Sun Tang Memorial Hall

Sun Tang Memorial Hall

The Sun Tang Memorial Hall is located in Datieniumiao Village, Pingshang Town, Junan County — the hometown of Sun Tang, a renowned anti-pirate general of the Ming Dynasty. Born in 1523, Sun Tang gave up business and joined the military at the age of 27, fighting pirates along the southeastern coast and achieving numerous military successes. In 1556, during the Battle of Shihu Bridge in Songjiang Prefecture, Sun Tang died a martyr at the young age of 34. Emperor Jiajing posthumously honored him as Libationer of the Imperial Kitchen and later conferred the title of Grand Master of Splendid Happiness (first-rank official). In 1992, villagers of Datieniumiao Village raised 300,000 yuan to build this classical-style Sun Tang Memorial Hall. Inside the hall are statues and murals depicting the life and deeds of Sun Tang, and in front of the hall stands a forest of steles, including a marble statue of Sun Tang.

In front of the Sun Tang Memorial Hall, there is a stone iron meteorite that fell during the Tang Dynasty. Measuring 1.4 meters in length, 0.8 meters in height, and weighing about 4,000 kilograms, it is called the Iron Ox due to its resemblance to a reclining ox. The village is named after the Iron Ox, giving rise to the saying “The village came after the Iron Ox.”