Stone Carvings of the Wu Family Tombs in Jiaxiang

Stone Carvings of the Wu Family Tombs in Jiaxiang

The Stone Carvings of the Wu Family Tombs in Jiaxiang are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a patriotic education base.

The Stone Carvings of the Wu Family Tombs in Jiaxiang are located north of Wuzhai Mountain Village, Zhifang Town, Jiaxiang County. These are Han Dynasty ancestral halls and burial sites, initially built during the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Constructed entirely of stone, the site features carved stone reliefs with rich content and exquisite craftsmanship, making it a well-preserved treasure of Han Dynasty stone carving art in China. Currently, the site preserves one pair of stone memorial archways, one pair of stone lions, two stone steles, and over forty stone components from four sets of ancestral hall carvings. The Wu family tombs were first recorded in the "Ji Gu Lu" (Collected Antiquities) by Ouyang Xiu of the Northern Song Dynasty and the "Jin Shi Lu" (Record of Metal and Stone) by Zhao Mingcheng, while the Southern Song Dynasty scholar Hong Shu compiled the inscriptions and images in his works "Li Shi" (Explanation of Clerical Script) and "Li Xu" (Sequel to Li Shi). In 1964, the stone memorial archways and stone lions, which were buried in a deep pit, were lifted to their current ground level and a spacious protective shelter was built. In 1961, they were designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The stone carvings of the tomb complex are architectural stone carvings from the late Eastern Han Dynasty Wu family burial grounds. Also known as the Wu Liang Shrine or Wu Family Shrines, they are located north of Wuzhai Mountain Village, Jiaxiang County, Shandong Province. The surviving structures include a pair of stone memorial archways, a pair of stone lions, two Wu family steles, and four groups of scattered ancestral hall relief stones. The carvings are exquisitely crafted and demonstrate skilled techniques, serving as valuable historical materials.

The Wu family tombs date back to the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling of the Eastern Han Dynasty (147–189 AD). Apart from the stone memorial archways, the other stone shrines collapsed after the Song Dynasty. The reliefs from the “Wu Liang Shrine” were first recorded in the "Ji Gu Lu" by Ouyang Xiu and the "Jin Shi Lu" by Zhao Mingcheng of the Northern Song Dynasty. Hong Shu of the Southern Song Dynasty also documented some of the inscribed texts and images in his works "Li Shi" and "Li Xu," and it was then that they began to be referred to as the “Wu Liang Shrine Reliefs.” During the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era, Huang Yi and others excavated the shrine stones. At the time, it was believed that there were four shrines: the Wu Liang Shrine and three others named the Front Stone Chamber, Rear Stone Chamber, and Left Stone Chamber based on their relative locations to the Wu Liang Shrine. After planning for their protection, shelters were built on-site, and the relief stones were embedded into the walls, surrounded by stone fences, with the double memorial archways enclosed within. The entrance was inscribed with the name “Wu Family Shrine.”

Later, enthusiasts gradually added scattered Han Dynasty stone reliefs to the shrine, and rubbings were widely circulated. These works were extensively recorded in both Chinese and foreign publications, with specialized research and documentation by scholars such as Bi Yuan, Qu Zhongrong, and Rong Geng. In 1941, American scholar Wilma Fairbank attempted to reconstruct the shrine based on rubbings of the reliefs, but she was unable to fully resolve the reconstruction of all shrine stones. In 1981, Chinese archaeologists conducted a comprehensive study of the original stones and reconfigured the Wu Family Shrines. They confirmed the existence of three shrines—the Wu Liang Shrine, Front Stone Chamber, and Left Stone Chamber—and concluded that the Rear Stone Chamber did not exist.

The stone memorial archways and stone lions were originally part of the spirit way facilities of the Wu family tombs. The two archways are symmetrically placed, with a distance of 4.15 meters between them. Each consists of a base, body, capital, and top. They feature double eaves extending horizontally, with the top adorned with four-slope tile ridges, alongside single-eave subsidiary archways. The total height is 4.30 meters, with each base being 2.58 meters wide and 1.4 meters thick. The entire structure is covered with carved reliefs and decorative patterns. The front of the two archway bodies bears an inscription from the first year of the Jianhe era (147 AD), consisting of over 90 characters, recording the names of the individuals who erected the archways—Wu Shigong and his brothers Sui Zong, Jingxing, and Kaiming—as well as the names of the craftsmen. A pair of round, sculpted stone lions stands facing each other on either side of the archways. They are 1.24 meters tall and 1.45 meters long, with wide mouths, staring eyes, raised heads, and a dignified yet lively appearance.

