Tomb of Loyal Souls

Tomb of Loyal Souls

The Tomb of Loyal Souls serves as a patriotic education base.

The Tomb of Loyal Souls in Nan’ao County (also known as the Soldiers' Tomb), officially named the “Qing Dynasty Soldiers’ Tomb for Garrisoning Taiwan and Penghu,” is located on a coastal hillside in Wupingzhai, Shen’ao Town. With a grand scale covering an area of over 3,300 square meters, it is a memorial cemetery built to honor the ancient soldiers who once guarded Taiwan and Penghu.

Nan’ao is strategically located at the crossroads of Fujian and Guangdong, and lies just across the sea from Taiwan, making it a key maritime stronghold. In the third year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1575), an edict was issued to establish a “Deputy Commander to Assist in Defending Zhangzhou, Chaozhou and Other Areas, Stationed Exclusively in Nan’ao,” responsible for directing and deploying coastal defenses in the eastern part of Guangdong and the southern part of Fujian. In the 24th year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1685), the post of Nan’ao Regional Commander was elevated, “relocating the Commander of Xiamen Defense and the troops of the Middle, Left, and Right Battalions to Nan’ao,” while also expanding the defended region. This included having “Left Battalion troops take turns guarding Taiwan, Penghu, and Danshui... on a three-year rotation basis.” Many of these soldiers, who bore the glorious mission of defending their country, were either killed in battle or died in service. Some were buried on-site, and several years later, their remains were transferred and reburied in plots behind the northeast outskirts of Wupingzhai in Nan’ao, organized year by year, with tombstones erected and inscribed in tribute.

The architectural features of the Soldiers’ Tomb can be summarized in eight words: solemn and dignified, majestic and grand. The cemetery spans an area of over 3,300 square meters, with the main section occupying more than 1,000 square meters. It consists of four parts: a group of stone carvings, tombs, a monument platform, and a scenic pavilion. The tomb site is enclosed by stone walls on three sides, and the rear corners of the tomb are topped with large ornamental stone flower baskets. A pair of stone lions stands on either side of the front. At the front is the monument platform and a hero sculpture. At the center of the monument platform stands a 2-meter-high tombstone inscribed with “Tomb of Qing Soldiers for Taiwan and Penghu.” The back of the tablet is engraved with the “Record of the Reconstruction of the Tomb of Qing Soldiers for Taiwan and Penghu.” Within the tomb area, which covers a rectangular plot of 250 square meters, lie the remains of 199 soldiers who once served in Taiwan and Penghu. Above them is engraved the handcrafted inscription “Loyal Souls” in two large characters, each spanning 72 square meters in width and 30 centimeters in height. The strokes of the characters are inlaid with the original stone tablets discovered on-site, each inscribed with the names of the deceased. Ten meters directly behind the tomb lies an octagonal scenic pavilion. The famed international sinologist Professor Jao Tsung-I inscribed the three characters “Wangkun Pavilion” (meaning “Pavilion Overlooking the Kun Fish”) in gold on a black background—simple yet powerful—and composed the couplet: “Sailing ships ride the wind for thousands of miles around the sea; the spirits of the fallen are laid to rest among the armor of a hundred comrades.” On the other side of the pavilion, the plaque reads “Yuntai” (Cloud Terrace). The entire cemetery is uniquely structured, solemn and dignified, seamlessly blending with the surrounding green mountains and clear waters.

The Soldiers’ Tomb is the largest known coastal memorial cemetery dedicated to ancient soldiers who guarded Taiwan. According to statistics, an average of over 100,000 visitors from all walks of life come here every year.

Address: Coastal hillside in Wupingzhai, Shen’ao Town, Nan’ao County