TOMB OF TIAN YI

Located in Shijingshan district, this tomb houses Tian Yi's remains, great eunuch of the Ming dynasty, serving under the kingdoms of Emperors Jia Jing (1522-1566), Long Qing (1567-1572) and Wanli (1573-1620).

History

It also houses a small museum, the Museum of the Eunuques. Castrate at the age of 8 years, Tian Yi was then sent to the Imperial Court, after having already been noticed by his qualities of intelligence, wisdom and his dedication. Under Long Qing, he took care of all the cases dealing with documents prior to approval of the Emperor, then under Wanli, he was promoted first secretary of the Emperor, and thus had the opportunity to deal with state affairs and show great wisdom and insight. Very satisfied with his services, the Emperor Wanli after offering him a dress embroidered by a dragon and an algae belt made him access to higher and higher posts, Imperial Seal Minister, Director of Imperial Controllers, Comptroller General of the Imperial Ceremony, Comptroller General of Parade… the court.

Upon his death, the emperor had him build a tomb and organized a great solemn ceremony to pay tribute to him.

Visit

The tomb was built at the beginning of the seventeenth century, under Wanli's reign. It extends over an area of 4,000 m ² and gives the south protected by a wall wall. It is divided into two parts: one part devoted to worship and the other being the grave itself. Two columns and two marble statues, representing the civil civil servant and the military official, announce a door decorated with stone motifs finely sculpted on the theme of fauna and flora. Then we meet three stands with different styles of styles.

Notice the arched ceiling adorned with a great dragon carved in stone. Access leads to the cult room (used virtue room), which remains ruins of scattered stones with the end of three tributes written by Wanli to his eunuch. Right behind is the tumulus whose tomb was looted once. We can enter the underground burial hall and notice that, alongside Tian Yi tomb, four other tombs of eunuchs lived under the Qing and considered Tian Yi as their master to think. Notice in passing the sculptures on the bas-reliefs that put the tumulus of the eunuchs, they are the testimony of the finesse of the art of the time.