Wei Yuan's Tomb

2020-11-10

Wei Yuan’s tomb is located on the eastern slope of Wei Jia Mountain in Yijiahe Village, Zhelin Town. The tomb mound is constructed of bricks and stones, standing 3 meters high with a diameter of 8 meters. In front of the tomb stand a pair of stone-carved horses and a single stone-carved turtle. In the early years of the Cultural Revolution, the tomb was once looted. In 2009, some of the burial artifacts were collected by the Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. The tomb’s owner, Wei Yuan, courtesy name Wenyuan, was from Jianchang. He passed the imperial examination in the fourth year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1409) and rose to the position of Minister of Justice. Wei Yuan was known for his integrity in office, his loyalty to the emperor, and his deep concern for the people, earning him the emperor’s great appreciation. In 1443, due to a foot ailment, Wei Yuan resigned from his post and returned home. The following year, he passed away at Wei Jia Mountain. To honor Wei Yuan’s life and deeds, Emperor Yingzong personally bestowed upon him an imperial burial and granted him the posthumous title “Wenzhong.” The Minister of Personnel, Wang Zhi, wrote the “Record of the Imperial Burial Sacred Path” in his memory. Wei Yuan was buried in the third year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1463).

According to the "Chronicles of Yongxiu County," in March 1972, the provincial museum conducted an excavation of Wei Yuan's tomb. In front of the tomb stood stone guardian figures, stone horses, and a stele made of white jade from the Han dynasty, among other features. The tomb itself is a single-chamber structure built entirely of stone, featuring a vaulted ceiling. The tomb entrance consists of a pair of double-leaf doors with animal-head handles, carved from bluish-gray stone. The tomb chamber had been looted in ancient times; only three pieces of imitation Longquan celadon porcelain were unearthed—namely, a porcelain candlestick, a porcelain bottle, and a porcelain dish—all decorated with delicate, intricate, and exquisitely elegant patterns. The pieces exhibit novel shapes, exquisite craftsmanship, and an air of elegance and dignity.