Wang Shouren, also known as Wang Yangming or Mr. Yangming, was a renowned philosopher of the Ming Dynasty in China, culminating the Confucian Heart Learning. A polymath in history, he was not only a philosopher but also a politician, military strategist, educator, calligrapher, literary figure, and poet. Born in Yuyao County, Shaoxing Prefecture, Zhejiang (now Yuyao City), Wang Shouren achieved great deeds and was ennobled as ‘Marquis of Xinjian’, with his residence in Shaoxing.
Wang Shouren’s tomb, nestled against the mountain, is a beautiful scenic area. It is located near the calligraphy site Lanting, which is only about two miles away. The tomb, originally constructed in the eighth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1529), was renovated multiple times during the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi and Qianlong periods. In the forty-ninth year of Qianlong’s reign (1784), Emperor Qianlong visited the south, ordered a renovation, and bestowed the title ‘True Talent of the World’. A four-pillar stone archway was also constructed in front of the tomb.
The cemetery comprises a pathway and the main tomb. The pathway, over 70 meters long, contains more than a hundred stone steps leading to the main tomb. The main tomb features a stone epitaph inscribed with ‘Mr. Wang Yangming’s Tomb’ in the clerical script. In front of the main tomb, there is a stone offering table.
After his death in Jiangxi, Wang Yangming’s body was transported back to Shaoxing for burial.Opening Hours:
Our establishment is open daily throughout the year, from January 1st to December 31st. The operating hours are from 08:00 in the morning until 17:00 in the evening.
