Tomb of Cai Yuanding

Tomb of Cai Yuanding

The Tomb of Cai Yuanding is a cultural relic protection unit of Fujian Province.

Tomb of Cai Yuanding

Era: Southern Song Dynasty

Location: Shangbu Village, Jukou Town, Jianyang City

Description: In the third year of the Qingyuan era (1197) during the Southern Song Dynasty, Cai Yuanding was demoted to Daozhou, Hunan, due to the proscription of heterodox learning. He passed away in exile the following year, and his remains were returned to his hometown and buried here. The cemetery covers a total area of approximately 2,400 square meters. The tomb is built with pebbles, with a gravestone erected at the back, standing 3 meters tall and 85 centimeters wide, inscribed with “Tomb of Cai Yuanding, Grand Tutor of the Song Dynasty.”

Cai Yuanding (1135–1198), courtesy name Jitong, style name Xishan, was a native of Jianyang. He was a renowned Neo-Confucian scholar, music theorist, and geomancer of the Southern Song Dynasty, and one of the main contributors to Zhu Xi’s philosophy. Known as the “Leader of the Zhu School” and the “Pillar of Min Learning,” he authored numerous works. After his death, he was posthumously honored as Grand Tutor and given the posthumous name Wenjie.

Protected Area: The area extends 25 meters outward from all sides of the tomb site.

In 2009, the Tomb of Cai Yuanding was designated as part of the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units by the People’s Government of Fujian Province.

Shangbu Village: Located in the eastern part of Jukou Town, Shangbu Village is 3.5 kilometers from Jukou Town. The Maxi River flows through the entire village, which includes three ferry crossings. It sits at an elevation of 155 meters and governs five natural villages, including Shangbu and Weizhou. The village covers a total area of 8.89 square kilometers, including 2,027.1 mu of arable land and 8,618.6 mu of forested land. It has 241 households and a population of over 900, with major surnames including Wu, Zheng, Li, Lin, and Yu.

… Detailed information about Shangbu Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Fujian Province