Huanggu Tomb

Huanggu Tomb

Huanggu Tomb

Early Qing Tomb Garden in Gong’anbao

Situated on the southern slope of Wuding Mountain, north of Gong’anbao Village, Xidayaoyao Town, Dengta City, Liaoyang, it is commonly known as Huanggu Tomb. As recorded on the “Record of Tomb Relocation and Garden Construction” stele from the 55th year of the Kangxi reign (1716), the tomb garden was first built in the 5th year of Kangxi (1666) and expanded five times during the 7th, 27th, 32nd, 50th, and 52nd years of his reign, with the final works completed in the 55th year. Covering an area of 15,300 square meters, the garden features earthen mounds, fences, pathways, jade terraces, guard rooms, stone lions, a yamen (government office), and stele pavilions. It houses the reinterred remains of 14 individuals from the Pengchun lineage, including Pengchun’s great-grandfather He Hechen, great-grandmother Duanzhuanggu-zhu, grandfather He Shatuo, grandmother (a princess), great-uncle, as well as Pengchun’s own parents and siblings—namely, Pengchun, Laomansai, and Qixi. Burial objects include gold jewelry and sunflower-shaped bone carvings. In front of the earthen burial chamber stands a stele erected in the 44th year of Kangxi (1705) by Pengchun’s son Fukan in honor of his parents. Written in Manchu, the central part of the stele is inscribed with the characters “Imperial Edict,” while the middle line of the body reads: “Tomb of Pengchun of the Dong’e Clan, Duke of the First Rank, Commander-in-Chief, and Duke of the First Class of the Green Standard Army.” The sides list the names of his five wives. To the south of the tomb is another stele from the 23rd year of Kangxi (1684), inscribed with the imperial edict granted to Pengchun.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the Plain Red Banner of the Manchu and a leading military officer stationed in the northeastern region, Pengchun participated in three major military campaigns during the Kangxi era: the Yaksa War against Russian invaders, and the wars to suppress the rebellions of Galdan and Wu Sangui, achieving remarkable military merit. This tomb garden is the burial site of Pengchun of the Dong’e Clan from the Plain Red Banner of the Manchu, along with his ancestors and predecessors. The extant stelae at the site serve as important historical materials for the study of early Qing history.