Stone Carvings at King Han’s Tomb

Stone Carvings at King Han’s Tomb

The Stone Carvings at King Han’s Tomb are a cultural tourism attraction.

Located 200 meters north of Liangpuying Village, Dongduzhuang Town, Shen County, this is the tomb stele of Han Yunchong, the military governor of Wei-Bo during the Tang Dynasty, and his father Han Guochang, who served as the Left Cavalry Attendant. It is a provincial-level key cultural relic protection site. The body and crown of the stele are carved from a single piece of stone, standing 6.8 meters tall, 2.13 meters wide, and 0.77 meters thick. The inscription is in the Ouyang style of regular script, spanning approximately 2,400 characters. The stele crown features a high-relief design of a coiled dragon breathing fire, with a grand and majestic composition, balanced layout, powerful lines, skilled and confident carving, and a magnificent aura. Additionally, there is a stone horse led by an armored warrior; the horse measures 2.45 meters in length and 1.70 meters in height, with a solemn and noble form, vivid and smooth lines, and a lifelike expression, fully showcasing the strength and elegance of mid-imperial Chinese medieval stone carving art during its ascendant period.

Ancient stone carvings. Located northeast of Liangpuying Village, Dongduzhuang Township, Shen County. This is a group of stone carvings from the spirit way of the tombs of Han Yunchong, the military governor of Wei-Bo in the late Tang Dynasty, and his father Han Guochang. The tombs face south, and the earthen mounds above ground have been leveled. The remaining stone carvings include Han Yunchong’s tomb stele, Han Guochang’s spirit way stele, tomb markers, as well as sculptures of a boar, sheep, horse, and armored warriors. The steles of Han Yunchong and Han Guochang are similar in size and shape. Both the body and the top of the steles are carved from a single piece of stone, standing 6.8 meters tall, 2.13 meters wide, and 0.77 meters thick. The top features relief carvings of six dragons, twisting and coiling in layered complexity, with dragon heads positioned on the sides of the stele top and a central guiform space. Much of the inscription is damaged, but over 2,400 legible characters remain, written in neat, vigorous strokes with dynamic and steep turns, reflecting the style of Chu Suiliang. The tomb marker, located at the southernmost end of the spirit way stele, is octagonal, standing 3.49 meters tall, with a circular top adorned with upward-facing lotus petals and a square base. The eight-sided column is inscribed with brief text from the second year of the Shaosheng era of the Song Dynasty, recording the addition of spirit way stone carvings during that period. The stone boar, with its head missing, stands 1.12 meters tall. Its muscular build and strong legs, crouching on a square base, exude a fierce and inviolable presence. The stone sheep, 0.92 meters tall, lies on a rectangular base with large, curved horns, gazing serenely forward. The stone horse, 2.36 meters in length and 1.60 meters tall, is saddled and bridled, with simple yet solid carving. On the horse’s left front side is a stone figure of a Central Asian-dressed man in a sash leading the horse; the head is missing, but the figure is 1.40 meters tall, appearing dignified and lifelike. The warrior figure wears a crown, stands with a sword in both hands on a square platform, and is 2.73 meters tall. With a short neck, wide-open eyes, and a commanding presence, the figure is solemn and majestic. The Han family originally came from Runan in Henan and generations served as generals under the Wei Kingdom. Han Guochang rose to the position of Prefect of Beizhou and passed away in 852 (the sixth year of the Dazhong era of the Tang Dynasty). Han Yunchong became the military governor of Wei-Bo and died in 874 (the first year of the Qianfu era). As both father and son held prominent official positions, the grandeur and magnificence of their spirit way stone carvings set them apart from ordinary ones. In June 1992, they were designated as a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit by the Shandong Provincial Government.

Source: People's Government of Shen County