Tomb of Sa Zhenbing

Tomb of Sa Zhenbing

The Tomb of Sa Zhenbing is a cultural relic protection unit of Fuzhou City.

Sa Zhenbing was buried alongside his father, Sa Huailiang. The tomb is located on the southern slope of Huofeng Mountain in the western suburbs of Fuzhou (now on the hillside behind the 172nd Hospital), facing south with a north orientation, in the shape of a Ruyi, measuring 5.65 meters in width and 11.3 meters in depth. It has a two-tiered platform and is built with rammed earth mixed with lime, sand, and clay. The gravestone is made of bluestone, standing 62 cm tall and 84 cm wide. The inscription on the stone reads: “Yanmen, Qing Dynasty. The eternal resting place of the Huailiang Sa family father and son. Erected on a lucky day in the early winter of the Yiyou year of the Guangxu reign.” The characters are in regular script, each about 9 cm in size. The inscribed couplet on the tomb pillars reads: “Heaven left this blessed land; the world is covered in grace.” The tomb’s mirror inscription reads: “In every season there are fine days; in mountains and waters echo pure sounds.” In 2011 and 2012, the Fujian Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau allocated funds twice to the cultural relics department of Gulou District, Fuzhou, specifically for the restoration of the Tomb of Sa Zhenbing. The repairs included the tomb itself, the path leading up the mountain, and the slope protection.

The stele marking the approach to Sa Zhenbing’s tomb stands 600 meters downhill from the tomb. Made of granite, it measures 3.08 meters in height, 1.25 meters in width, and 0.18 meters in thickness. The front of the stele is inscribed with: “The tomb approach of Mr. Sa Zhenbing, Member of the First National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Member of the Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People’s Government, Member of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission of the Central People’s Government, and Member of the People’s Government of Fujian Province.” On the left edge of the stele is written: “The tomb of Commissioner Sa Zhenbing is adjacent to that of Mr. Huailiang.” On the right edge is inscribed: “April, 1952.” In 1992, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit.

Sa Zhenbing (1859–1952), courtesy name Dingming, was of Mongolian ethnicity and a native of Min County (present-day downtown Fuzhou).

At the age of 11, he was admitted to the Navigation Class of the Fuzhou Shipbuilding School (Fujian Naval School). After graduation, he was assigned to training ships such as the Yangwu. In the third year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1877), he went to the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, England to study. Three years later, he returned to China and successively served as First Lieutenant of the warship Chengqing, instructor at the Tianjin Naval Academy, captain of the warship Weiyuan, captain of the training ship Kangji, and was soon promoted to the rank of Colonel. In the 20th year of Guangxu (1894), he was awarded the title of Lieutenant General and appointed as the Militia Leader of the Left Camp of the Beiyang Navy’s Jinglian Unit, while also captaining the training ship Kangji… More detailed information about Sa Zhenbing ++