Handan Le Yi's Tomb

Handan Le Yi's Tomb

Le Yi's Tomb in Handan is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hebei.

Le Yi's Tomb, commonly known as General's Tomb, is located in Dalebao Village, Daizhao Township, about 10 kilometers east of Handan County in Handan City, Hebei Province, right next to National Highway 309. It is a municipal-level cultural heritage site in Handan.

The tomb has been extensively renovated on a large scale in modern times. The current site is 40 meters wide from east to west and 30 meters long from north to south. The tombstone and its base are carved from white jade. In front of the tomb is a square, with pine trees planted along the east and west sides.

Historical records state: "Le Yi served as a guest minister of Yan and Zhao, and died in Zhao." Numerous emperors, officials, and literati throughout the dynasties have come to pay tribute to General Le Yi. During the Tang Dynasty, Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan left eulogistic writings in front of the tomb. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited the tomb several times during his southern tours. Both Duan Qirui and Yuan Shikai also paid their respects. In the 11th year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1733), Zheng Fangkun, the county magistrate of Handan, carried out major renovations, replanted hundreds of pine and cypress trees, personally inscribed the stone tablet reading "Tomb of Le Yi, Lord Wangzhu of the Warring States Period," and composed the eulogy "Lament for the Tomb of Lord Wangzhu."

The overall structure of Le Yi's Tomb is a circular earthen mound, over 10 meters high, covering an area of approximately 4 mu. About 500 meters northwest of the tomb lies the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and the Beijing-Shijiazhuang Expressway. The surroundings and the top of the earthen mound are covered with lush trees. Originally, in front of Le Yi's Tomb, there was a stele from the 4th year of the Republic of China, along with a stone table and stone stools. The stele had a square top and base, standing 3.1 meters tall, 0.79 meters wide, and 0.25 meters thick. The inscription featured four large characters in official script: "Tomb of Lord Wangzhu," with cloud patterns engraved at the top. The stele is currently preserved at the northern end of the village, and the stone table and stools have also been located.

Dalebao Village: Legend has it that Le Yi, a famous general of the Zhao State during the Warring States period, was buried here. To guard the tomb of General Le, people gradually settled here, forming a village. It was named Lebao Village, consisting of three natural villages: Dalebao, Xiaolebao, and Caolebao. This location is called Dalebao. … More details about Dalebao Village++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Heritage Sites in Handan City

· Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Heritage Sites in Hebei Province