Liu Family Ancestral Tomb in Liugai

Liu Family Ancestral Tomb in Liugai

The Liu Family Ancestral Tomb in Liugai is a Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Unit.

The Liu Family Ancestral Tomb in Liugai is located in Penglou Town, Juancheng County, during the Ming Dynasty. The period is unspecified. In 2013, it was designated as part of the fourth batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units by the People's Government of Shandong Province.

The tomb of Liu Zhong is located 500 meters west of Liugai Village, Penglou Town, Juancheng, Heze City, Shandong Province, and is the burial site of Liu Zhong, who served as the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate during the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. The tomb site currently has 24 steles, two pairs of stone animals, and stone burial chambers buried underground that are under excavation. The mountain gate has been restored to its original appearance.

Liu Zhong, courtesy name Shucheng, was a native of Puzhou (now Liugai Village, Penglou Town, Juancheng County). In the second year of the Jingtai era of the Ming Dynasty (1451 AD), he served as an imperial censor of Guangxi Circuit, later holding office in Taizhou. Known for his integrity and fairness, he governed with appropriate leniency and strictness, achieving remarkable political accomplishments that earned him widespread respect. The locals compiled 18 items summarizing his achievements. Recognizing his contributions, the court promoted him to Right Provincial Administrator of Shanxi. At the time, the region suffered consecutive years of famine, and some young men gathered in the mountains to engage in banditry. Provincial officials proposed sending troops to suppress them, but Liu Zhong argued, “These people are driven by hunger and can be pacified and persuaded to return home.” The officials agreed with his opinion. Liu Zhong went alone on horseback into the mountains to persuade them, explaining the consequences of their actions. Moved, the bandits knelt down and wept, and the next day they dispersed. The people of Yuanqu erected an “Anmin Stele” (People’s Peace Stele) in honor of Liu Zhong’s merits. The court recognized his achievements in pacifying the people and promoted him to Right Provincial Administrator of Sichuan. Liu Zhong admired Zhang Yong, a native of the Song Dynasty from his hometown, and emulated Zhang’s governance methods in Shu. He collected and printed Zhang Yong’s literary works, naming them the Guaiya Collection, drawing inspiration from them. Later, Liu Zhong was transferred to Left Provincial Administrator of Shanxi. With prior experience in the region, he governed even more effectively. Soon after, he was promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate and served as regional inspector for Yulin and other areas. He fell ill due to overwork, retired home, and passed away three years later. He is buried 400 meters north of Liudalou Village, Penglou Town, Juancheng County.

The Puzhou Annals · Historical Sites records: “The tomb of Censor Liu is located 80 li south of the city, on the sunny side of the Hushui River.” Volume Four of the Puzhou Annals contains “The Biography of Liu Zhong.”

The existing burial mound of Liu Zhong’s tomb is 1 meter high. In front of the tomb is a memorial stele from the sixth year of the Hongzhi era, inscribed with the imperial edicts for Liu Zhong’s grandparents and parents. Other associated relics were buried on-site by the Liu family in the 1960s.

Penglou Town: Located in the southeastern part of Juancheng County, at the border between Mudan District and Juancheng County, Penglou Town covers a total area of 79 square kilometers. It administers 46 administrative villages, 83 natural villages, 80,000 mu of arable land, and has a population of 60,000. In 2003, the town’s total industrial and agricultural output value reached 386 million yuan, fiscal revenue was 8 million yuan, and the per capita net income of farmers was 2,250 yuan.

Transportation is convenient. To the east lies National Highway 220, to the west is a provincial road, and it is 12 kilometers south of the Rizhao–Dongying Expressway. The Beijing–Kowloon Railway trunk line and the Linshang Expressway pass through the town, with the Juancheng Railway Station only 3 kilometers away. The town has an extensive network of roads... More detailed information about Penglou Town++

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units