Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings

The Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings are located along the North Bank of Dongqian Lake in Yixian County, Zhejiang Province, from Guojia Zhai to Tian Tong Highway. They were constructed from around the 8th year of the Zhenghe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1118 AD) to the 12th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1584 AD). The main feature is the group of ground stone carvings on the sacred paths of the tombs of the Southern Song Shi family and the tomb of the Ming Dynasty Crown Prince Yu Youding.
The Shi family tomb path stone carvings from the Southern Song period are exquisite works of stone art that integrate ancient philosophy, aesthetics, and ecology. They include the tomb paths of Lady Ye, wife of the Ji State, and Shi Zhao, the Grand Commandant and Duke of Yue State. These tomb paths vary in length from 50 meters to several hundred meters and are relatively well-preserved. The stone carvings have proportionate shapes, smooth lines, and are vividly lifelike.

The Yuan and Ming tomb paths in the carving group are centered around the tomb path of Yu Youding, who held the titles of Junior Tutor and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince during the Ming Dynasty. His tomb path is 200 meters long and 25 meters wide. The entire set of stone carvings is majestic in momentum, exquisitely carved, and is rare among the discovered Ming tombs in China.

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The Southern Song tomb path stone carvings in the Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings have become the largest, most numerous, and finely carved tomb path stone carvings from the Southern Song period in China, filling a gap in the history of Chinese art, cultural relics archaeology, and the history of sculpture during the Southern Song period. The Yuan and Ming stone carvings are also important physical objects for studying the content of Yuan and Ming officialdom, attire, sculpture, and tombs.

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