Tomb of Zheng Zhizhen

Tomb of Zheng Zhizhen

The Tomb of Zheng Zhizhen is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Tomb of Zheng Zhizhen is the joint burial site of the Ming Dynasty playwright Zheng Zhizhen and his wife. Built in the year Renzi of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1612), it is located on the slopes of Shengtangwu, three li northwest of Qingxi Village, Zhukou Township. Nestled against the mountain and facing the water, the tomb faces east and sits west. The entire burial ground is elliptical in shape, with a diameter of 14.7 meters, a width of 8.7 meters, and covers an area of 142.6 square meters.

The burial site is divided into three parts: the tomb mound, the sacrificial altar, and the worship platform. The tomb mound has a diameter of 4.4 meters and a width of 4 meters. Behind the mound, near the enclosing wall, stands a tombstone measuring 1.47 meters in height and 0.64 meters in width. The stone is inscribed with the epitaph: “Tomb of Mr. Zheng Zhizhen, Scholar of Gao Shi, and His Wife, from Ming Dynasty.” In front of the mound lies the sacrificial altar and a two-tiered worship platform, accessible via a flight of steps made of crushed stone fragments. Embedded in the front section of the sacrificial altar is a tomb epitaph measuring 1.4 meters in width and 1 meter in height. The epitaph, inscribed with 24 lines, details Zheng Zhizhen’s birth on September 24th in the year Wuyin of the Zhengde era, his death on the 4th day of the first lunar month in the year Jiwu of the Wanli era, at the age of 78, along with a biography of his life. The inscription was composed by Ye Zongtai, Zheng Zhizhen’s son-in-law and an official of the Henan Provincial Surveillance Commission, holding the rank of Xiu Zhi Lang.

The tomb site commands a sweeping view from a high vantage point, exuding an open and majestic atmosphere. The surrounding walls are lined with lush pine and cypress trees, whose branches intertwine to create a serene and elegant setting that enhances the solemnity of the ancient tomb. Despite more than 300 years of weathering, the site remains remarkably well-preserved. Most notably, the tomb epitaph also remains intact, providing indisputable evidence that corrects the recorded birth and death dates of Zheng Zhizhen in the history of Chinese opera, as well as rectifying errors in historical records about his place of origin. This offers an extremely valuable resource for the study of ancient Chinese theatrical history. In May 1989, it was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit in the third round of listings.

Address: Qingxi Village, Zhukou Township, Qimen County

Qingxi Village: Qingxi Village is one of the four villages under Zhukou Township and borders Fuliang County in Jiangxi Province. It is located 16 kilometers from Dabeibu, the seat of the township government. The village administers six villager groups (Qingyi, Qing’er, Qingsan, Yonghong, Litian, and Zhumu), with 192 households and a population of 712. The village has 320 mu of paddy fields and 440 mu of tea plantations, with residents primarily earning income from grain, forestry, and tea production. In 2008, the per capita net income of villagers was 4,844 yuan. The village Party branch currently has 20 members. The Tomb of Zheng Zhizhen, a provincial-level key cultural relic protection site, is located in this village. … Detailed Information on Qingxi Village++