Yangshan Quarry
Encyclopedia
The Yangshan Quarry is an ancient stone quarry near Nanjing
, China, presently preserved as a historic site. Used during many centuries as a source of stone for buildings and monuments of Nanjing, the quarry is famous for the gigantic unfinished stele
that was abandoned there during the reign of the Yongle Emperor
in the early 15th century. This project is viewed by some as a perfect epitome to the megalomaniac spirit of the Yongle era, whose other giant undertakings included the launching of the Treasure Fleet
for the Zheng He
expeditions and the construction of the Forbidden City
in Beijing.
also known as Yanmen Shan (雁门山),
northwest of the town (China)
of Tangshan Town (汤山镇).
The Yangshan is the main peak of the Kongshan Mountain Range (孔山山脉). The site is located 15-20 km to the east from the eastern part of Nanjing City Wall and the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
. Administratively, the area is in Jiangning District
of Nanjing City, Jiangsu
Province.
, the local limestone
being used for construction of buildings, walls, and statues in and around Nanjing.
The Yangshan quarry became the main source of stone for the major construction projects that changed the face of Nanjing
after the city became the capital of the new Ming Empire, founded there by Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor) in 1368.
In 1405, Hongwu's son, the Yongle Emperor
, ordered the cutting of a giant stele in this quarry, for use in the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
of his deceased father. In accordance with the usual design of a Chinese memorial stele
, three separate pieces were being cut - the rectangular stele base (pedestal), the stele body, and the stele head (crown, to be decorated with a dragon design). After most of the stone-cutting work had been done, it was realized that moving stones that big from Yangshan to Ming Xiaoling, let alone installing them there in a proper way, would not be physically possible, and the project was abandoned. Instead, a much smaller tablet (still, the largest in the Nanjing area), known as the Shengong Shengde ("Divine Merits and Godly Virtues") Stele was installed in Ming Xiaoling's "Square Pavilion" (Sifangcheng) in 1413.
The three unfinished stele components remain in the Yangshand Quarry to this day, only partially separated from the living rock of the mountain. Their present dimensions and the usual weight estimates are as follows:
According to experts, if the stele had been finished and put together (i.e., the stele body installed vertically on the base, and topped with the stele head), it would have stood 73 m tall. For comparison, the Shengong Shengde Stele actually installed in Ming Xiaoling is 8.78 m tall (6.7 m body + crown, on top of a 2.8 m tall tortoise pedestal
). The Song-Dynasty
(early 12th century) Wan Ren Chou ("Ten Thousand Men's Sorrow") Stele
in Qufu
, which is thought to be one of the tallest in China, is 16.95 m tall, 3.75 m wide, 1.14 m thick.
translates the place name as "Death's Head Valley".
In the centuries since the giant stele project was abandoned, a number of Ming, Qing, and modern authors visited the site and left accounts of it.
The poet Yuan Mei
(1716 – 1797) expressed his feelings in "The Song of Hongwu's Great Stone Tablet" (洪武大石碑歌), which concludes with "ten thousand camels could not move it!" ("十万骆驼拉不起"). The poem is published in his collection Xiao Cangshan Fang Wenji (小仓山房文集).
Perhaps to attract more visitors, a small theme park called the Ming
Culture Village (明文化村, Ming Wenhua Cun) was constructed at the entrance to the site; as of 2011, it has a stage, children's rides, and various history-themed amusements. A single admission ticket allows one to visit the "village" and then to walk some 300-400 m to the quarry proper on one of several forest trails. The site is open year-round, but still is mostly deserted in winter.
Transportation from Nanjing to the Yangshan Quarry (either directly to the Ming Culture Village's entrance plaza, or to the "Yangshan Quarry" stop on the Jiangsu Provincial Highway 122 (S122)) is provided by several bus routes, including the Nanjing-Tangshan Line (南汤线, Nan-Tan Xian) from the Nanjing Railway Station
.
