that of the emperor, and many treated him as such. In feudal times, the emperor was called the “Ten Thousand Years [Emperor].” Though Wei Zhongxian was not the emperor and couldn’t be called that, one official referred to him as the “Nine Thousand Years [Lord],” which pleased Wei so much that he heavily rewarded the man. From then on, Wei became known as the “Nine Thousand Years [Lord].” A governor from Zhejiang even built a memorial temple for Wei Zhongxian in an attempt to please him. Memorial temples are usually erected for the deceased, but since Wei was still alive, it was called a “living memorial temple.” This unusual act prompted opposition, and those who resisted were dismissed from office. Fearful of offending Wei, local officials hurriedly erected their own “living memorial temples” for him.

At that time, the court was dominated by the eunuch faction and their collaborators. Those with even a shred of integrity refused to associate with them and resigned from their posts. One such official, Zhou Shunchang, disgusted by the eunuch clique’s abuses, took a long leave and retired to Suzhou. In 1626, when Wei Zhongxian launched another crackdown on the Eastern Forest Party, soldiers escorting a detained member passed through Suzhou. Zhou Shunchang hosted a farewell banquet for him and openly cursed Wei Zhongxian by name. The soldiers reported this to Wei, who flew into a rage and ordered the Eastern Depot to send agents, led by Governor Mao Yilu of Nanjing, to arrest Zhou Shunchang in Suzhou.

News of the Eastern Depot’s arrival in Suzhou to make arrests caused an uproar among the city’s residents. Over twenty years earlier, the people of Suzhou had risen up under the leadership of Ge Xian to resist tax collectors. Now, Wei Zhongxian’s agents were back to arrest people—how could this not provoke outrage? Moreover, many sympathized with Zhou Shunchang for standing up against the eunuch clique. When the Eastern Depot agents arrived, thousands of citizens took to the streets in support of Zhou.

They blocked Mao Yilu’s sedan chair and pushed forward several scholars to plead with him to cancel the arrest order. Mao, intimidated by the crowd, broke into a sweat and couldn’t utter a word. The soldiers grew anxious and, slamming their shackles to the ground, barked, “We’re from the Eastern Depot—who dares stop us?”

The clanking of the shackles enraged the crowd. Someone shouted, “You claim you’re here on the emperor’s orders, but it’s the Eastern Depot pulling the strings!”

Before the soldiers could respond, the crowd erupted, “So you’re the Eastern Depot scum!” As they charged toward Mao Yilu and the agents, their roar shook the earth. The agents, who normally bullied people with impunity, fled in terror, trying to escape the encircling crowd. Enraged citizens caught them and beat them mercilessly. One soldier was struck in the chest, fell to the ground, rolled over, and died. The others fled, bloodied and beaten.

After beating the agents, the citizens decided to hold Mao Yilu accountable. Fortunately for him, he slipped out of his sedan chair, shed his official robes amid the chaos, and hid in a stinking latrine until the crowd dispersed. His aides later dragged the unconscious governor from the filth.

After the Eastern Depot agents fled, they reported the incident to Wei Zhongxian, who demanded severe retaliation. Mao Yilu was ordered to suppress the unrest. The five men—Yan Peiwei, Yang Nianru, Ma Jie, Shen Yang, and Zhou Wenyuan—who had led the resistance were arrested, falsely accused of inciting rebellion, and sentenced to death.

As they were led to the execution ground, the five faced their deaths calmly, even cursing Wei Zhongxian and Mao Yilu by name.

After their deaths, local residents pooled money to retrieve their bodies from the executioners and buried them on Shantang Hill, east of Tiger Hill. A tombstone was erected, inscribed with “Tomb of the Five Martyrs.” Zhang Pu, a leader of the Fu She literary society, composed the “Inscription for the Tomb of the Five Martyrs.”

Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit, First and Second Batches, Announced March 1982. Tomb of the Five Martyrs, Tianqi 6th Year of the Ming Dynasty (1626), Shantang Street, Suzhou City.

A Ming dynasty merchant’s son. In March 1626, when eunuch agents arrested official Zhou Shunchang in Suzhou, Yan Peiwei and others, driven by righteous indignation, rallied the people to resist, sparking unrest and killing two Eastern Depot agents. Later, when the eunuch clique launched a widespread manhunt for the rebels, Yan Peiwei and four others turned themselves in to protect the public and were executed heroically. Among them, only Zhou Wenyuan was Zhou Shunchang’s sedan bearer—the other four had never even met Zhou. The following year, Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, deposed Wei Zhongxian (who later hanged himself), dismantled the eunuch clique, and posthumously cleared Zhou Shunchang’s name... More details about Yan Peiwei ++

Yang Nianru, a Ming dynasty martyr, participant in the March 1626 Suzhou uprising.

When the eunuch clique arrested Zhou Shunchang in Suzhou, inciting public resistance and the killing of two Eastern Depot agents, the eunuchs retaliated with a brutal crackdown. Yang Nianru and four others turned themselves in to protect the people and were executed. Among them, only Zhou Wenyuan knew Zhou Shunchang—the others had never met him. The next year, Chongzhen deposed Wei Zhongxian, ended the eunuch reign, and cleared Zhou’s name... More details about Yang Nianru ++

Shen Yang, in March 1626, when eunuch agents arrested Zhou Shunchang in Suzhou, sparking public resistance and the deaths of two Eastern Depot agents, the eunuchs hunted down rebels. Shen Yang and four others turned themselves in to protect civilians and were executed. Among them, only Zhou Wenyuan knew Zhou Shunchang. The next year, Chongzhen deposed Wei Zhongxian, ended the eunuch regime, and cleared Zhou’s name. More details about Shen Yang ++

The following year, Chongzhen deposed Wei Zhongxian, who hanged himself in disgrace. The eunuch clique collapsed, and Zhou Shunchang was exonerated. To honor the five martyrs, Suzhou... More details about Shen Yang ++

Ma Jie was a Ming dynasty martyr of the Tianqi era.

In March 1626, when eunuch agents arrested Zhou Shunchang in Suzhou, inciting public resistance and the deaths of two Eastern Depot agents, the eunuchs hunted down rebels. Ma Jie and four others turned themselves in to protect civilians and were executed. Among them, only Zhou Wenyuan knew Zhou Shunchang. The next year, Chongzhen deposed Wei Zhongxian, ended the eunuch regime, and cleared Zhou’s name. To commemorate... More details about Ma Jie ++

Zhou Wenyuan was the sedan bearer for Ming official Zhou Shunchang and one of the patriots who rallied Suzhou citizens against the eunuch arrest. Later, he and the other four (including Yan Peiwei) turned themselves in to protect the public and were executed. The next year, Chongzhen deposed Wei Zhongxian, ended the eunuch regime, and cleared Zhou’s name. Suzhou residents buried the five near Tiger Hill, naming it the “Tomb of the Five.” Zhang Pu wrote the “Inscription” in 1628.

...More details about Zhou Wenyuan ++

Further Reading:

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