Stone Carvings at the Tomb of Cheng Jiwan

Stone Carvings at the Tomb of Cheng Jiwan

The Stone Carvings at the Tomb of Cheng Jiwan are a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

Stone Carvings at the Tomb of Cheng Jiwan, East Bridge Village, Zhubei Township, Qingyang County, Southern Song Dynasty

Cheng Jiwan, hailing from Pailou Village, Rongcheng Town, Qingyang County, is recorded in the History of Song as having passed the imperial examination in the second year of the Chunxi era (1175), later holding positions such as Registrar of the Department of Agriculture, Assistant to the Minister of the Imperial Treasury, and Salt Administrator of the Two Huai Regions, gaining significant recognition for his governance. In his early years, he built a study under the Twin Peaks of Jiuhua Mountain where he pursued his studies, referring to himself as the "Hermit of the Twin Peaks." Cheng Jiwan attained the degree of Jinshi (presented scholar) in the second year of the Chunxi era (1175), eventually rising to the position of Attendant at the Wenhua Pavilion. During his service, he administered justice impartially and enforced laws strictly, earning deep respect and love from the people, and was honored with the title "Cheng the Clear Sky." He authored a collection of one hundred poems on Jiuhua Mountain and a ten-volume work titled Chronicles of Liyang. Records of Cheng Jiwan can be found in the History of Song, the General Annals of Anhui, and the Dictionary of Chinese Names. The tomb covers an area of approximately 270 square meters and consists of three parts: the burial mound, the worship platform, and the spirit way. Flanking the spirit way are pairs of stone tigers, stone sheep, and stone figures, with a stone stele inscribed “Spirit Way of Cheng Jiwan, Attendant of the Wenhua Pavilion and Founding Duke of Qingyang” positioned at the front. This tomb is a valuable resource for the study of burial systems, customs, and stone carving art of the Southern Song Dynasty.