Shoulin and Shouchuan Tombs at Lingyun Stockade

Shoulin and Shouchuan Tombs at Lingyun Stockade

The Shoulin and Shouchuan Tombs at Lingyun Stockade are cultural tourism attractions.

Located 7.5 kilometers south of Yilong County, Lingyun Mountain is a well-known peak in the area. Today, the mountain is covered with towering trees, lush green pines, and vibrant evergreens — the entire mountaintop remains verdant year-round, resembling an emerald nestled in a jade plate. Looking back to the mid-1940s, Lingyun Ancient Stockade was a barren, rocky hill with little vegetation and a desolate landscape. In the height of summer in 1942, Liu Shouchuan, a respected democratically-minded intellectual from Yilong, was deeply saddened by the bleak state of his hometown’s famous mountain. He readily donated funds to plant trees on the summit of Lingyun, establishing a lush pine and cypress forest. He even personally inscribed a plaque that read “Protect Afforestation,” which was later carved into the stone cliff. To commemorate Mr. Shouchuan’s charitable actions, locals named the forest on Lingyun Mountain “Shoulin” (literally “Shou’s Forest”) and engraved texts in stone to record the event.

Mr. Liu’s given name was Peilu, and his courtesy name was Shouchuan. He was a native of Lingyun Village, Tonggu Township, Yilong County. Born in 1877 into a farming family, he entered Huaxi Academy in Chengdu after the Hundred Days’ Reform and later graduated from Sichuan Higher School. In 1904, he received a government scholarship to study in Japan, where he enrolled at Tokyo’s Hongwen Academy. After two years of study, he joined the Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance), led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Upon returning to China, he served as supervisor at the Shunqing Prefecture Middle School in Sichuan Province. During this time, Comrade — also studied there and benefitted greatly from his mentorship. In 1908, after graduating from the affiliated sports school of Chengdu Higher Normal School, Comrade — returned home and, through the introduction of Mr. Shouchuan, was hired to teach at Yilong County Higher Primary School. In 1917, when — served as commander of the 13th Mixed Brigade of the Yunnan Army’s Second Army, Shouchuan worked as a strategic advisor in Zhu’s brigade and concurrently governed Nanxi County in Sichuan. In 1922, when — went to France for further studies, Shouchuan provided substantial financial support. Over their long and eventful lives, teacher and student developed a deep and abiding friendship.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, under the care of Commander-in-Chief —, Comrade —, who was then serving as Director of the North Sichuan Administrative Office, arranged for him to be brought to Nanchong. In 1950, Mr. Liu became a member of the North Sichuan Administrative Office Committee. In 1952, he was transferred to serve as a counselor at the Counselors’ Office of the Sichuan Provincial People's Committee and as a member of the Sichuan Provincial Supervisory Commission. He was later elected as a representative of the Sichuan Provincial People's Congress. In the summer of 1962, he passed away in Chengdu.