Tomb of Chen Sheng in Yongcheng

Tomb of Chen Sheng in Yongcheng

The Tomb of Chen Sheng in Yongcheng is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

Introduction:

The tomb of Chen Sheng, the first leader of a peasant uprising in Chinese history, is located at the southwestern foot of the main peak of Mangdang Mountain in the northeast of Yongcheng City. The existing tomb mound is 5 meters high and about 50 meters in circumference. It is surrounded by a bluestone wall with a high top and a Sumeru pedestal at the base. The central inscription, written by Guo Moruo, reads “Tomb of Chen Sheng, Leader of the Late Qin Peasant Uprising.” Chen Sheng, courtesy name She, was a native of Yangcheng. In the first year of the reign of the Second Emperor of Qin (209 BC), he was conscripted to garrison at Yuyang. Together with Wu Guang from Yangxia, he rebelled in Daze Township, Qixian County, by cutting wood for weapons and raising poles as flags, thus launching the first peasant uprising in Chinese history. They established the Zhangchu regime in Chen County (present-day Huaiyang), which gained significant momentum and shook the oppressive Qin rule. After the failure of the uprising, Chen Sheng was killed by his charioteer Zhuang Jia. Later, his subordinate Lü Chen killed Zhuang Jia and had Chen Sheng reburied on Mangdang Mountain. The Western Han Dynasty, in recognition of Chen Sheng’s role in initiating the anti-Qin rebellion, allocated 30 families during Emperor Gaozu’s reign to guard the tomb, exempting them from taxes and corvée labor. This practice gradually faded after the Eastern Han Dynasty. In 1975, the state allocated special funds for renovation, enclosing 4,000 square meters around the tomb with stone walls, planting pines and cypresses, and stationing tomb guards. It is now a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit.

Shangqiu, Henan

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Henan Province