Holy Edict Stele

Holy Edict Stele

The Holy Edict Stele is a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit in Deyang City.

Holy Edict Stele

[Southeast corner of Fanghu Park, Luocheng Town • Ming Dynasty • Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit] The stele is made of red sandstone and was originally erected in front of the Mass Grave outside the west gate of Guanghan City. It was moved into the park in 1934 and a pavilion was built to protect it in 1956. It faces south. The stele stands 2.1 meters high, 1 meter wide, and 0.20 meters thick. The top of the stele is carved with dragon motifs, and the lintel is inscribed with “Holy Edict.” The main text, written in vertical regular script and carved in intaglio, reads: “Heaven has given all things to mankind, yet mankind has given nothing to Heaven. Spirits and gods see all clearly—reflect and consider for yourselves.” Each character is 0.10 meters in size, spaced 3 cm apart, and the inscription is dated “the 13th day of the 2nd month, the 2nd year of the Dashun era (1645).” The reverse side of the stele originally contained commentary on the Six Instructions of the Holy Edict by Yan Ximing, but in the 2nd year of the Longwu era (1646), it was altered by Yang Zhan, the Pingkou General of the Southern Ming Dynasty, into a memorial for the Mass Grave. The new inscription reads: “In the 17th year of the Chongzhen era (1644), the insurgent Zhang Xianzhong ravaged Shu, slaughtering hundreds of thousands of people in Hanzhou. Later, charged with suppressing the rebellion and reclaiming the province, I led troops through this place. Deeply moved by those white bones, I covered them with yellow earth, and thus erected a stone marker inscribed ‘Mass Grave.’ Signed, Yang Zhan, bearing the seal of Pingkou General and holding the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Left Guard.” The writing has suffered severe erosion. In April 1991, it was designated as a municipal cultural relics protection unit in Deyang City.