Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings

Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings

The Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings are located along the Guojiazhì to Tiantong highway on the north shore of Dongqian Lake in Yinxian County, Zhejiang Province. Constructed between approximately 1118 during the Northern Song Dynasty’s Zhenghe era and around 1584 during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era, they mainly consist of the above-ground stone carvings along the spirit roads of the tombs of the powerful Shi family from the Southern Song Dynasty and Prince Yu Youding from the Ming Dynasty.

The Southern Song Dynasty Shi family tomb pathway stone carvings are masterpieces of stone carving art that integrate ancient philosophy, aesthetics, ecology, and more. They include the spirit road of Lady Ye, the Grand Dame of the State of Ji, from the Song Dynasty, and the spirit road of Shi Zhao, Grand Tutor and Duke of Yue from the Song Dynasty. These spirit roads range in length from 50 meters to several hundred meters and are relatively well-preserved today. The carvings feature well-proportioned figures, smooth lines, and vivid expressions.

Among the Yuan and Ming dynasty tomb pathways in the stone carving group, the focal point is the spirit road of Yu Youding, Ming Dynasty Grand Tutor and Tutor to the Crown Prince. His tomb pathway is 200 meters long and 25 meters wide. The entire set of stone carvings is grand in scale and exquisitely carved, making it quite rare among the existing Ming tombs discovered in China.

The Southern Song Dynasty tomb pathway stone carvings within the Dongqian Lake Stone Carving group represent the largest, most numerous, and most finely carved relics of their kind from the Southern Song period in China, filling gaps in the history of art, cultural relics archaeology, and sculpture art during the Southern Song era. The Yuan and Ming sections of the stone carvings also serve as important physical evidence for the study of official ranks, attire, sculpture, and burial practices during those dynasties.

Attraction Location

Yinxian County, Zhejiang Province (along the Guojiazhì to Tiantong highway on the north shore of Dongqian Lake)

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units