Zhu Danxi Mausoleum

Zhu Danxi Mausoleum

Zhu Danxi Mausoleum is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a patriotic education base.

In the southern part of Yiwu, there is an enchanting place—Zhu Danxi Mausoleum.

Here, lush bamboo forests, singing birds, blooming flowers, chiming wind bells, and gently murmuring water create a serene atmosphere. A chapter of history is preserved here, and contemporary culture is showcased here... All of this stems from a renowned historical and cultural figure. With his profound knowledge, critical spirit, broad-mindedness, and compassionate heart, he has touched the emotions of millions of modern people and drawn countless hopeful and reverent gazes from around the world—this figure is none other than Zhu Danxi, one of China’s “Four Great Masters of Medicine in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties.”

Zhu Danxi was a native of Chian Town. His original name was Zhu Zhenheng, and his courtesy name was Yanxiu. Throughout his life, he studied diligently, drew on diverse schools of thought, and thoroughly investigated the experiences of predecessors without being confined by them. He eventually became a master of the “Nourishing Yin Theory.” He authored over ten medical works, whose perspectives influenced later scholars in Japan, Korea, and other countries, ushering in a new era of traditional Chinese medicine.

Zhu Danxi was born in November 1281. Because he lived near Danxi Stream in Chian Town, he came to be known as “Mr. Danxi” and “Danxi Weng.” Beside the Zhu Danxi Memorial Hall in San Village of present-day Chian Town lies his ancestral tomb. Unfortunately, however, the former residence, pharmacy, clinic, alchemy workshop, and other places where Danxi once lived and worked can no longer be verified. In 1358, Zhu Danxi passed away peacefully at his desk, holding a brush pen and smiling. He was buried in Dun Tou An of Dongzhu Village, about 4 kilometers from Chian Town. During the Cultural Revolution, his grave was destroyed. In the winter of 1979, the site was reconstructed, and in 1989, it was designated as a Zhejiang Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. The Danxi Temple was also built slightly behind and to the right of Danxi’s grave. The Zhu Danxi Mausoleum was gradually expanded on this foundation.

Legend has it that the burial site was personally chosen by Danxi and his wife, Lady Qi. Little did they expect the hardships their resting place would endure, nor could they have imagined that it would become a major tourist attraction in Yiwu City, visited and honored by both domestic and international travelers.

The combination of scenic tourism and visits to a historical figure, along with some legendary folk tales, makes the history here more vivid, the characters more three-dimensional, and the scenery more captivating.

After over a decade of construction, the Zhu Danxi Mausoleum today has taken initial shape. What greets visitors includes: picturesque lakes and mountains, small bridges over flowing streams, pavilions and towers, as well as the Crane Viewing Pavilion, Pine and Crane Garden, Zhu Danxi Memorial Hall, the renovated Danxi Tomb, Jingyan Painting and Calligraphy Gallery, and the Hundred Herbs Garden. Within the mausoleum grounds, we can also find inscriptions and artworks by contemporary figures such as Qi Gong, Zhao Puchu, Chen Lifu, Chen Minzhang, and Shi Zuquan. These further enrich the Zhu Danxi Mausoleum with deep cultural significance.

Dongzhu Village: Dongzhu Village…… More details about Dongzhu Village++