Yue Fei Tomb

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Yue Fei Tomb: 2013-07-16; Yue Fei Tomb, also called Yue Fen, is in Yuewang Temple which is located at the southern foot of Qixia Hill in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is a place that immortalizes the national hero Yue Fei. In 1961, the Yue Fei Tomb was announced as an important heritage site under state protection. It has also received the award of the first education foundation of patriotism in 1993 and 1995.

Yue Fei was a Chinese patriot and nationalist military leader who fought for the Southern Song Dynasty against the Jurchen, a northern tribe which established the Jin Dynasty. When the Juchen overran northern China and captured the Song-dynasty capital at Kaifeng, Yue Fei accompanied the future emperor Gaozong into the south, where the Southern Song was established. Yue Fei prevented the southern advance of the Juchen and was able to regain and secure some of the occupied territory in central China. His attempt to push north and recapture all of the lost territory was opposed by the minister Qin Gui, who subsequently had Yue executed. After Yue Fei was martyred, one jailer named Wei Shun secreted his body out of the prison, and escaped Linan City to Jiuqu Congci Temple where he buried Yue. When Emperor Xiaozong ascended the throne in 1162, he removed Yue’s body to the south of Qixia Hill. Since then, the Yue Fei Tomb has been rebuilt many times in various dynasties. The present tomb was rebuilt in 1979.

Yue Fei Tomb: The Tomb is located in the western corner of the compound, the tomb garden facing eastward, while the two temples sit in the northern part and face the south. When stepping into the tomb, you will find a gate-tower crowned with an imposing double-tier roof. On this gate-tower hangs a huge tablet inscribed with the three characters "Temple of Prince Yue". The gate-tower is magnificent with high walls and stone steps. Inside the gate-tower is a bluish flagged path that leads to the "Hall of the Loyal Martyr". Towering over the flagged stone path on both sides are ancient alpine trees. The sculpture of Yue Fei is in the middle of the hall. He wears a purple robe with boas' designs and a sword in his right hand. The sculpture looks very dignified and imposing. Its manner makes visitors recall Yue Fei's heroic bearing, which could command the wind and the clouds in battles.

The tomb of Yue Fei is in the west of the temple. Both sides of the road display galleries containing inscribed tablets. In the northern gallery, tablets inscribed with Yue Fei's poems and his memorials to his beloved emperor, among which the most famous one is The River All Red. In the southern corner there are tablets inscribed with poems composed by famous people from all successive dynasties. In front of Yue Fei's tomb there are four cast-iron figures, Qin Gui, The Wang, Zhang Jun and Moqi Xie, by whom Yue Fei was murdered. Their hands are bound behind their backs and face the tomb with heads bent low as if humbly begging forgiveness. There is a poem hanging on the gate surrounding the statues. It reads: "The green hill is fortunate to be the burial ground of a loyal general, the white iron was innocently cast into the statues of traitors."

More than 800 years have passed since Yue Fei’s tragic death, but even today, when standing in front of General Yue Fei's tomb; Chinese visitors will compulsively feel an upsurge of emotion while reading the famous couplet on the gateposts of his mausoleum.