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Home Travel in Zhejiang Yue Fei Tomb
Yue Fei Tomb
Travel in Zhejiang

   Yue Fei Tomb
The Yue Fei Tomb
(yuè fēi mù 岳飞墓), also called Yue Fen (yuè fén 岳坟), is in Yuewang Temple (yuè wáng miào 岳王庙) which is located at the southern foot of Qixia Hill (qī xiá lǐng 栖霞岭) in Hangzhou City (háng zhōu shì 杭州市), Zhejiang Province (zhè jiāng shěng 浙江省). It is a place to monumentalize the national hero Yue Fei. In 1961, Yue Fei Tomb was announced as the important heritage site under state protection. And it has been awarded as the first education foundation of patriotism in 1993 and 1995.

Yue Fei Yue Fei (yuè fēi 岳飞, 1103 - 1142 A.D.) was a Chinese patriot and nationalist military leader who fought for the Southern Song Dynasty (nán sòng 南宋) 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 (kāi fēng 开封), Yue Fei accompanied the future emperor Gaozong (gāo zōng 高宗) into the south, where the Southern Song was established. Yue Fei prevented the advance of the Juchen in the south 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 (qín guì 秦桧), who had Yue executed. After Yue Fei was killed, one jailer named Wei Shun (wěi shùn 隗顺) carried his body, escaped Linan City (lín ān chéng 临安城) to Jiuqu Congci Temple (jiǔ qǔ cóng cí 九曲丛祠) and buried Yue. When Emperor Xiaozong (xiào zōng 孝宗) ascended the throne in 1162, he moved Yue’s body to the south of Qixia Hill. Afterwards, Yue Fei Tomb had been rebuilt many times in various dynasties. The present tomb was rebuilt in 1979.

Yue Fei TombThe Tomb was located in the western corner of the compound, the tomb garden faces eastward, and the two temples sit in the northern part and face the south. When stepping into the tomb, you will find a gate-tower crowned by an imposing double-tier roof. On this gate-tower hung a huge tablet inscribed with the three characters of "Temple of Prince Yue". The gate-tower is magnificent with high wall 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 alpine ancient trees. The sculpture of Yue Fei is In the middle of the hall. He was in purple robe with boas' designs and a sword in the 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 the battles.

Yue Fei TombThe tomb of Yue Fei is in the west of the temple. Both sides of the road display galleries that inscribed tablets. In the northern gallery, tablets inscribed with Yue Fei's poems and his memorials to emperor, among which the most famous one is The River All Red (满江红). In the southern one there are tablets inscribed with poems composed by famous people in all successive dynasties. In front of Yue Fei's tomb there are four cast-iron figures, Qin Gui, The Wang (wáng shì 王氏) , Zhang Jun (zhāng jùn 张俊) and Wan Siwo (wàn sì wō 万俟莴), by whom Yue Fei was murdered. Their hands were bounded behind their backs and faced the tomb with heads bent low. 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 innocent to be cast into the statues of traitors."

More than 800 years have passed, when standing in front of the General Yue Fei's tomb, Chinese visitors will compulsively feel an upsurge of emotion while reading the famous couplet on the gateposts of mausoleum.
  Yue Fei Tomb    
Yue Fei Tomb
Address: At the southern foot of Qixia Hill in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province
Admission Fee: RMB 25
Opening hours: 7:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Transportation: You can take bus No. 7, 15, 27, 28 and Tourist Bus No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.