Tomb of Yu Liang Mountain (Han Dynasty)

Tomb of Yu Liang Mountain (Han Dynasty)

The Tomb of Yu Liang Mountain (Han Dynasty) is a cultural tourism attraction.

After Chiyou’s death, his body was dismembered and buried in different locations. <> states: “Chiyou’s tomb is within the city of Kanguang (present-day Taian County, Henan Province) in Shouzhang County, Dongping Commandery, standing seven zhang tall...” <> also records: “The Yellow Emperor mustered troops from the feudal lords and fought Chiyou in the fields of Zhuolu, eventually capturing and killing him.”

After Chiyou’s death, his body was dismembered and buried. <> notes: “Chiyou’s tomb is in Kanguang (present-day Taian County, Henan Province) within the city of Shouzhang County, Dongping Commandery, standing seven zhang tall... The Shoulder-Blade Tomb is in Juye County, Shanyang Commandery, similar in size to the Kanguang tomb.” <> also mentions: “The Chiyou Tomb is located eight li northeast of Juye County.” Over the dynasties of Xia, Shang, Zhou, and Han, through the passage of time and changes in the landscape, the size of the tomb mound gradually shrank. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, a temple was built atop the mound, but after the Qing dynasty, the tomb suffered repeated damage. By the time of the 1982 county-wide cultural relics survey, the mound measured 38 meters east-west and 31 meters north-south, covering a total area of 1,200 square meters.

Chiyou, along with Huangdi and Yandi, is considered one of the founding ancestors of the Chinese nation. At that time, his tribe had already pioneered a settled lifestyle based primarily on agriculture and mastered copper smelting techniques. <> mentions: “Chiyou forged weapons from metal.” <> also states: “From the mountain of Gelu, water gushed forth along with metal, which Chiyou received and used to forge swords, halberds, and spears...” The advent of red copper also laid the foundation for the later flourishing of bronze culture. Long before the Qin and Han dynasties, Chiyou was revered as the “God of War” and “Deity of Battle,” receiving grand worship. <> records that Liu Bang “worshipped Huangdi and offered sacrifices to Chiyou in the court of Pei.” However, influenced by the notion that “the victor becomes king and the vanquished a bandit,” Chiyou was depicted in some historical texts as a tyrannical figure who “defied imperial orders” and was “demonic and monstrous.” To promote outstanding historical culture and strengthen national cohesion, in 2002, the Juye County Committee and County People’s Government carried out emergency restoration work on Chiyou’s Tomb. The tomb was enclosed with clean-edged mushroom stones, forming a wall 1.9 meters high and 81 meters in circumference, equipped with railings and surrounded by a flagstone path. Pine and cypress trees were planted on the mound to symbolize the long-standing heritage of the Chinese nation.