Tomb of Lady Yao, Mother of Yue Fei

Tomb of Yue Fei’s Mother – Lady Yao

The Tomb of Yue Fei’s Mother, Lady Yao, is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Tomb of Lady Yao

The tomb of Yue Fei’s mother, Lady Yao, is located at Zhuling Mountain, about 2 kilometers west of Jiujiang County at the western foot of Mount Lu. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and open on one, the site resembles a crouching tiger — hence the name “Crouching Tiger’s Tail.”

Lady Yao is revered as a paragon of motherhood and a role model for women. In 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 lasting respect as a wise and virtuous mother. In her later years, she accompanied Yue Fei in the army and was cared for by him. She passed away in the spring of the sixth year of the Shaoxing era (1163 AD) in Ezhou (present-day Wuchang). Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty granted the burial site at its current location. The tomb area originally had facilities such as temples, pavilions, halls, and chambers built during the Song and Ming dynasties, most of which were destroyed in wars. Only the tomb of Lady Yao has been repaired through generations and remained well-preserved after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It was listed as a key cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province in 1959.

To explore historical and cultural heritage and strengthen patriotic education, in the spring of 1996, the Jiujiang County Party Committee and County Government invested over 2 million yuan, acquired more than 30 acres of land, and restored facilities such as the Diecui Pavilion, the Hall of Offerings, the Temple of Lady Yao, the Ceremonial Gate, and stone statues of figures and horses on the original site of the ancestral temple at the tomb, following the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. A screen wall was also added. Inside the temple (hall), there are statues of Lady Yao and Yue Fei for visitors to pay tribute. This site has been designated as a Jiujiang City Patriotic Education Base and is one of the famous attractions in the Mount Lu Scenic Area.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province