Mother Yue Temple Scenic Area

Mother Yue Temple Scenic Area

The Mother Yue Temple Scenic Area is a cultural tourism attraction.

“Borrowing the fame of great mountains to escape worldly clamor,” retirement was a “Zhongnan path” for ancient Chinese literati and scholar-officials—a way to retreat from society, indulge their passions, and seek beauty. Though such retreat was rare among military generals, Yue Fei, the famed Southern Song anti-Jin dynasty general, was one who yearned for it. In the first year of the Shaoxing era under Emperor Gaozong of Song (1131 AD), Yue Fei was stationed with his troops in Jiangzhou. He visited Mount Lu several times, deeply moved by its spiritual beauty and exquisite landscapes, and secretly wished to retire here once he had achieved fame and success. Of course, his desire to retreat to Mount Lu never came true, but he did have his mother, Lady Yao, buried on Mount Lu.

Lady Yao, Yue Fei’s mother, was from Tangyin, Henan Province. She is revered as a model for Chinese women and a paragon of motherhood. During a time of national crisis, she encouraged her son to join the military and taught him to serve the country with utmost loyalty, earning her the respect of the Chinese people as a virtuous mother and recognition as one of history’s three great exemplary mothers. The story of “Mother Yue Tattooing Her Son’s Back” has become a classic in Chinese maternal education.

From the first to the fifth year of the Shaoxing era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1131–1135), Yue Fei led the Yue Family Army in battles around Jiangzhou. His mother, Lady Yao, also accompanied the army to Xunyang and grew fond of the scenery of Mount Kuanglu. In 1136, Yue Fei was transferred to E’zhou, but unexpectedly passed away while still in service. Yue Fei petitioned the imperial court to have his mother’s remains buried on Mount Lu, so that she could rest forever alongside the mountain. Emperor Gaozong of Song approved the request, granting permission for her burial on Mount Lu at Zhuling.

The beautiful and secluded Zhuling is located on the outskirts of Mount Lu, its mountain range shaped like a carpenter’s square and extending from the southwest to the northwest. Mother Yue’s tomb is situated at the northeastern end of Zhuling, in a place called “Crouching Tiger Licking Its Tail.”

Mother Yue’s Tomb is built with stones from Huguang, featuring a circular arched roof. It faces southeast and is oriented toward the northwest. At the center is a frame-style tombstone inscribed with: “Tomb of Lady Yao, Mother of King Yue Zhongwu of the Song Dynasty.” In front of the tomb is a worship platform and stone ritual vessels. On both sides are the “Records of the Reconstruction of Mother Yue’s Tomb.” With its substantial size and simple form, the tomb exudes a sense of understated stability and primal simplicity.

The people living around Zhuling Mountain take pride in having the bones of such a great mother resting in their hometown. Every Qingming Festival, crowds of visitors come to pay their respects at Mother Yue’s Tomb, commemorating her noble character...

Location

Zhuling Mountain