Tomb of Wang Ruxun

Tomb of Wang Ruxun

The Tomb of Wang Ruxun is a cultural relic protection unit of Liaocheng City.

The Tomb of Wang Ruxun is located one kilometer southeast of Wanglou Village, Shazhen, Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng City, and 200 meters west of Guozhuang Village. Built in the 47th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1620), it faces south and measures 200 meters from north to south and 80 meters from east to west. Originally, there was a spirit way in front of the tomb, with stone horses, stone sheep, stone pigs, stone statues of officials (wengzhong), and memorial tablets lined up on both sides. Currently, there are two stone tables, with clear reliefs and floral designs around them. There are three stone steles, two of which are Bixi-dragon-adorned steles, mainly recording Wang Ruxun’s life and career, praising his integrity and uprightness in office. The inscriptions were composed by Ye Xianggao, Grand Secretary of the Eastern Cabinet and Minister of Rites.

According to the county annals: “Wang Ruxun, courtesy name Shigu, style name Hongyang, was a native of Wanglou Village, Shazhen, Dongchangfu District. He passed the imperial examination in the 5th year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1572) and successively held positions such as magistrate of Yuancheng County, principal official of the Ministry of Justice, right vice censor-in-chief, and governor of Zhejiang.” This site holds significant value for the study of family cemeteries from the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as for research on stone carvings and statues. It is a key cultural relic protection unit of Liaocheng City.

The cemetery currently has three standing stone steles, two stone tables with clear reliefs and floral designs around them, and two Bixi statues. Although the Tomb of Wang Ruxun has been severely damaged, its general outline remains.

Many years ago, the entire cemetery was quite large. In front of the steles south of the tomb, there were pairs of stone sheep, stone pigs, stone figures, stone monkeys, stone horses, and stone lions lined up. Even earlier, there was a several-meter-high stone memorial archway south of the stone horses, making for a very spectacular scene. Due to the passage of time, some steles have weathered, and the memorial archway has collapsed. During the Cultural Revolution, the Tomb of Wang Ruxun suffered severe damage, with some statues smashed and figures such as stone humans, stone pigs, and stone sheep buried underground.

Many villagers from Wanglou Village, Wang Ruxun’s hometown, still remember the stone horses and stone monkeys. Wanglou Village currently preserves the only remaining photo of a stone horse, which alone shows its majestic and robust form, exquisitely carved and lifelike, standing over two meters tall.

Wang Ruxun, courtesy name Shigu, style name Hongyang, posthumous title Gongjie, was a native of Wanglou, Shazhen, Liaocheng. He was born in the 30th year of the Jiajing reign (1551) and died in the 38th year of the Wanli reign (1610).

Ruxun was gifted and diligent in his studies from a young age. He finished reading the Four Books and Five Classics by the age of seven and was known as a “child prodigy.” While studying at a private school, he once heard his teacher and friends discussing their aspirations, which were limited to “seeking warmth and food.” Ruxun immediately wrote down his grand ambition in bold strokes: “A thousand words on upholding principles in court and life.” Later, he studied under the disciples of Mu Konghui and grasped the essence of Wang Yangming’s philosophy of the mind (“xinxue”), greatly advancing his scholarship.

In the 4th year of the Longqing reign (1... More detailed information about Wang Ruxun++

Guozhuang Village: Guozhuang Village... More detailed information about Guozhuang Village++