Since the Song Dynasty, epigraphers have continuously documented these works. The Wu Liang Stele and Wu Kaiming Stele have been lost for a long time, but the Wu Ban Stele and Wu Rong Stele still exist. The Wu Ban Stele is gui-shaped, with a round hole in the top section, and is 2.10 meters tall.

The Wu Liang Shrine was originally a single-bay, gable-and-hip roof stone structure. Currently, six stones survive: three “Wu Liang Shrine Reliefs,” two “Auspicious Omens” stones, and one broken pillar from the “Wu Family Forest.” The walls and roof of the shrine are covered with carvings. The upper sections of the three walls depict historical stories, with the richest collection of auspicious images, including ancient emperors from Fuxi to the Xia and Shang dynasties, loyal ministers and righteous men such as Lin Xiangru, Zhuan Zhu, and Jing Ke, and filial sons and virtuous women like Min Ziqian, Lao Laizi, Ding Lan, and Liang Gaohang. The lower sections of the three walls feature carvings of the shrine owner’s processions, family life, and kitchen scenes. The eastern and western wall peaks depict celestial tales of the Eastern King and Western Queen Mother, while the inner ceiling features various auspicious images such as divine tripods, yellow dragons, lovebirds, and conjoined beasts, all accompanied by clerical script inscriptions.

The Front Stone Chamber was originally a double-bay, gable-and-hip roof stone structure, with a niche in the center of the rear wall. Currently, sixteen stones survive: twelve “Front Stone Chamber Reliefs,” two from the “Rear Stone Chamber Reliefs” (stones 4–5), one “Confucius Meets Laozi” stone, and one offering table stone. The shrine is densely covered with carvings, including mythological stories of the Western Queen Mother and Eastern King, as well as depictions of Confucius meeting Laozi, Confucius’ disciples, the shrine owner’s life experiences, processions, banquets, kitchens, and celestial tales. The western wall’s lower section features a large-scale battle scene on land and water. The niche’s rear wall depicts the shrine owner’s residence in a multi-story building. The chamber ceiling features celestial myths such as immortals on procession, Thunder God and Lightning Goddess, the Big Dipper Deity, and Fuxi and Nüwa. The carriage and horse reliefs in the Front Stone Chamber contain numerous inscriptions, many of which align with the recorded life of Wu Rong from the Wu Rong Stele. It is generally inferred that the shrine owner was Wu Rong.

The Left Stone Chamber had the same original structure as the Front Stone Chamber. Currently, seventeen stones survive: eight from the original “Left Stone Chamber Reliefs” (stones 2–9), seven from the “Rear Stone Chamber Reliefs” (stones 1–3 and 6–9), one broken ridge stone, and one decorative stone slab. The content and layout are similar to those of the Front Stone Chamber. Some unique carvings not found in the Front Stone Chamber include Duke Zhou Assisting King Cheng, The Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors, and Guan Zhong Shooting Duke Huan of Qi, as well as sea spirits, mountain journeys, and ascension scenes on the ceiling. There are no inscriptions, and the identity of the shrine owner remains uncertain.

The stone carvings of the Wu Family Tomb Complex primarily employ the relief technique of carving raised designs against a recessed background. This method maintains flat wall surfaces while making the reliefs stand out vividly. The outer stone surfaces around the figures are left with neat, dense vertical chisel marks. The compositions are organized in layered and gridded sections, creating a clear and orderly structure.

These stone carvings have drawn global attention for their rare combination of “ancient simplicity in reliefs and exquisite clerical script.” Renowned scholars and artists have eagerly made rubbings of them, and they have been extensively recorded in both Chinese and foreign publications.

Further Reading:

· National Third-Class Museum of China

· First Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units