Tomb of Zhao Wenkai

Tomb of Zhao Wenkai

The Tomb of Zhao Wenkai is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Tomb of Zhao Wenkai is located in Huaguang Village, Wangtian Township, Taihu County, Anhui Province.

The tomb was originally built with lime and tung oil in a rammed-earth technique, circular in shape. It stands 1.8 meters high and covers an area of about 100 square meters.

In the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign (1897), his remains were transported from Yanping back to Taihu and reburied together with those of his wives and concubines at Renxing Mountain in Jingning Township.

Architectural Layout

Originally built with lime and tung oil in a rammed-earth technique, the tomb is circular, standing 1.8 meters high and covering an area of about 100 square meters. It faces the Gen mountain and Kun direction. There is a stele that is 1.65 meters tall, inscribed with: “The tomb of the late esteemed father, Master Jieshan, posthumously honored as the Central Censorate Grand Master under the Imperial Qing Dynasty.”

Cultural Relics Protection

In 1982, the county government designated the Tomb of Zhao Wenkai as a county-level key cultural relics protection unit. It was included in the “Dictionary of Scenic Spots in China” in 1981. In 1984, the tomb was renovated by the county cultural relics management office. In May 1998, it was announced as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit by the People’s Government of Anhui Province.

Protected Area: The protected area extends to the stone retaining walls on the east, north, and west sides of the tomb, and to the enclosing wall at the lowest level of stone steps on the south side.

Construction Control Zone: A zone extending 30 meters outward from the protected area in all four directions—east, south, west, and north.

Zhao Wenkai (1760–1808), styled Yishu and also known as Jieshan, was born in Baoping Village, Beizhong Town, Taihu County, Anqing Prefecture, Anhui (present-day location). He achieved the top rank (zhuangyuan) in the imperial examination in the first year of the Jiaqing reign (1796), and his name was publicly announced in the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian) as the top scholar (yi jia yi ming). Emperor Jiaqing praised him in an imperial inscription: “May the fine reputation of Wenkai embody refined integrity; may your timely rain fulfill the quest for worthy talents.” Li Zhenjun wrote a congratulatory poem saying: “The immortal’s staff floats amid the sound of grand music, the imperial robe shines bright with the radiance of the sun.” After becoming zhuangyuan, Zhao Wenkai was appointed as a Hanlin Academy editor and held other posts. One of the more historically significant events in his life was his diplomatic mission to Ryukyu in the fifth year of the Jiaqing reign. In the ninth year of Jiaqing, he served as the Yanping Dao official in Shanxi and concurrently as acting Judicial Commissioner of Shanxi... More detailed information about Zhao Wenkai ++