Ancient Tomb of the Islamic Sage

Ancient Tomb of the Islamic Sage

The Ancient Tomb of the Islamic Sage is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

The Ancient Tomb of the Islamic Sage is located to the west of Lanzhu Garden on Jiefang North Road. Since the Yuan Dynasty, Muslims in China have been referred to as "Huihui," hence this site is also known as the Huihui Tomb. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chinese scholars called Islamic teachings "the utmost purity and truth," thus Islam was also referred to as the "Qingzhen Religion," and its cemetery naturally came to be called the Ancient Tomb of the Islamic Sage. This site is the burial ground of more than 40 renowned Islamic missionaries from Arabia, led by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas. It is said that Waqqas came to Guangzhou during the early years of Emperor Taizong’s Zhenguan era to preach and built a mosque for the Muslim community. After his death, his followers buried him here. The tomb was built in the third year of the Zhenguan era (629 AD), making it over 1,300 years old — truly an ancient tomb by any measure.

Legend has it that Abu Waqqas, a famous early Islamic missionary, passed away in Guangzhou and was buried here by his followers, making it one of the city’s most renowned Islamic historical sites. The entrance gate bears the inscription “Ancient Tomb of the Islamic Sage.” The garden features courtyard-style architecture surrounded by abundant flowers and trees. To the west are three halls, with an open-fronted hall at the front and a prayer hall to the north. The tomb chamber is built with a vaulted ceiling shaped like an inverted bell, forming a cave-like interior. When people recite scriptures or speak inside, the sound echoes back, hence it is commonly known as the "Echoing Tomb." The tomb is said to have been built in the third year of the Zhenguan era (629 AD), though this may not be credible. Based on the history of Islam’s founding, spread, and friendly exchanges with China, at that time, Islam’s founder Prophet Muhammad was busy waging wars in the Arabian Peninsula to establish Islam and a theocratic government, making it impossible for Islamic missionaries to have come to China. However, the burial date of the tomb cannot be too late either, as the architectural style of the existing halls and structures in the cemetery suggests Ming Dynasty design.

The ancient tomb is a garden-style cemetery surrounded by walls, containing a prayer hall, square pavilions, and side rooms. Passing through a large memorial archway inscribed with the words “High Virtue to Admire,” and along a stone path flanked by stone railings, visitors can enter the tomb of the sages. The tomb chamber is hollow inside and round outside, shaped like an inverted bell, with the sages’ graves situated within. Due to the arched interior, when followers or visitors mourn the sages, recite scriptures, pray, or speak, their voices resonate loudly with an echo — hence the tomb is also called the “Echoing Tomb.” The halls and other structures in the cemetery all reflect Ming Dynasty architectural styles.

The “Jielie Liufang” (Flowery Virtue Lasting Fame) Memorial Archway is located to the north of the Ancient Tomb of the Islamic Sage on Jiefang North Road. It was built to commemorate Madam Sun, the secondary wife of Cai Jinzhang, former Commander of the Land Forces. Constructed in the 25th year of the Guangxu reign (1899), it is made of granite in a soaring, three-bay, four-pillar style. The central bay is 2.3 meters wide and the side bays are 0.95 meters wide. The inscriptions and couplets on the pillars and lintels are identical on both sides. The central lintel features a vertical plaque inscribed with “Imperial Edict,” with the top beam reading “Flowery Virtue Lasting Fame,” while the side beams are inscribed with “Iron Will” and “Icy Heart,” and the lower beam records “Imperial Recognition by the Qing Court” regarding Madam Sun’s status, age, and her “chaste and virtuous” deeds. The central pillars bear the couplet: “A loyal family’s chaste widow swore to die for her husband, as crimson clouds proclaimed the imperial honor in the capital; A true heroine sacrificed herself for righteousness, her green tomb in Lingnan adorned with the phoenix banner.” The side pillars are inscribed with: “The deceased general exhausted himself in service, never expecting his family to join him in the afterlife; The secondary wife met her end with composure, truly a heroine among women.” The archway is simply decorated, with drum-shaped stones standing before and behind the pillars. It is the only intact chastity archway preserved in Guangzhou.

Beside the Tomb of the Sages, in addition to the burial sites of several historically prominent imams, there is also the “Tomb of the Forty-One Sages.” There is a legendary tale associated with this tomb: Set in the Tang Dynasty, Islamic law at the time dictated that no movement should be made during prayer, even under threat of death. Once, while forty sages were praying, a robber attempted to steal their belongings. Armed with a blade, he killed them one by one as they prayed. When the fortieth was slain, the robber suddenly regretted his actions and killed himself. Later, when the bodies of the forty were collected, the robber’s corpse was also buried alongside them. To this day, a Qing Dynasty stele still stands recounting this story.

In the 1950s, the Guangzhou municipal government allocated funds multiple times to renovate and landscape the cemetery. Today, the site is lush with trees, serene and solemn in atmosphere, and regarded as a sacred place of Islam by Muslims from around the world. Every year, a large number of Muslims visit to pay their respects.

Liuhua Subdistrict: Liuhua Subdistrict, officially known as Liuhua Subdistrict of Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, is located in the northern part of Yuexiu District. It borders Huqiao Subdistrict and Tianhe District to the east up to Guangzhou TV Tower on Huanshi Middle Road; it meets Dongfeng Subdistrict to the south at the east gate of Liuhua Lake Park on Renmin North Road; it connects to Liwan District to the west at No. 103 Middle School on Huanshi West Road; and it reaches Guihuagang on Jiefang North Road to the north, bordering Baiyun District. Covering an area of 1.81 square kilometers, Liuhua Subdistrict governs six communities, 55 resident groups, with 4,605 households and 19,295 residents, including ethnic Han... More detailed information about Liuhua Subdistrict++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relic Protection Units