The compound of the Tomb and Memorial Temple of Yu Qian sits at the foot of Mountain Santai. It contains two sections: the tomb and the memorial temple. Both Yu Qian's tomb and Yu Fei's tomb and their memorial temples are in the memory of people through ages.
Yu Qian (1398-1457) was born in Qiantang (now Hangzhou). He was upright and honest. He dared to plead on people's behalf after he held an official post. He promoted the beneficial and abolished the harmful.
In 1449, Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty was captured as the prisoner in the Tumu Revolt. The capital of Ming Dynasty was greatly shocked. Yu Qian, then the minister of the war ministry, enthroned Zhu Qiju, the younger brother of Yingzong, as the Emperor of Ming Dynasty.
Yu Qian led the military forces and civilians and won the battle of safeguarding Beijing, capital of the Ming Dynasty.
In 1457, Yingzong was restored to the throne and Yu Qian was executed with false accusations. He was rehabilitated seven years later. His remains were moved back to Hangzhou and buried. A memorial temple was built nearby the tomb.
In 1998, the Government of Hangzhou appropriated a large funds and had Yu Qian's tomb and memorial temple rebuilt. New stone statues are set up in front of Yu Qian's tomb. On display inside the memorial temple are stories in fresco and relief about Yu Qian, calligraphic creations and paintings, weapons and official garments of Ming Dynasty in memory of Yu Qian, the late sage of Hangzhou and a model of honest and upright official.
“Thanks to Yue Fei and Yu Qian, people start to enjoy the real beauty of the West Lake again.”
The tomb and memorial temple of Yu Qian radiates with eternal light of patriotism spirit of Chinese nation. |
Asia Travel 
Articles: (
Newest publication