The Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings are located along the Beian Guojia Zhai to Tian Tong Highway in Yin County, Zhejiang Province, from the Northern Song Dynasty’s Zhenghe eight years (1118) to the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli twelve years (1584). They primarily refer to the ground stone carving groups of the Southern Song Shi family’s tombs and the tomb of the Ming Dynasty’s Crown Prince Yu Youding. The stone carving group of the Shi family tombs during the Southern Song period is a fine example of stone carving art that integrates ancient philosophy, aesthetics, and ecology.
It includes the tomb paths of Song Ji Guo Furen Ye Shi Taijun and Song Tai Shi Yue Guo Gong Shi Zhao, among others. These tomb paths vary in length from 50 meters to several hundred meters and are relatively well-preserved. The stone carvings are proportionate, with smooth lines and vivid expressions.The Yuan and Ming dynasty tomb paths in the stone carving group are centered around the tomb path of Yu Youding, the Ming Dynasty’s Shao Fu and Crown Prince Tai Fu. His tomb path is 200 meters long and 25 meters wide. The entire set of stone carvings is majestic and exquisitely carved, which is rare among the existing Ming dynasty tombs found in China. The Southern Song tomb paths in the Dongqian Lake Stone Carvings have become the largest, most numerous, and finely carved tomb path stone carvings of the Southern Song period in China, filling a gap in the history of Chinese art, archaeology of cultural relics, and history of sculpture during the Southern Song period.
The Yuan and Ming dynasty stone carvings are also important physical materials for studying the Yuan and Ming dynasty’s official positions, attire, carvings, and tombs.
