Yuán Chónghuàn Ancestral Temple and Tomb 袁崇焕祠和墓
崇文区白石桥大街东花市斜街
Part of A Better Guide to Beijing’s coverage of South of Qián Mén
This tiny newly-renovated temple to a Míng dynasty military hero from Guǎngxī Province lies in a smart little park on a diagonal street just inside the east Second Ring Road. Its small traditional buildings are now dwarfed by surrounding modern residential towers.
Yuán Chónghuàn (1584–1630) is particularly popular because he led armies successfully resisting advances by the Manchus both in the northeast and close to Běijīng itself. Nevertheless, court officials were tricked by a rival into believing that despite such meritorious service Yuán was a traitor, and he was executed by the Chóngzhēn emperor, an act that contributed to the toppling of the Míng 14 years later.
Yuán was posthumously rehabilitated by the Qīng Qiánlóng emperor, and the Dàoguāng emperor (r. 1821–50) subsequently placed a stele here in his honour. Although Yuán had been an enemy of the Qīng, loyalty to the emperor of the day was a virtue to be encouraged, as was respect for martial valour. The shrine, rebuilt in 1984 and renovated in 2006, is a simple three-bay hall, and the tomb of Yuán a small concrete drum behind, along with that of a loyal aide for company.
Yuán was executed by slicing, and tradition has it that people fought to eat scraps of his flesh, although stories differ as to whether it was out of hatred for his claimed treachery or in hope of acquiring some of his warlike spirit. Only his head remained, but that was retrieved by an aide from the pole on which it had been stuck and buried in the garden of Yuán’s house, a short distance from the modern shrine.
Side rooms hold displays on Yuán’s life and campaigns, and at the central shrine offerings of fruit and incense suggest he’s still popular.
A contemporary twist to this story is that the descendants of the aide who saved his head have lived on the site and guarded Yuán’s memory for 17 generations since 1630, latterly in a hut originally used to keep sheep. Their recent successful campaign for the site to be restored had the unexpected side-effect of ending this historic relationship, although supposedly a large and comfortable apartment near Tiān Tán was provided.
As far as the government is concerned, only it has the right to tend and interpret history. ‘Citizens are not allowed to live in historic sights,’ one mealy-mouthed official was reported as saying. If that rule’s ever enforced expect to be trampled to death by exiting hordes of illegal residents as you visit the Summer Palaces, Qīng Tombs, Forbidden City, and many another major site.
▶ Yuán Chónghuàn Cí Hé Mù, Dōng Huā Shì Xiéjiē, t 6718 7057, 9am-3.30pm, 1 April–31 Oct; otherwise 9am-3pm. ¥2. m Guǎngqú Mén Nèi (Line 7). b to 广渠门: 特12内环, 特12外环, 29, 52, 122, 434, 638, 674, 827, 829, 957. Walk north up Bái Qiáo Dàjiē (白桥大街).
A little further up Bái Qiáo Dàjiē and off to the east, between the street and the railway line, is the Lóng’ān Sì (隆安寺), rumoured to be due to open soon. This is of Míng origin with a later life as a guildhall during the Qīng, and with several halls and an opera stage. Venture north, show the characters to residents, and see for yourself.
Next in South of Qián Mén: Today Art Museum
Previous: Museum of Ancient Pottery Civilisation
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For discussion of China travel, see The Oriental-List.
