Tomb of Bao Zhao

Tomb of Bao Zhao

The Tomb of Bao Zhao is a cultural relic protection unit of Hubei Province.

The Tomb of Bao Zhao is located in Dongchansi Village, Huangmei Town, Huangmei County, within the Huangmei County Soil and Fertilizer Testing Station. Bao Zhao, courtesy name Mingyuan (405–466), was a native of Donghai (present-day southern Cangshan County, Shandong) during the Southern Song Dynasty of the Liu Song period. During the reign of Emperor Wen, he served as a Palace Secretariat Clerk, later becoming a Military Advisor to Prince Linhai Liu Zixu. He authored the Collected Works of Bao, Attendant-at-Court, excelling in yuefu poetry and particularly in seven-character songs, which were noted for their elegant style and had considerable influence on later Tang poets such as Li Bai and Cen Shen. When Liu Zixu was defending Jingzhou and raised troops in Jiangzhou, Bao Zhao guarded the Huangmei area. Later, after Liu Zixu's defeat, Bao Zhao was killed by mutinous soldiers and was buried west of the city. The tomb features an earthen mound two meters high, faces south, and has a stele in front that is 1.96 meters tall and 0.9 meters wide, inscribed with “Tomb of Bao Mingyuan, Military Advisor of the Southern Song,” in traditional regular script. The stele was erected in the 25th year of the Daoguang reign (1845) of the Qing Dynasty by then-county magistrate Yu Changlie when he renovated the tomb.

Bao Zhao (c. 415–470) was a literary figure of the Southern Song Dynasty of the Liu Song period. His courtesy name was Mingyuan, and he was of Han ethnicity, hailing from Donghai (present-day Jiangsu). Coming from a poor family, he served as a Military Advisor to Prince Linhai Liu Zixu when the latter governed Jingzhou. When Liu Zixu rebelled, Bao Zhao was killed by the rebel troops. He was highly skilled in yuefu poetry, and his seven-character verse played a significant role in the development of Tang poetry. His collected works are known as the Collected Works of Bao, Attendant-at-Court.

Bao Zhao is regarded as the most accomplished literary figure among scholars of the Northern and Southern Dynasties period and is grouped with Yan Yanzhi and Xie Lingyun as one of the “Three Masters of Yuanjia.” Originally from Donghai (the seat of Donghai Commandery was in present-day Tancheng County, Linyi City, Shandong… More detailed information about Bao Zhao++)

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Hubei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units