Tomb of Lu Jinfeng (including the Lu Ancestral Hall)

Tomb of Lu Jinfeng (including the Lu Ancestral Hall)

The Tomb of Lu Jinfeng (including the Lu Ancestral Hall) is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

The Tomb of Lu Jinfeng was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566). It consists of the tomb itself and a memorial hall, covering an area of nearly 1,000 square meters, making it the largest ancient tomb still existing in Ruian. The tomb is divided into five levels from top to bottom. The lower three levels serve as worship platforms, each constructed along the slope of the hillside, paved with planed white stone slabs, and decreasing in width progressively upwards. Each level has three stone steps on both sides, while the final level has five. Stone screen walls made of bluestone are erected on both sides of each level, adorned with bas-reliefs and topped with roofs covered by bluestone-carved tiles. The second level features bluestone railings, with exquisitely carved lotus leaf-shaped pillars, and three stone steps. At the center of the fourth level stands a tombstone inscribed with the five characters “Tomb of Lu Gong of Jinfeng” in intaglio script, topped with a lotus leaf-shaped cover. The ground in front of the tablet is raised in a tortoise-back shape to form a burial mound. Behind the fifth level is a spirit niche gateway, spanning five bays with a total height of 2.40 meters. The central bay has square columns, 1.37 meters high, topped with bracket sets and resting on stone bases, with a platform base 0.70 meters high. Above the columns are crossbeams with bas-reliefs of two lions playing with a ball, and two supplementary bracket sets. The roof eaves are highest over the central bay, decreasing over the side bays. The roof is covered with bluestone-carved tubular tiles, and the main ridge is adorned with dragon head ridge ornaments. The back wall of the gateway and the side stone screens feature bas-reliefs of the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars. In front of the tomb chamber is a sacrificial platform, with a stone-paved pathway in the middle and ponds on both sides. To the right of the platform is the memorial hall, located at the original site of the ancestral tomb courtyard. It includes one original ancestral worship hall, two side rooms on each side, and a stone gate. The worship hall and side rooms have now been destroyed, but the stone gate in the front corner remains. On July 21, 1990, the Ruian Municipal People's Government designated it as part of the third batch of Ruian Cultural Relic Protection Units, and it is now listed as part of the sixth batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

The Lu Ancestral Hall was built in the ninth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1670). Despite more than 300 years of weathering, it remains relatively well preserved. It is said to be the only early Qing dynasty ancestral hall in Ruian with a confirmed construction date. Inside the hall is an ancient opera stage built in the eighth year of the Qianlong reign (1743), square in shape, measuring 4.35 meters in both depth and width. The caisson ceiling above has faded along with the departure of the performers. What has not faded is the golden-lettered family motto screen, treasured by the clan. This screen consists of 12 connected panels, each 2.3 meters high and 0.4 meters wide, inscribed with the Qing dynasty’s “Family Instructions of Master Zhu” (Zhuzi Family Instructions) by Zhu Bailu, written in gold powder. It is signed “Respectfully written by the owner of Yuting Hall” and dated the third month of the Qianlong Wu Xu year, dating back over 300 years. The screen also features carvings of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, with vividly depicted figures and masterful craftsmanship.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units