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, China, presently preserved as a historic site. Used during many centuries as a source of stone for buildings and monuments of Nanjing, the quarry is famous for the gigantic unfinished stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
that was abandoned there during the reign of the Yongle Emperor
Yongle Emperor
The Yongle Emperor , born Zhu Di , was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China from 1402 to 1424. His Chinese era name Yongle means "Perpetual Happiness".He was the Prince of Yan , possessing a heavy military base in Beiping...
in the early 15th century. This project is viewed by some as a perfect epitome to the megalomaniac spirit of the Yongle era, whose other giant undertakings included the launching of the Treasure Fleet
Treasure ship
A Treasure ship is the name for a type of large wooden vessel commanded by the Chinese admiral Zheng He on seven voyages in the early 15th century in Ming Dynasty...
for the Zheng He
Zheng He
Zheng He , also known as Ma Sanbao and Hajji Mahmud Shamsuddin was a Hui-Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, who commanded voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa, collectively referred to as the Voyages of Zheng He or Voyages of Cheng Ho from...
expeditions and the construction of the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
in Beijing.
Location
The Yangshan Quarry is situated on the Yangshan Mountain (elevation 140 m),also known as Yanmen Shan (雁门山),
northwest of the town (China)
Town (China)
When referring to political divisions of China, town is the standard English translation of the Chinese 鎮 . It is a fourth-level administrative unit, i.e...
of Tangshan Town (汤山镇).
The Yangshan is the main peak of the Kongshan Mountain Range (孔山山脉). The site is located 15-20 km to the east from the eastern part of Nanjing City Wall and the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the tomb of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the Ming Dynasty. It lies at the southern foot of Purple Mountain , located east of the historical center of Nanjing, China...
. Administratively, the area is in Jiangning District
Jiangning District
Jiangning District is an administrative district in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The District has a population of 760,000 and an area of 1600 square kilometers. It includes southern and south-eastern suburbs of Nanjing....
of Nanjing City, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
Province.
History
The Yangshan Quarry has been worked from the time of the Six DynastiesSix Dynasties
Six Dynasties is a collective noun for six Chinese dynasties during the periods of the Three Kingdoms , Jin Dynasty , and Southern and Northern Dynasties ....
, the local limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
being used for construction of buildings, walls, and statues in and around Nanjing.
The Yangshan quarry became the main source of stone for the major construction projects that changed the face of Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
after the city became the capital of the new Ming Empire, founded there by Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor) in 1368.
In 1405, Hongwu's son, the Yongle Emperor
Yongle Emperor
The Yongle Emperor , born Zhu Di , was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China from 1402 to 1424. His Chinese era name Yongle means "Perpetual Happiness".He was the Prince of Yan , possessing a heavy military base in Beiping...
, ordered the cutting of a giant stele in this quarry, for use in the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the tomb of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the Ming Dynasty. It lies at the southern foot of Purple Mountain , located east of the historical center of Nanjing, China...
of his deceased father. In accordance with the usual design of a Chinese memorial stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
, three separate pieces were being cut - the rectangular stele base (pedestal), the stele body, and the stele head (crown, to be decorated with a dragon design). After most of the stone-cutting work had been done, it was realized that moving stones that big from Yangshan to Ming Xiaoling, let alone installing them there in a proper way, would not be physically possible, and the project was abandoned. Instead, a much smaller tablet (still, the largest in the Nanjing area), known as the Shengong Shengde ("Divine Merits and Godly Virtues") Stele was installed in Ming Xiaoling's "Square Pavilion" (Sifangcheng) in 1413.
The three unfinished stele components remain in the Yangshand Quarry to this day, only partially separated from the living rock of the mountain. Their present dimensions and the usual weight estimates are as follows:
- The Stele Base (32°04′03"N 119°00′00"E), 30.35 m long, 13 m thick, 16 m tall, 16,250 metric tons.
- The Stele Body (32°04′07"N 119°00′02"E), 49.4 m long (this would be the height, if the stele were to be properly installed), 10.7 m wide, 4.4 m thick, 8,799 tons.
