Tomb of Ma Duanlin

Tomb of Ma Duanlin

The Tomb of Ma Duanlin is a cultural heritage site protected by Jiangxi Province.

The Tomb of Ma Duanlin is a burial site excavated in the 1960s, located in Shili Village, Shifeng Mountain Reclamation Farm, approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Leping City.

The Tomb of Ma Duanlin, located in Shili Village, Shifeng Mountain Reclamation Farm, about 20 kilometers southeast of the city, faces south and stands 12 meters above the ground. Sixty meters in front of the tomb is the Le'an River, with low earthen mounds on both sides, and the overall terrain resembles a “swallow diving into the river.”

The Tomb of Ma Duanlin was excavated in the 1960s, leaving only a damaged pit. This pit is situated on the upper slope southwest of “Ma’s Hillock,” facing south toward the river. The pit is now empty of relics and overgrown with weeds. Its deepest point does not exceed the height of an average person’s head, about 1.6 meters, and its widest part is around 6 meters, extending downhill in two parallel straight lines. The overall shape of the pit is rectangular.

According to local residents, the excavation took place in the early years of the Great Leap Forward, with many people participating. Several long stone slabs of varying lengths were unearthed from the soil, along with a few burial items, all of which were taken away by the excavators. Later, two items were recovered: a twelve-zodiac figurine vase and a small tin pot. Despite extensive investigations, no evidence of a tomb epitaph being found has been discovered.

Historical Records

Regarding the burial site of Ma Duanlin, the *Genealogy of the Ma Clan* records: “The late Ma Duanlin, styled Fang’er, also known as Guiyu, alias Zhucun, and his wife Lady Li, are jointly buried in Yunjin’e Pond, Dafen.” This refers to the area around “Ma’s Hillock.”

The reason Ma Duanlin was buried in Fenyun, according to the *Genealogy of the Ma Clan*, is: “Located at the place called Dafen Yunjin’e Pond Valley, land here including fields, mountains, and forests was once owned by Ning Gong Tingluan.” From the perspective of feng shui, this location is considered ideal in terms of both scenery and geomantic energy.

In 1952, Comrade Peng Shifan from the archaeological team of the Provincial Museum investigated the Tomb of Ma Duanlin. At that time, the tomb stele was still present, and photographs were taken. These photos are preserved by both Peng Shifan and the Leping County Annals Office. In 1983, it was designated as a cultural heritage site under the protection of Leping County. The tomb was restored and the stele re-erected in 2004.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units