This attraction introduction is compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · Scenic Spots section). Ticket prices, opening hours, transportation, and contact information mentioned in the text may be outdated. Please refer to the latest official announcements from the scenic area before traveling; some content consists of historical background/cultural introductions and is for reference only.
The Tomb of Yudou
Yudou, according to historical records, lived over 4,000 years ago during the reign of Tang Yao. Originally a minister of Yao, he was exiled to Chongshan by Emperor Shun after Shun advised Emperor Yao against him "for colluding with Gonggong in evil deeds" (see the "Canon of Shun" chapter in the Book of Documents). According to the 1979 edition of Ciyuan (page 933), Chongshan is "in the southwest of Zhangjiajie County, Hunan, connected to Tianmen Mountain. It is said that Shun exiled Yudou to Chongshan, which is this place." Chongshan is 10 kilometers from Yongcheng, with an elevation of over 1,200 meters. The Xiangli Lizhou Zhi records: "Chongshan... has towering peaks, with a village at the summit, its land flat and open, capable of accommodating a thousand people... At the very top is a large mound, said to be the tomb of Yudou." Today, examining Chongshan, below it are historical sites such as "Yudou Stone Chamber" and "Horse-Tethering Post"; above it is the site of "Yudou House Ground." Behind the house ground, on the mountain peak, there is an open flat area with an earthen mound shaped like a grave, which is the Tomb of Yudou.
Regarding Shun's exile of Yudou to Chongshan, ancients mostly held a negative view, and among the people there was also a legend that "seeing Yudou's tomb brings misfortune." However, in modern times, historians have proliferated, and some have proposed the theory that ancient Chinese civilization was jointly created by three groups, among which the Miao-Man group in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River was led by Yudou and Zhurong.
The Tomb of King Nan of Zhou
King Nan of Zhou, personal name Yan (314–256 BC), is said to be buried at Dingjiarong in Yongding District, Zhangjiajie. The Ming Wanli edition of Cili County Annals records that the tomb of King Nan of Zhou is 10 li west of Zhangjiajie County. "In the 59th year of King Nan of Zhou, Qin attacked Zhou. King Nan, in fear, paid homage to Qin and ceded territory, and died in that year, and Zhou also perished. It was likely that Qin, wary of him, did not wish him to be buried in the inner lands." The Zhili Lizhou Zhi records: "The tomb of King Nan of Zhou is 15 li west of the county. There is King Nan Mountain, which contains a large mound with a very high burial mound, surrounded by over forty small mounds, said to be the tombs of buried palace maids." Wang Youcheng's poem says: "Barbarian smoke and wild rain for a thousand autumns, in the deep night only birds and sparrows remain. King Nan of Zhou does not shirk the regret of a fallen kingdom, and also pities the lonely tomb near Yudou." (Note: The tomb of King Nan of Zhou and the tomb of Yudou on Chongshan face each other from afar, hence "near Yudou.")
The Tomb of Zhou Ji
Zhou Ji was a native of Tianmen, Zhangjiajie, during the Jin dynasty, and served as Interior Minister of Yidu (present-day Yidu, Hubei), an official in charge of civil affairs. The Book of Jin: Biographies and the Tongzhi: Biographies of Loyal and Righteous record: Zhou Ji, a native of Tianmen, after death was buried at the foot of Tianmen Mountain. The Ming dynasty scholar Zhang Dui wrote the poem "Inscription on Yang Zhou's Tianmen Painting," which includes the line: "Pitiable is Zhou, Interior Minister of Yidu, whose ancient tomb rises mound upon mound on the hill."
The Tomb of Zhou Pu
Zhou Pu was a recluse of the late Tang dynasty who once lived in seclusion at Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, "amusing himself with farming and reading" and "enjoying to the fullest the pleasures of the forest and springs (Lingquan Courtyard of Tianmen Mountain)." At the end of the Tang, "Chu King Ma Yin and his son (930–932) established the Tiance Prefecture and promoted men of talent. Zhou Pu was repeatedly summoned but did not rise to office. He authored the Lingquan Poetry Collection." (Yongding County Annals, Volume 6) After his death, Zhou Pu was buried south of Tianmen Mountain.
The Stone Carving Group at the Tomb Area of Liu Mingdeng
Located in the Maoping and Xinmugang area, 4 kilometers south of Zhangjiajie city. Scattered across an area of about 2 kilometers are three tomb sites of the family of Liu Mingdeng, Commander-in-Chief of Taiwan. Liu Mingdeng, courtesy name Jianqing, was born in the Wuxu year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing dynasty (1838) and died of illness in the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895). Liu was conferred the title of General Jianwei, Expectant Provincial Commander, and Seal-Holding Commander-in-Chief of Fujian, Taiwan, and Penghu by the Qing court. He accompanied Zuo Zongtang in military campaigns in Hunan, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Gansu provinces. In the 5th year of the Tongzhi reign, he was transferred to serve as Commander-in-Chief of Taiwan, stationed in Taiwan. In the 4th year of the Guangxu reign, he retired and returned to his hometown. His younger brothers Mingzhu, Minghuang, Mingsui, and Mingliao were all military officers of the Qing dynasty. After Liu Mingdeng's death, his younger brother Liu Mingsui raised funds and engaged the famous stonemason Wang Yuzhi of Zhangjiajie to build the tomb area for the Liu family, which took 17 years and incalculable expense. The tomb area currently has 3 tomb sites, 3 stone carving groups, 2 stone memorial archways, 4 spirit way steles, 24 stone statues, 4 stone masts, and 2 other inscriptions. The scale of Liu Mingdeng's tomb area and the refinement of its stone carving craftsmanship are rare in the region. The stone figures are 2.62 meters tall with a circumference of 2.39 meters; the stone horses are 1.67 meters long and 1.83 meters tall. Their modeling is lifelike, each with its own posture, well-proportioned and ingeniously arranged. The stone memorial archways are of the three-gate, three-eave style, with carved beams and painted pillars, towering majestically. The inscribed couplets and stele texts are executed with meticulous care; the divine turtles and stone beasts all display exceptional craftsmanship. The entire tomb area is like an artistic palace garden.
