Tomb of Han Yu

Tomb of Han Yu

The Tomb of Han Yu is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Introduction:

The Tomb of Han Yu is located on the Banling Slope north of Hanzhuang Village, 6 kilometers west of Meng County. It was first built in the first year of the Baoli era (825 AD) during the reign of Emperor Jingzong of the Tang Dynasty. The tomb site is situated in a hilly area, with the burial mound standing over 10 meters high. In front of the mound is a memorial hall, which includes three dining halls and three gatehouses. There are a total of 13 stone tablets within the memorial hall, recording the life and deeds of Han Yu. In the front courtyard of the tomb, there are two ancient cypresses, said to have been planted during the Tang Dynasty. A stone tablet inscription from Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty by Meng County Magistrate Qiu Ruhu reads: "The Twin Marvels of Tang Cypresses." The left cypress stands 5 zhang tall with a girth of 1.2 zhang; the right one is 4 zhang tall with a girth of 1.1 zhang. In November 1986, it was designated as a Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Henan Province. Han Yu, a native of Meng County, was a renowned literary figure, statesman, philosopher, thinker, and educator of the Tang Dynasty. He passed the imperial examination in the Zhenyuan era, held the position of Vice Minister of Personnel, and was the foremost among the "Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties."

Henan Jiaozuo

Han Yu (768–824), a literary and philosophical figure of the Tang Dynasty. His courtesy name was Tuizhi. He was from Heyang, Henan (present-day Meng County), and his family claimed ancestry from Changli, hence he was commonly known as Han Changli. Due to his position as Vice Minister of Personnel, he was also referred to as Han the Minister of Personnel. Posthumously honored with the title "Wen," he is also known as Han Wengong.

Biography

Orphaned at the age of three, he was raised by his elder brother and sister-in-law. In his early years, he led a wandering and difficult life but harbored ambitions of using scholarship to serve the world. At 20, he went to Chang’an to take the imperial examination but failed three times. Between the ages of 25 and 35, he first passed the imperial examination but failed the three rounds of the Broad Learning and Eloquent Words test. He then served in the military offices of the military governors Dong Jin in Bianzhou and Zhang Jianfeng in Xuzhou. Later, he returned to the capital and served as a Doctor of the Four Gates. … More detailed information about Han Yu++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units of Henan Province

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units