Stone Carvings Along the Tomb Path of Tu Yong

Stone Carvings Along the Tomb Path of Tu Yong

The stone carvings along the tomb path of Tu Yong are a cultural heritage site protected by Haishu District.

The tomb path of Tu Yong is located in Xiazhuang Village, Jishigang Town, Yinzhou District, and was designated as a district-level cultural heritage site on April 5, 2005.

The tomb path of Tu Yong has a total length of 420 meters, is about 8 meters wide, and covers an area of approximately 3,360 square meters. The tomb and its path are located on a gentle slope of a mountain at an elevation of 52.5 meters. The tomb faces east, toward hills and open fields.

Most of the tomb of Tu Yong and the stone carvings along the tomb path were destroyed around the time of the “Great Leap Forward” in the early years after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Currently, only the original earth platform of the tomb pit, a pool, a small bridge, stone horses, a white marble stele, and a pebble-paved path remain. Judging from the existing pool and small bridge, their structures and sizes have remained largely unchanged. Based on the lotus column capitals discovered nearby and the mortise holes on both sides of the small bridge, it is inferred that the original pool was surrounded by stone railings and the bridge was flanked by similar barriers. The two stone horses are identical in size and shape, but interestingly, they are made of different materials—one from bluestone and the other from limestone. The white marble stele, produced in Beijing, stands majestically on the mountaintop, suggesting the exceptional status of the tomb’s occupant. The stele consists of a white marble head and body, assembled in two parts. Although similar in design, their sizes vary slightly. The stele head is carved with dragons coiled on all four sides, while the front of the body is inscribed with text, the back left blank. The base is a trapezoidal stone pedestal. The main face of the stele body is waisted in shape, and the head is rounded.

The northern stele has a total height of 4.376 meters, including a base that is 0.67 meters high, with a lower base width of 1.333 meters, an upper base width of 1.06 meters, a lower base thickness of 0.6 meters, and an upper base thickness of 0.44 meters. The stele body itself is 2.406 meters tall, 1 meter wide, and 0.28 meters thick, while the stele head is 1.3 meters high, 1.12 meters wide, and 0.32 meters thick. The inscriptions on this stele have been severely weathered and are barely legible; the content is speculated to be about the life and achievements of Tu Yong. The southern stele stands 3.803 meters tall in total, with a base height of 0.64 meters, a lower base width of 1.269 meters, an upper base width of 1.12 meters, a lower base thickness of 0.6 meters, and an upper base thickness of 0.44 meters. The stele body is 2.16 meters tall, 0.94 meters wide, and 0.30 meters thick, while the stele head is 1.004 meters high, 1 meter wide, and 0.32 meters thick. Though weathered, the inscriptions on this stele are mostly readable. They include imperial edicts and eulogies from various emperors during Tu Yong’s lifetime. The edges are adorned with line-engraved floral patterns, and a noticeable crack runs vertically along the left quarter from top to bottom where the stone layers have separated. The stele head features four coiled and interlocking chi-dragons carved using a combination of high relief and round sculpture techniques. Two of the dragons hang upside down on either side of the stele head, with their bodies wrapping around both the front and back surfaces. The dragons on the front hold a sun in their claws, which is set against clouds, beneath which hangs a rectangular plaque inscribed with the four large seal characters “奉天敕谕” (By Imperial Decree). A shallow-relief sea wave pattern encircles the lower edge of the stele head, complementing the design above. The inscription reads: “Ming Dynasty’s Late Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, Senior Guardian of the Crown Prince, Minister of Personnel, Retired Official with Special Honorary Rank, and Duke of Glory, the Spirit Way Stele of Mr. Tu Yong of Danshan.” This clearly reflects the distinguished status of the tomb’s occupant, matching the magnificence of the stele’s carvings. These two white marble spirit way steles are exquisitely crafted and grand in scale, truly unique among Ningbo’s cultural relics.

Analysis of two epitaphs unearthed from the tomb of Tu Yong—“Epitaph of Lady Jiang, Tu Yong’s Second Wife,” discovered during a survey in 1999, and “Epitaph of Lady Tu, Mother of Tu Yong, Posthumously Honored as First-Rank Noblewoman,” found in August 2004—suggests that the tomb is a multi-chamber burial site.

The currently preserved elements of the spirit way, such as the memorial archway, civil officials, and stone tigers, were relocated here from other sites. The memorial archway is a four-pillar, three-bay stone structure. Its pillars are inscribed with the couplet: “Breeze and moonlight are priceless; nearby water and distant mountains all hold charm.” The secondary bays feature a high-relief carving titled “Flying Cranes Amidst Colorful Clouds,” and the pillar capitals are adorned with bas-reliefs of “Cranes Playing in the Clouds,” showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. The central bay features a horizontal stone plaque inscribed with: “Spirit Way of Magistrate Shi Qilu of the Right Vice Censorate of the Censorate,” identifying the tomb’s occupant and his official rank.