Wei Yuan, courtesy name Wenyuan, was a native of Jianchang (now Yijiahe, Weijiashan, Zhelin Town, Lushan West Sea). He was born in the 15th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1382) and passed the imperial examination in the 4th year of Yongle (1409). He rose to the position of Minister of Justice and died in 1444.

Wei Yuan was unattractive in appearance yet remarkably intelligent and quick-witted. From a young age, his family was poor, with no money to send him to school. His mother, a widow, though impoverished, was well-read and well-mannered. She used a sand tray as paper and willow branches as brushes to teach her son how to read and write. Seeing this, Wei’s maternal uncle, Li Zhiwan, felt deeply moved and invited his nephew to study at his private academy. A year later, one day the teacher took all his students out for a poetry-writing excursion—but Wei Yuan stayed behind. At home, he happened to find a folding fan belonging to his cousin. He casually opened it and noticed that the fan depicted a blossoming plum tree beside a chrysanthemum, a tranquil pond, and within the pond, a pair of mandarin ducks playing joyfully in the water. Moved by the scene, Wei developed a tender affection for his cousin and composed a poem: “A plum tree blooms, a chrysanthemum grows; a pair of mandarin ducks rests in the water. Yet my heart longs for you—though I wonder, do you feel the same?” The cousin told her father about this incident, and the father asked the teacher to investigate thoroughly. Wei Yuan confessed frankly, admitting that he had indeed been the one who wrote the poem. The teacher remained calm and composed, placing before Wei a piece of inkstone, a bowl of water, and an inkwell shaped like a pair of golden carp. Then he said to Wei Yuan, “If you can compose a poem that matches the imagery on this fan, I’ll grant your wish.” After a brief moment of thought, Wei Yuan picked up his brush and quickly penned a poem on the paper: “A piece of ink, a bowl of water, a pair of golden carp unable to wag their tails; one day when winds and clouds stir, they’ll leap over the dragon gate, soaring ten thousand miles high.” The teacher was utterly astonished. This poem was extraordinary in its grandeur and brimming with ambition. Upon hearing this, Wei’s maternal uncle called Wei Yuan to his presence and asked him to take three steps forward. Then, he instructed Wei Yuan to take three steps backward. Wei Yuan replied firmly, “My head may be severed, my blood may flow, but my spirit must never be lost—I can only move forward, never retreat!” Hearing this, Wei’s uncle secretly rejoiced. He knew that this young man would surely become a great figure in the future. Thus, with the teacher acting as the matchmaker under the moonlight, Wei Yuan and his cousin were united in marriage.

After years of diligent study, Wei Yuan took the imperial examinations in the capital and passed as a jinshi scholar. During his tenure as prefect of Zhejiang Province, he achieved remarkable administrative accomplishments and won the emperor’s high regard. He was successively appointed Minister of Rites, Minister of War, and Minister of Justice by imperial decree, and was later stationed at the frontier in Sichuan to defend against the western invaders. As a prominent official of his time, Wei Yuan was known for his integrity, loyalty to the emperor, and deep concern for the people. His reputation as a great official and a celebrated statesman spread far and wide throughout the realm. Yet, his outstanding achievements aroused the envy of his colleagues, who plotted relentlessly to bring him down. Malicious officials repeatedly submitted false reports to the emperor, slandering Wei Yuan. Over time, the emperor began to doubt Wei Yuan’s integrity, wavering between belief and suspicion. To test Wei Yuan’s sincerity, one day the emperor summoned him to the palace and asked, “Of all things in the world, what tastes best? Of all things in the world, what has the most flavor?” Wei Yuan replied, “Of all things in the world, salt tastes best; of all things in the world, money has the most flavor.” The emperor thought to himself: “I’ve tasted delicacies from mountains and seas across the land—could they really be less flavorful than salt? Could pearls and jade in the palace really be less delightful than money?” Instantly, the emperor flew into a rage: “How dare you, Wei Yuan! Are you mocking me with such words? All the other ministers’ advice has always been so sensible!” And so, under the charge of treason—misleading the emperor—he was sentenced to death. The emperor immediately issued an edict: “Execute Wei Yuan by beheading at the Noon Gate.” Just before his execution, Wei Yuan made two requests of the emperor: first, that the palace should abstain from salt for seven days; second, that the palace should refrain from using money for seven days. The emperor promptly ordered these instructions to be carried out. For seven days, the palace went without salt, leaving both civil and military officials weak and listless. Meanwhile, for seven days without money, the army ran out of food and supplies, causing widespread unrest among the soldiers and civilians. Realizing his mistake, the emperor suddenly understood: “Wei Yuan spoke the truth!” He deeply regretted having wrongly executed his loyal minister.

To ensure a lavish burial for Wei Yuan, the imperial court arranged for Wei Yuan’s remains to be transported by water back to his hometown in one hundred cypress coffins. Among these hundred coffins, only one contained Wei Yuan’s actual remains; the other ninety-nine coffins held merely a tiny fragment of Wei Yuan’s fingernail. Unexpectedly, as the boat approached the Lao Ye Temple on Poyang Lake near Wucheng, sudden lightning and thunder erupted from the sky, dark clouds rolled in, and a violent storm struck. All ninety-nine boats carrying coffins without Wei Yuan’s remains capsized at the Lao Ye Temple. Only the boat carrying Wei Yuan’s remains remained unscathed, safely reaching Wentangyuan (today’s Yijiahe Village), where it was buried in Heshui Village, at Lengshui Dang. The tomb faced south and was oriented northward, covering an area of roughly half an acre. A towering stone stele stood before the tomb, flanked by stone figures of men, sheep, and horses, serving as eternal guardians.