Tomb of Wei Songshan

Tomb of Wei Songshan

The Tomb of Wei Songshan is a cultural tourism attraction.

Era: Ming Dynasty, Wanli period

Type: Ancient tomb

Address: Wujian Mountain (also known as Sanjiangkou), east side of Weicun Village, Daifangqiaotou, Dinghu Town, Anyi County, Jiangxi Province

Introduction:

The Tomb of Wei Songshan is situated on Wujian Mountain (also called Sanjiangkou), on the east side of Weicun Village, Daifangqiaotou, Dinghu Town. It is the burial site of Wei Songshan, a local philanthropist, who was laid to rest here in the 35th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1608 AD).

The tomb is located on the slope of a mountain. The sloped land was leveled to create a burial area approximately 11 meters long and 5 meters wide, oriented east-to-west. Within the burial area, structures are arranged in sequence: a pavilion-gate, stone pillars, a worship stone, the tomb mound, and a memorial stele. Details are as follows: The pavilion-gate features three gates and four pillars in a single-eave style, all constructed from granite. The roof and tile ridges are made from two large slate slabs joined together, with the tile ridges carved directly into the stone. The roof is supported by large stone brackets resting on stone beams. Below the beams are through-beams that stabilize the main pillars on both sides. Two main beams extend straight down to the ground, and with the addition of protective stones at the base of the pillars, the structure is secured both front and back, forming the central gate. The two side gates have simpler structures, each consisting of a single pillar and beam, interconnected with the central gate pillars. The pavilion-gate is 3.6 meters in total length and 2.45 meters in overall height. The through-beam of the central gate bears an inscription in intaglio: the front reads “Shanshi Pavilion” (Pavilion of the Philanthropist), while the back reads “Record of the Wei Songshan Pavilion,” along with a small line of characters indicating the year. The construction materials of this pavilion-gate give an impression of sturdiness and solidity. Its design is simple and unadorned, with bold and powerful lines, representing a typical example of folk stone architecture from the Ming Dynasty.