Tomb Complex of Duke Liang

Tomb Complex of Duke Liang

The Lianggonglin Tomb Complex is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

Lianggonglin, also known as Qishengwanglin, is located 13 kilometers east of Qufu City, bordered by National Highway 327 to the north, Fangshan Mountain to the south, and the Si River to the north. It is the burial site of Confucius’s father, Shulianghe, and his mother, Yan Zhengzai. When Confucius was three, his father Shulianghe passed away and was buried on the northern side of Fangshan Mountain. At the age of 24, after his mother Yan Zhengzai died, he had them buried together. A father is honored because of his son—during the Jin Dynasty, Shulianghe was posthumously titled Duke of Qi, and in the Yuan Dynasty, he was honored as Qishengwang (Sage’s First Teacher), hence the site is also called “Qishengwanglin.”

The cemetery has been expanded over the years, surrounded by stone walls, shaded by ancient cypresses, and features a three-room offering hall. Behind the hall lies an inner wall of the cemetery, at the center of which is the joint tomb of Shulianghe and Yan Zhengzai. The tombstone bears the seal script inscription “Tomb of the Holy Father, Duke of Qi.” In front of the tomb are stone figures and beasts. There is also the tomb of Mengpi nearby, marked by a stele inscribed “Tomb of the Holy Brother, Bo’ni.” The site now covers an area of over 20 acres, with ancient cypresses twisting like dragons and old junipers providing shade, along with structures such as the offering hall and the cemetery gate.

When Confucius was three, his father Shulianghe passed away and was buried on the northern side of Fangshan Mountain. At the age of 24, after his mother Yan Zhengzai died, he had them buried together. At that time, it was not customary for couples to be buried together, but Confucius chose to inter his parents in the same grave and built a mound over it, pioneering the practice of joint burials and the construction of mounds over graves. Through multiple renovations over the dynasties, it has reached its current scale. The cemetery stretches 200 meters from north to south and 143.4 meters from east to west, with 467 ancient trees. The spirit path in front of the cemetery is 177.9 meters long and 42.3 meters wide, featuring a three-room main gate, with decorative walls shaped like reversed “八” characters on both sides. Along the pathway are pairs of stone-carved statues including ornamental columns, stone leopards, qilin-like creatures, and stone figures—all crafted during the Jin Dynasty. The offering hall is five bays wide and three bays deep, with side doors at each end leading into the central tomb area. In front of the tomb are stone tablets, offering tables, tripods, and vases. Ten meters southeast of the tomb lies the burial site of Confucius’s elder brother, Mengpi. Fifteen meters east of the spirit path, three well-preserved Han Dynasty pictorial stone tomb chambers are still extant.

In 1985, Lianggonglin was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit of Jining. In 1992, it was listed as a key provincial cultural relic protection unit of Shandong.

Lianggonglin Village: Located northeast of the town center of Fangshan Town, on the southern side of National Highway 327, the village derives its name from its proximity to Lianggonglin, hence the name “Lianggonglin Village.” It has 380 households, a population of 1,316, 38 Party members, and a six-member village “two committees” team. Currently, the village collective income is 50,000 yuan.

… More details about Lianggonglin Village ++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units

· First Batch of Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jining