Wen Tingzhi's Tomb

Wen Tingzhi's Tomb

Wen Tingzhi's Tomb is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Wen Tingzhi's Tomb is situated on the hillside behind Yangqi Putong Temple in the Yangqi Mountain Scenic Area of Shangli County, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province. The central line of the tombstone is inscribed in semi-cursive script: “Tomb of the Late Wen Tingzhi, Father, Honored with the Title of Central Censor, Daily Lecturer to the Emperor, and Hanlin Academician.” On both sides of the tombstone are a couplet composed and written by Shen Zengzhi, then Prefect of Nanchang: “The green bamboo slips are still fresh, the withered grass is about to be laid; the owls fly eastward, the pine and juniper stand in rows.” Wen Tingzhi, also known as Yun’ge or Daoxi, was a native of Pingxiang, Jiangxi. He was born on November 26, 1856, during the sixth year of the Xianfeng reign in the Qing Dynasty, and died on August 24, 1904, during the 30th year of the Guangxu reign. In the imperial examination of the Guangxu reign, he ranked first among the candidates for the position of Central Secretariat Drafter. He passed the imperial examination in the Gengyin year as an imperial scholar, ranking first in the re-examination and second in the palace examination, after which he was appointed as a Hanlin Academy editor. He subsequently served as an assistant editor at the National History Office and compilers at the Ritual Code Compilation Office, as well as the deputy chief examiner of the Jiangnan Provincial Examination. In the Jiawu year, he achieved first place in the imperial examination and was promoted to Hanlin Academician and Daily Lecturer to the Emperor, concurrently serving as acting Chief Justice of the Dali Temple. Wen Tingzhi supported Emperor Guangxu’s efforts to assume real political power and backed Kang Youwei in establishing the Strong Learning Society, which incurred the jealousy of Empress Dowager Cixi. As a result, he was dismissed from his post. After the “Hundred Days' Reform,” he went to Japan, and later returned to China where he died at home. Wen Tingzhi was a renowned scholar of the late Qing Dynasty with extensive writings. His works include Supplement to the Bibliographic Treatise of the Book of Jin, Cloud-Rising Studio Ci Collection, Pure and Constant Words of Zizichild, and Essays from the Studio of Knowing One’s Faults.

Wen Tingzhi's Tomb is 1.8 meters high, 3.5 meters in diameter, and covers an area of 74.69 square meters. The tomb faces south and is built on a north-south axis. At the top of the tomb mound is inscribed: “Tomb of Wen Tingzhi.” In front of the tomb are two stone pillars engraved with a couplet: “This burial site was chosen here; though the old tales are not yet faded, the imperial records await to be supplemented,” and “The commemoration of virtue awaits fulfillment; local worthies are as close as those at Longgang, and a propitious day calls for new inscriptions.” Behind the tomb, within the enclosing wall, lies the tombstone inscribed in regular script: “Tomb of the Late Wen Tingzhi, Father, Honored with the Titles of Central Censor and Elevated to Ministerial Councillor, Daily Lecturer to the Emperor, and Hanlin Academician.” On either side of the tomb are stone-carved couplets: “The owls fly eastward, the pine and juniper stand in rows; the green bamboo slips are still fresh, the withered grass is about to be laid.” On the left side of the rear tombstone is an inscription by Wen Tingzhi’s descendants, and on the right side is an epitaph written by Shen Zengzhi, Prefect of Nanchang.

Location of the Attraction

Within An Yuan District, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province