Wang Yinglin’s Tomb Pathway

Wang Yinglin’s Tomb Pathway

Wang Yinglin’s Tomb Pathway is a cultural tourism attraction.

Wang Yinglin’s Tomb Pathway is located in Baotong Village, Wuxiang Town, Yinzhou District. On April 5, 2005, it was designated as a district-level cultural relics protection unit.

According to the Republican-era edition of the Yinxian County Annals, “The tomb of Wang Yinglin, Minister of Rites... lies forty-five li east of the county in Tonggu Mountain” (present-day Baotong Village, Wuxiang Town). After on-site investigation and exploration by relevant experts and scholars from Ningbo City, this site is suspected to be the tomb of Wang Yinglin.

The tomb is situated at the southern foot of Tonggu Mountain in Baotong Village. To its east lies the thousand-year-old Ashoka Temple, a Zhejiang Provincial cultural relics protection unit; to its west is the location of the town government, approximately 15 kilometers from downtown Ningbo; National Highway 329 runs about 500 meters south of the tomb path. The pathway faces south with a slight eastern orientation at 110 degrees. It consists of two parts: the burial chamber and the pathway itself. The path is built along the mountain slope, arranged from south to north with stone features including a stone bamboo shoot, stone turtle, stone sheep, stone tiger, stone horse, civil official, and military general, all positioned opposite each other from east to west. The distances between them starting from the stone sheep are 6.86 meters, 6.70 meters, 6.50 meters, and 6.51 meters respectively. The total length of the tomb pathway is over 50 meters, with a width of over 10 meters.

Due to historical reasons and its relatively late discovery, Wang Yinglin’s tomb and its pathway have suffered significant damage from both natural forces and human activity. Currently, ten stone relics remain in the pathway: one civil official, one military general, two stone horses, two stone tigers, two stone sheep, one stele base, and one stone bamboo shoot. Among them, the heads of one military general and two stone horses are missing and their whereabouts are unknown; one stone tiger shows severe natural weathering; only half of the stone bamboo shoot remains; the stele pavilion has been destroyed, leaving only the stele base; two stone figures are preserved intact. The remaining part of the military general stands 2.20 meters tall and is 0.67 meters wide, holding a sword in both hands, portraying a solemn and majestic image. The civil official stands 2.60 meters tall and is 0.64 meters wide, wearing a long robe, a square scholar's cap, a belt around the waist, holding a ceremonial tablet in both hands, and boots on the feet, with eyes looking straight ahead. The carving is smooth and the posture dignified. The pair of stone horses are 1.40 meters tall and 1.52 meters long, standing on stone bases with saddles and saddlecloths underneath. Fine details such as mane, tail, and rope knots are exquisitely carved. The stone tiger is 1.50 meters tall and 0.95 meters wide, heavily eroded. The stone sheep is 1.32 meters tall and 1.13 meters wide, lying in a natural pose.

Wang Yinglin (1223–1296) was a scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Bohou and his art name was Shenning Jushi. His ancestors were from Junyi (present-day Kaifeng, Henan), later moving to Qingyuan Circuit (present-day Ningbo, Zhejiang). He became a Jinshi (advanced scholar) in the Chunyou era and rose to the position of Minister of Rites and Attendant Censor. He conducted research in classics, history, and various disciplines, as well as in astronomy and geography; he was well-versed in historical institutions and skilled in textual research. He authored works such as Collected Learning Reflections, Jade Sea, Poetry Examinations, Geography of Poetry, Examinations on the Bibliographic Treatise of the Book of Han, Jade Hall Drafts, and Shenning Collection. He had a profound influence on later generations, among which the Three Character Classic was designated by UNESCO as a global enlightenment textbook.

As an important historical figure in China, the discovery of Wang Yinglin’s tomb pathway provides crucial physical evidence for further in-depth study of his life. The site selection of the pathway is scientific, the scale is grand, the layout is neat, and the carvings are delicately and simply crafted with ancient charm. The lines are smooth, the expressions vivid, making it a rare artistic masterpiece.

Wang Yinglin (1223–1296) was an official and Confucian classic scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name was Bohou, and his art names were Shenning Jushi and also Houzhai. He was a native of Yin County, Qingyuan Prefecture (present-day Yinzhou District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province), with ancestral roots in Kaifeng, Henan. In the first year of Chunyou during the reign of Emperor Lizong of Song, he passed the imperial examination, and in the fourth year of Baoyou, he again passed the Broad Learning and Grand Eloquence examination. He held positions such as Registrar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Prefectural Judge of Taizhou, Summoned as Secretariat Supervisor and Acting Secretariat Drafter, Prefect of Huizhou, Minister of Rites and Attendant Censor. Known for his integrity and courage to speak out, he repeatedly offended powerful ministers such as Ding Daquan and Jia Sidao, leading to his dismissal. Later, he resigned and returned home, dedicating himself to writing for twenty years.

As a scholar, he followed the teachings of Zhu Xi and studied extensively in classics and history... More detailed information on Wang Yinglin ++