Tomb of Xie Daohui, a Successful Provincial Examination Candidate

Tomb of Xie Daohui, a Successful Provincial Examination Candidate

The Tomb of Xie Daohui, a Successful Provincial Examination Candidate, is a cultural relic protection unit of Haishu District.

The Tomb of Xie Daohui, a Successful Provincial Examination Candidate, is located in Simingshan Village, Jishigang Town, Haishu District. The tomb’s occupant was diligent, studious, thrifty, and unpretentious. By the time he took the imperial examination for the highest degree (jinshi), society was already in turmoil. As a progressive-minded individual, after passing the provincial examination (juren), he never pursued the jinshi degree again. Instead, he returned to his hometown at Shuijingdi, where he engaged in various intellectual and social activities befitting a scholar, such as advocating against opium use, discouraging foot-binding, establishing schools, and so on. He devoted all his family’s wealth to contributing to his hometown. Therefore, upon his death, there was no elaborate funeral, and he was buried in a simple manner. Later, in the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), his son reburied him with proper honors.

Although the structure of the tomb reflects architectural changes between the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era, it more significantly embodies the progressive thinking of the deceased. On the reverse side of the tombstone is an epitaph inscribed by a renowned calligrapher, giving the site both artistic value in calligraphy and historical research value regarding the tomb’s occupant.

The tomb features an earthen mound, a semi-circular stone retaining wall at the back, and a tall gravestone in front of the burial chamber made of Meiyuan stone. The front side of the stele is inscribed with “Tomb of Xie Gong (style name: Zhiquan), a Successful Provincial Examination Candidate,” written by the famous calligrapher Hua Shikui. The reverse side records his life story — the epitaph — all of which hold considerable historical and artistic value. The stele consists of a top (tablet head), body, and base, with the base being a horizontally elongated large slab of stone.

In September 2010, it was designated as a Cultural Relic Protection Unit at the district level (ninth batch) of Yinzhou District. In 2016, following the administrative division adjustment of Ningbo City, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Haishu District.

Source: Haishu District Cultural Relics Management Office

Simingshan Village: Simingshan Village is situated in the semi-mountainous southwestern part of Jishigang Town, Haishu District, Ningbo City. It borders Yuyao City to the west, is 6 kilometers from Jishigang Town, and 15 kilometers from downtown Ningbo. The village covers an area of 4.2 square kilometers, featuring a beautiful environment with mountains and water nearby. Lush forests lie behind the village, offering picturesque scenery. The beautiful Xiwao Reservoir is like a brilliant pearl set within the Jinjiashan Orchard Base. The village currently has 422 households, a population of 1,146, and 49 Party members, with 1,027 mu of arable land and 5,300 mu of forested area. Over the years, guided by the important thought of “-”, the village has earnestly implemented... More detailed information about Simingshan Village ++