Tomb of the Mongol Princes of Kulun Right Wing Banner

Tomb of the Mongol Princes of Kulun Right Wing Banner

The Tomb of the Mongol Princes of Kulun Right Wing Banner is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Kulun Princes' Tomb is located at the foot of Longdan Mountain, 1.5 kilometers northeast of Xinaili Village, Sanjia Mongolian Township, Jianping County. Surrounded by distant mountains and lush pines and cypresses, the area boasts pleasant scenery. It serves as the burial ground for successive Zasaks of Kulun Right Wing Banner and their relatives, locally known as the "Princes' Tomb."

Among the verdant pines and cypresses stand two rows of tombs in a straight line, with the eastern row being the burial site of successive Zasaks and the western row the graves of their relatives. The eastern tomb complex stretches 130 meters from north to south and 127 meters from east to west. Its main entrance is the Mingtang Hall, flanked by side gates on either side. Passing through the Mingtang, one finds a three-bay stone arch memorial archway nestled among the trees, with the four large characters “Fān Píng Shì Zé” (Feudal Screen of Generational Grace), personally inscribed by Emperor Kangxi, engraved in the center. Each of the four stone pillars holds a carved stone mythical beast looking up to the sky. Having withstood over 300 years of wind and rain, they seem still to be howling toward the heavens. Beyond the archway lies a five-bay Buddhist hall, followed by a three-bay worship hall in the rear, where the spirit tablets of the early princes of Kulun are enshrined. The actual tombs are situated at a higher elevation behind the worship hall. At the center lies the tomb of Gūlǔsīqíbù, the first hereditary Zasak and Duke of Kulun Right Wing Banner. The tomb is built in the style of a brick mounded burial mound. Subsequent generations are arranged in a herringbone pattern on both sides, with a total of thirteen burial mounds, each having its own memorial pavilion. The western tomb complex was the ancestral burial ground of the Kuluns, as well as the resting place of the Duke of Zhen Guo, Mínzhū'ěrlābùtǎn, the Duke of Zhen Guo, Luóbùzàngchēbùdēng, and their descendants. Due to historical reasons, the western complex has long since vanished.

The weathered stone carvings in the tomb complex bear the marks of time, while the whispering pine winds recount the vicissitudes of history. Every brick and stone records the glory and decline of the successive Zasaks and royal family, evoking deep emotion in those who see them. To this day, in the areas surrounding the Princes' Tomb, local legends such as the Khan sitting in state, Qibu’s meritorious deeds, Zhashi selecting the tomb site, the seventy-two rain ceremonies for the deceased, and Liu Luoguo breaking the feng shui with his oxen, remain widely told among the local people.

In 2019, the Tomb of the Mongol Princes of Kulun Right Wing Banner was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Sanjia Mongolian Township: Located in the northwest of Jianping County, Sanjia Mongolian Township covers an area of 160 square kilometers. The township has a total land area of 240,000 mu, including 85,000 mu of arable land. The total population is 28,075, including 1,899 ethnic Mongolians.

Sanjia Mongolian Township is a typical agricultural area, primarily focused on crop farming and animal husbandry. In recent years, under the correct leadership of the Party committee and government, the local people have achieved positive momentum in agricultural development through industrial restructuring. The main crops include corn, sorghum, and millet, while the primary vegetable grown is scallions. Animal husbandry includes... More detailed information about Sanjia Mongolian Township ++

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units