Tomb of Zhao Mengfu

Tomb of Zhao Mengfu

The Tomb of Zhao Mengfu is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Yuan Dynasty

The Tomb of Zhao Mengfu is located on the southern side of Xitai Mountain in Dongheng Village, Luoshe Town. Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322), also known as Zi’ang and styled Songxue Daoren, posthumously honored as Wenmin, was a native of Wuxing (present-day Huzhou), Zhejiang. A descendant of the Song royal family, he was a renowned painter and calligrapher of the Yuan Dynasty. He excelled in calligraphy, was skilled in painting, transformed the academic style of the Southern Song painting academy, and established the painting style of the Yuan Dynasty. He was also proficient in poetry, prose, and seal carving. He was a famous literary figure, calligrapher, and statesman of the Song Dynasty, highly regarded in the literary circles of that time.

In 1992, at a depth of 1.5 meters from the surface, a double-chamber stone tomb measuring 3 meters in length and 2.6 meters in width, along with a rammed-earth ceremonial path 11 meters wide, were discovered. Approximately 30 meters from the tomb, on both sides of the ceremonial path, two stone statues of officials (each 2.2 meters tall and 0.8 meters wide) and two stone horses (each 2.7 meters long and 1.5 meters tall), all carved from Taihu Lake stone with exquisite craftsmanship, were unearthed.

In 1993, the tomb site was restored to cover an area of 3,000 square meters. It is built against the mountain and faces south, with stone horses and stone statues of officials standing on both sides of the ceremonial path. On August 29, 1997, it was listed as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and in May 2013, it was included in the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322), also known as Zi’ang, styled himself Songxue Daoren and Shuijinggong Daoren. He was the eleventh-generation descendant of Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, and a descendant of Prince Qi, Zhao Defang. After the fall of the Song Dynasty, in the 23rd year of the Yuan Dynasty’s Zhiyuan era (1286), Zhao Mengfu was recommended to Kublai Khan, the founding emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, and gained his favor. He was appointed as a Langzhong (a fifth-rank official) in the Ministry of War, and two years later became a Jixian Zhixueshi (a fourth-rank official). In the 29th year of Zhiyuan (1292), he served as the administrator of Jinan Road. In the first year of Yuanshen (1295), following the death of Kublai Khan, Emperor Chengzong ordered the compilation of the Shizu Shilu (Veritable Records of Emperor Shizu), and Zhao Mengfu was recalled to the capital. In the third year of ZhiDa... [More detailed information about Zhao Mengfu++]

Dongheng Village: Dongheng Village is located southeast of Luoshe Town (formed in 2001 through the amalgamation of the former Dongheng and Caotang villages), bordering Qianyuan Town to the south, neighboring Zhongguan Town to the northeast, with the town’s industrial zone to the north. The village committee is 7 kilometers away from the town government. The village covers an area of 10.4 square kilometers, with 3,764.1 mu of paddy fields, 1,004 mu of mulberry fields, 280 mu of fish ponds, and 690 mu of woodland. It comprises 13 natural villages, 22 villager groups, 761 households, and a total population of 2,827 (including 540 non-local residents), with 1,820... [More detailed information about Dongheng Village++]

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units