Shouguang Cangjie Tomb

Shouguang Cangjie Tomb

The Shouguang Cangjie Tomb is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Shouguang Cangjie Tomb is located to the north outside the west gate of Shouguang City, on the west side of the main road (now within the compound of the Urban and Rural Construction Committee on the north section of Central Avenue). The tomb mound measures 4.47 meters in both length and width, and is 2.26 meters high, covered with overgrown weeds. The entire tomb site spans over 10 acres, enclosed by low walls on all sides, with green water surrounding the outer perimeter. Both banks are lined with weeping willows, and in summer, their branches and leaves spread out lushly, with verdant willows hiding birds, creating a tranquil and scenic landscape. The main gate is a round moon-shaped archway, and in front of the gate is a small bridge over flowing water, adding an elegant charm. In front of the tomb stands a pavilion called “Qimi Pavilion” (Pavilion of Unveiling Mysteries). The pavilion has a stone base and wooden structure, featuring 12 columns, upturned eaves and flying corners, with a unique design. An inscription on its couplet reads: “A great literary legacy of a thousand years lies beneath three feet of earth; the spiritual essence of heaven and earth resides in this solitary pavilion.” During the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, County Magistrate Song Ming inscribed a plaque that read: “Originator of Writing.” In 1917, County Magistrate Yin Zhigao engraved a couplet on the pavilion’s stone that reads: “The stone chamber preserves books; the 28 characters of writing coiled like dragons—apart from Li Si of the Qin and Shusun Tong of the Han, no one could decipher them; the secluded tomb houses ancient earth; the four-thousand-year-old relics of the primeval age, together with the Tomb of Nüwa and the Mausoleum of Shaohao, are passed down through history.” Inside the pavilion, there are stone tables and benches for visitors to rest and play chess. In front of the pavilion are two wells, one to the east and one to the west, referred to as the “Cangjie Twin Wells” in the old “Eight Scenic Spots.” The garden is shaded by pines, cypresses, locusts, and willows, providing cool cover from the ancient trees in the heat of summer. Throughout history, many literati have composed poems in memory of the site.