Jiangnan trip, hurriedly paid respects at the Tomb of King E of Yue
Business trip to Hangzhou, took time to visit the Yue Fei Temple.
Yue Fei Temple, Yue Fei's Tomb, also known as Yue Fen, is located at the southern foot of Qixia Ridge by the West Lake in Hangzhou. It is the tomb of Yue Fei, the famous anti-Jin general of the Southern Song Dynasty, known as King E of Yue. The tomb of Yue Fei was first built in the 14th year of Jiading in the Southern Song Dynasty (1221) and has been relatively well preserved over the centuries. The architectural specifications were changed during the reconstruction in the 54th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1715). In 1979, Yue Fei's tomb was comprehensively renovated according to the architectural style of the Southern Song Dynasty.
On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month in the 11th year of Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty (January 27, 1142), Yue Fei was framed by Qin Hui, and the prison guard Wei Shun carried his body out of Lin'an City to Jiuqu Congci and buried him in Beishan.
In the 32nd year of Shaoxing (1162), Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty ascended the throne and issued an edict in the name of the abdicated Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty to exonerate Yue Fei. Yue Fei's remains were reburied with the honors of a first-rank official at the southern foot of Qixia Ridge in Hangzhou. Over the years, successive dynasties have carried out renovations on Yue Fei's tomb.
In the 14th year of Jiading in the Southern Song Dynasty (1221), Emperor Ningzong of the Song Dynasty issued an edict to rename the Zhiguo Guanyin Temple beside Yue Fei's tomb to "Baozhong Yanfuchan Temple" and erected a stele titled "Imperial Edict Bestowing the Title of Baozhong Yanfuchan Temple" to commend Yue Fei's achievements.
During the Yuan Dynasty, Yue Fei's tomb was called "Temple of Loyalty". During the Tianshun period of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty (1457-1464), "Baozhong Yanfuchan Temple" was renamed Yue Fei Temple, and the title "Loyal and Brave" was bestowed.
In the 54th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1715), the tomb was rebuilt, changing the original architectural specifications. In the 6th year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1801), Zhejiang Governor Ruan Yuan rebuilt Yue Fei's tomb and hung a plaque inscribed with "Yue Fei Temple" at the main gate, which has been used ever since.
In the 7th year of the Republic of China (1918), Yue Fei's tomb underwent a major renovation, and a plaque inscribed with "Yue Fei Temple" was hung in the main hall of the Loyal and Brave Shrine. In 1978, Yue Fei's tomb was largely restored according to the original specifications of the Southern Song Dynasty and was reopened to the public.
The central tomb area of Yue Fei's tomb is symmetrically arranged along an east-west axis. A tomb gate in the style of the Song Dynasty divides the tomb area into two parts: the cemetery and the burial ground. Passing through the tomb gate, there is a path leading to the front of the tomb. Yue Fei's tomb is in the center, with a tombstone inscribed with "Tomb of King E of Yue of the Song Dynasty". To the left of Yue Fei's tomb is the tomb of Yue Yun, with a tombstone inscribed with "Tomb of Marquis Jizhong of the Song Dynasty, Yue Yun". Below the tomb gate are four iron-cast statues with their hands tied behind their backs, kneeling and facing the tomb. These are the statues of Qin Hui, Wang Shi, Zhang Jun, and Wan Siguo, who framed Yue Fei. Behind the kneeling statues, there is a couplet on the tomb gate that reads, "The green hills are fortunate to bury the loyal bones, the white iron is innocent to cast the treacherous ministers".
In 1961, Yue Fei's tomb was listed as one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council.