Tomb of Yu Qian

Tomb of Yu Qian

The Tomb of Yu Qian is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Tomb of Yu Qian is located at the foot of Santai Mountain in Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

Yu Qian (1398–1457), courtesy name Tingyi, pseudonym Jie’an, was a native of Qiantang (present-day Hangzhou). He once served as an imperial censor and provincial governor of Henan and Shanxi. After the Tumu Crisis in 1449 during the Ming Dynasty, he was promoted to Minister of War, supported the enthronement of Emperor Jing, and resisted the southern invasion of the Oirats, defending the capital. In 1457, the eighth year of the Jingtai era, he was executed after Emperor Yingzong was restored to power. The following year (1458), he was buried at Santai Mountain in Hangzhou. In 1466, the second year of the Chenghua era, Yu Qian’s unjust case was redressed. In 1489, the second year of the Hongzhi era, Emperor Xiaozong honored his loyal service to the country by posthumously conferring the title “Solemn and Merciful,” building the Jinggong Shrine beside the tomb, and establishing seasonal sacrificial ceremonies, forming an integrated shrine-and-tomb complex.

In 1966, the Tomb of Yu Qian site was destroyed. In 1982, it was rebuilt, consolidating the original seven tombs into one. The tomb is 2 meters high, encircled by blue bricks, with a newly engraved gravestone inscribed with “Tomb of Yu Gong, Duke of Loyalty and Solemnity, Minister of War and Junior Guardian of the State in the Great Ming.” An offering table and incense burner were placed in front of the tomb. In 1998, imitation Ming-style stone statues, stone beasts, and a memorial archway were installed along the tomb path, the surrounding environment was renovated, the Yu Qian Shrine was restored, and the Yu Qian Scenic Area was established.

The original tomb faced east and was horseshoe-shaped, consisting of seven burial mounds. Beside the tomb stood the Jinggong Shrine, also known as the Yu Qian Shrine, which was 23 meters wide from north to south and 30 meters deep, with a 90-meter-long tomb path. It was later destroyed in 1966, and the current Tomb of Yu Qian was reconstructed in 1982. The Qing Dynasty poet Yuan Mei once praised Yu Qian: “Thanks to Yu and Yue, the two Junior Guardians, people came to truly value West Lake.”

In 2006, the Tomb of Yu Qian was approved by the State Council as part of the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units as a historical tomb from the Ming to Qing dynasties.

Yu Qian (1398–1457), courtesy name Tingyi, pseudonym Jie’an, was a native of Renhe in the Ming Dynasty (present-day Hangzhou). He came from a family of scholar-officials. Gifted from childhood, he received a traditional upbringing. He entered private school at age six, became a county-level Confucian scholar at 15, and extensively read books, especially admiring the works of Su Wu, Zhuge Liang, Yue Fei, and Wen Tianxiang for their integrity and righteousness. After failing the local imperial exam at 17, he devoted himself to study. At 20, he ranked among the top county-sponsored students. At 23, he passed the provincial exam, and the following year, topped the metropolitan exam in the capital. In 1421 during the Yongle era, he passed the imperial examination but ranked lower due to controversial policy proposals in the palace test... More details about Yu Qian ++

Santai Mountain Community: Established in March 2001, Santai Mountain Community is located within the West Lake Scenic Area, covering a total area of 8 square kilometers. The community encompasses five villages: Weng, Long, Man, Yang, and Shuangfeng. Residential areas are scattered, blending homes and farmland, set against steep mountainous terrain, making it a typical urban village community. It currently has 1,236 resident households with a total population of 3,184. Major local institutions include: China National Tea Museum, Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, provincial and municipal trade union sanatoriums, Zhejiang Hotel, Huagang HNA Holiday Hotel, Huajia Mountain Villa, and Air Force Sanatorium. Notable scenic spots include: Tiger Running Spring, Longjing Tea Culture, Man... More details about Santai Mountain Community ++

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units