- The Stele Head (32°04′06"N 119°00′02"E), 10.7 m tall, 20.3 m wide, 8.4 m thick, 6,118 tons.
According to experts, if the stele had been finished and put together (i.e., the stele body installed vertically on the base, and topped with the stele head), it would have stood 73 m tall. For comparison, the Shengong Shengde Stele actually installed in Ming Xiaoling is 8.78 m tall (6.7 m body + crown, on top of a 2.8 m tall tortoise pedestal
Bixi (tortoise)
Bixi , also called guifu or baxia , is a stone tortoise, used as a pedestal for a stele or tablet. Tortoise-mounted stelae have been traditionally used in the funerary complexes of Chinese emperors and other dignitaries. Later, they have also been used to commemorate an important event, such as...
). The Song-Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
(early 12th century) Wan Ren Chou ("Ten Thousand Men's Sorrow") Stele
Shou Qiu
Shou Qiu is a historical site on the eastern outskirts of the city of Qufu in Shandong Province, China. According to the legend, Shou Qiu is the birthplace of the Yellow Emperor.The site features two giant turtle-borne steles with a small lake between them...
in Qufu
Qufu
Qufu is a city in southwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It is located at 35° 36′ northern latitude and 117° 02′ east, about south of the provincial capital Jinan and northeast of the prefecture seat at Jining...
, which is thought to be one of the tallest in China, is 16.95 m tall, 3.75 m wide, 1.14 m thick.
Cultural references
Like with other giant construction projects of the Yongle era, working at the Yangshan Quarry was not an easy job. According to a legend, workers who failed to fulfill the daily quota (measured, supposedly, by the amount of crushed rock produced in the process - it had to measure to at least 33 sheng) would be executed on the spot. In memory of the workers who perished there - whether actually executed, or died of overworking and disease - a nearby village became known as Fentou (坟头), i.e. "Grave Mound" Village. Ann PaludanAnn Paludan
Ann Paludan is a British author of several books on Chinese history, sculpture, and architecture.-Biography:Ann Paludan is the daughter of Basil Murray...
translates the place name as "Death's Head Valley".
In the centuries since the giant stele project was abandoned, a number of Ming, Qing, and modern authors visited the site and left accounts of it.
The poet Yuan Mei
Yuan Mei
Yuan Mei was a well-known poet, scholar, artist, and gastronome of the Qing Dynasty.Yuan Mei was born in Qiantang , Zhejiang province, to a cultured family who had never before attained high office. He achieved the degree of jinshi in 1739 at the young age of 23, was immediately appointed to the...
(1716 – 1797) expressed his feelings in "The Song of Hongwu's Great Stone Tablet" (洪武大石碑歌), which concludes with "ten thousand camels could not move it!" ("十万骆驼拉不起"). The poem is published in his collection Xiao Cangshan Fang Wenji (小仓山房文集).
Present day
In 1956, the Yangshan Quarry was entered on the Jiangsu provincial register of protected cultural monuments. It is maintained as a tourist site, although, as journalists who visited it in the closing years of the 20th century, the site was little known even in Nanjing itself, and saw few visitors.Perhaps to attract more visitors, a small theme park called the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
Culture Village (明文化村, Ming Wenhua Cun) was constructed at the entrance to the site; as of 2011, it has a stage, children's rides, and various history-themed amusements. A single admission ticket allows one to visit the "village" and then to walk some 300-400 m to the quarry proper on one of several forest trails. The site is open year-round, but still is mostly deserted in winter.
Transportation from Nanjing to the Yangshan Quarry (either directly to the Ming Culture Village's entrance plaza, or to the "Yangshan Quarry" stop on the Jiangsu Provincial Highway 122 (S122)) is provided by several bus routes, including the Nanjing-Tangshan Line (南汤线, Nan-Tan Xian) from the Nanjing Railway Station
Nanjing Railway Station
Nanjing Railway Station is a major railway station of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is located in the northern part of Nanjing's urban core , near Xuanwu Lake.-Services:...
.