Tomb of Xue Rengui

　　(1) Historical Information

　　The tomb site of Xue Rengui has a stone memorial archway that stands facing east. The archway is built from three whole pieces of stone, with square stone pillars on either side... The top of the archway is formed by a single horizontal stone slab spanning the pillars. The front side is inscribed with “Reconstructed Tomb of the Tang Dynasty Famous General Xue Rengui,” while the back side bears small regular script inscriptions reading...

　　“Erected in the early part of the sixth month of the summer, the 35th year of the Wanli era of the Great Ming (1607), the year of Dingwei, by Magistrate Wang Huaide, Constable Liu Xizhao, Confucian School Instructor Peng Yunfang, Teaching Assistants Qu Qianwu and Zhang Yanyi, under official decree from the Jining Prefecture of Yanzhou, Shandong, the Patrol Circuit of Western Yanzhou, and the Dual Courts, in Jiaxiang County.”

　　According to local residents, about 10 meters west of the archway, tomb stones were once exposed but were later buried again.

　　In his later years, Xue Rengui served in Daizhou. Had he not remained in office in his twilight years, he should have returned to his hometown of Longmen. Jiaxiang is thousands of miles away from both Daizhou and Longmen, and it remains unclear on what historical basis this site is identified as Xue Rengui’s tomb.

　　(2) Current Situation

　　The tomb of the famous Tang Dynasty general Xue Rengui no longer has a burial mound; only a stone memorial archway remains, standing facing east. The archway is made from three solid slabs of stone, with square stone pillars on both sides, each topped with a carved stone lion. The lintel of the archway is a single stone that spans the pillars. The front is inscribed with “Reconstructed Tomb of the Tang Dynasty Famous General Xue Rengui,” and the back features small regular script text reading “Erected in the early part of the sixth month of the summer, the 35th year of the Wanli era of the Great Ming (1607), the year of Dingwei, by Magistrate Wang Huaide, Constable Liu Xizhao, Confucian School Instructor Peng Yunfang, Teaching Assistants Qu Qianwu and Zhang Yanyi, under official decree from the Jining Prefecture of Yanzhou, Shandong, the Patrol Circuit of Western Yanzhou, and the Dual Courts, in Jiaxiang County...”

　　“...of the sixth month, early days, established” and other inscriptions.

　　Xue Rengui (613～683)　　 Xue Rengui was a famous general of the Tang Dynasty, hailing from Longmen in Jiangzhou (present-day Hejin, Shanxi). His given name was Li, and his courtesy name was Rengui; he was known by his courtesy name. He was born in the ninth year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty (613 AD) and died in the second year of the Yongchun era of the Tang Dynasty (683 AD). His main exploits took place during the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong of Tang. Xue Rengui came from a poor family in his youth. He studied literature and martial arts, possessed great physical strength, and grew up to be a farmer. He married a woman surnamed Liu. In the later years of the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong, the emperor planned to lead a military campaign against Goguryeo. Starting in the autumn of the 18th year of Zhenguan (644 AD), he began mobilizing military supplies, provisions, and recruiting soldiers in active preparation for war. Xue Rengui went to enlist under General Zhang Shigui and was accepted as one of his men. Not long after, Emperor Taizong... More+