Memorial Hall of Fei Hong

Memorial Hall of Fei Hong

The Memorial Hall of Fei Hong is a cultural relic protection unit of Shangrao City.

Fei Hong was a native of Fuhuileiqiao (now Chaijiabu in Hekou Town), Yanshan County, born in the fourth year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1468). He held a series of important official positions in the imperial court, including Compiler at the Hanlin Academy, Tutor to the Crown Prince, Vice Minister of Rites, Minister of Rites, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Personnel, and Chief Grand Secretary of the Cabinet (equivalent to Prime Minister). He was successively conferred the titles of Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, Wuying Hall, Huagai Hall, and Jinshen Hall, as well as the honorary ranks of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent, Pillar of the State and Junior Guardian, and Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent. He served through four dynasties, entered the Cabinet three times, and held office for a total of 48 years until his death in office in the fourteenth year of the Jiajing era (1535) at the age of 68. He was posthumously honored with the title “Wenxian” and was buried in his hometown of Yanshan.

Fei Hong’s tomb is located at the foot of Hanzhu Mountain to the west of the village. At the entrance of the tomb stands a bluestone memorial archway — the “Zhuangyuan Zai Fang” (Number One Scholar and Prime Minister Archway). Behind the archway, a pathway leads directly to the tomb mound. The pathway is 6.5 meters wide and 27 meters long, paved with flagstones and pebbles. Five pairs of stone figures and horses are arranged facing each other, all exquisitely crafted and dignified in appearance. The stone horses are gentle, elegant, and lifelike, while the stone figures (stone statues of officials) stand solemnly with deep respect. At the front end of the pathway is a courtyard gate, flanked by a couplet that reads: “Overlooking the New City Dam from afar by the Pearl-Holding Mountain; Welcomed by the Huiji Canal beside the official’s hats and robes.” Both the New City Dam and the Huiji Canal are water conservancy projects built by Fei Hong for the benefit of his hometown. Inside the courtyard gate lies the tomb site, where the grave mound is built with bluestones, standing 3.3 meters high and 4.4 meters in diameter, surrounded by a low bluestone wall. Behind the protective wall, at the center of the wall, stands a bluestone tomb stele, 2.7 meters tall, inscribed with seven characters: “Tomb of Fei Hong, Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty.” The tomb site covers an area of 860 square meters. Surrounded by lush trees and verdant greenery, with birds chirping and cicadas humming, the site is further enriched with tranquility and solemnity.

To the left of Fei Hong’s tomb is the “Memorial Hall of Fei Hong,” also known as the “Cuiying Hall.” It features a wooden and stone structure, with stone drums standing on both sides of the gate. Upon entering, there is a courtyard, with the main hall on the left, consisting of six bays and five rooms, and side rooms on either side. In the central hall of the main building, two plaques are hung: “Zhuangyuan Zai Fu” (Number One Scholar and Prime Minister) and “Tianguan Shao Zai” (Junior Minister of Heaven’s Officials). In the center is a colored portrait of Fei Hong. In 1980, Fei Hong’s tomb was designated as a county-level cultural relic protection unit, and in 2006, it was listed as a municipal key cultural relic protection unit.