Inside Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple in Chengdu, Sichuan
Province, there are a couple of facing couplets, the one on the
right reads "Recall that I went for a walk to the east of Jingting
Pavilion" while, to the left, "Emperor Liu and Prime Minister Zhuge
worshipped in the same temple," excerpts from the poem Song of
Old Cypress written by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu (712-770)
in depicting the close relationship between Zhuge Liang (181-234)
and Liu Bei (161-223). The closeness extended to death as their
temples were built close together and nearly identical. Thus, this
introduction to Liu Bei's Huiling Mausoleum and temple also
introduces the Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple.
Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple
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West of Zhuge Liang Hall in the Zhuge Liang Memorial
Temple lies a quiet and secluded mausoleum, the tomb of Liu Bei,
the first ruler of the State of Shu. It has, through history, been
called the Huiling Mausoleum. A stone pillar inscribed with "The
Tomb of Zhao Lie, Emperor of Han" still stands in front of the
tomb, erected in the 53rd year of the Qian Long reign (1788) of the
Qing Dynasty. And on the back of the wall is inlaid a horizontal
board on which are inscribed "The Tomb of Han Emperor Zhao Lie"
placed in the 7th year of the Kang Xi reign (1669).
Tombstone at Huiling, tomb of Liu Bei during the
Three Kingdoms period
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Further west, across a small bridge, and through Guihe Tower,
Qinting Pavilion and the moon-gate named "The Han Family Cloud
Ground," one enters a narrow zigzag vermilion wall lane. At the end
of the lane lies the tomb of Liu Bei amid a bamboo grove, in a
quiet, secluded environment.
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According to the History of the Three Kingdoms, in the
fourth month of the third year of the Zhang Wu reign (223), Liu Bei
died in the Yong'an Palace in Baidi Town (present-day Fengjie
County). His remains were shipped to Chengdu in May and buried in
Huiling with his wives, Gan and Wu.
???
Why did Liu Bei die in Baidi Town at the entrance to the Yangtze
Gorges in eastern Sichuan? It was because Guan Yu, a military hero
of the Three Kingdoms period, had been defeated and killed at
Maicheng (present-day Dangyang County, Hubei Province) in 219.
Despite a political situation that was just moving toward stability
and in which long-neglected tasks were now being done, and with a
powerful enemy, Cao Cao, in the north glaring southward like a
tiger eyeing its prey, Liu Bei was determined to lead his troops
eastwards to fight against the State of Wu to avenge the defeat and
death of his sworn brother, Guan Yu. The following June, Liu Bei,
knowing nothing of his enemy's situation, nevertheless moved his
troop into battle, suffering a crushing defeat by Wu's troops in
Xiaoting (present-clay Yidu County, Hubei Province). He could not
but retreat to and defend Baidi Town. There, for a year, Liu was so
worried and indignant that he fell iii, taking to his bed, which he
never left. At the same time, Zhuge Liang hurriedly left Chengdu to
join Liu. There, a critically ill Liu entrusted Zhuge Liang with
the care of his son, the crown prince. This resulted in the story
of Entrusting Zhuge Liang with an Orphan in Baidi Town handed
down from ancient times. The death of Emperor Liu Bei was a
heavy loss to the State of Western Sbu during the Three
Kingdoms.
???
Nobody knows the date of original construction of the tomb of
Liu Bei. However, conditions at the time made it impossible for the
State of Western Shu to spend much money and materials on a
mausoleum.
???
Neither an arch nor stone inscriptions were found in front of
Huiling. The sleeping chamber at the front of the mausoleum is very
simple and narrow. The earth covering on the tomb was only 12
metres deep and the tomb is circled by a round, ancient brick wall
with a circumference of 180 metres. Grass and greenwoods cover the
tomb's earth slopes. In ancient times cypresses and pine trees grew
around the tomb and formed a line to the Zhuge Liang Memorial
Temple. Li Shangyin, a poet of the late Tang Dynasty wrote a
classical-style poem, "Old Cypresses of the Zhuge Liang Memorial
Temple":
?????
??????????????
??Cypresses grow in front of Shu Prime Minister's
Hall,
???? ?So
their branches, like dragons and snakes, cover the temple;
??????????????
? Their shade so wide it reaches the riverside.
??????????????
??All this faces always toward Huiling Temple.
This poem shows that as late as a thousand years ago dense pine
and cypress growth graced the tomb areas.
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Because Liu Bei made valuable contributions in history and
because his tomb is located near the Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple,
he was worshipped in ancient times. According to the work
Geographical Records of Northern Song (Tat Ping Huan
Yu Ji), during the Da Zhong reign of Emperor Xuan Zong in the
Tang Dynasty, these tombs were protected and sacrifices were
offered throughout the year, at least when Li Hut, prefecture
garrison commander, guarded Chengdu.
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There are couplets on Liu Bei Hall dating from the Xian Feng
reign (1851-1861) of the Qing Dynasty. The couplets read:
????????
????????????????Even
now it is a towering pile of earth on the tomb,
????????????????Yet
the three bronze-bird mound has been damaged,
????????????????And
one knows of the tombs of Cao Cao along the Zhanghe
River;
……
?????
??????? ?
???????????????
Tripartite states still exist,
????
???????? ? But only
the ancient stone passage remains,
?????
????????? To make
people think of officials of the Han Dynasty.
?? ?
The first couplet boasts that the earth covering of Liu Bei's
tomb still majestically stands while Cao Cao's three bronze-bird
mound in Yecheng is damaged and nobody knows the locations of his
seventy-two false tombs along the Zhanghe River. It indicates the
author's orthodoxies in eulogizing Liu Bei while denouncing Cao
Cao. There is no confirmation that Cao Cao had built seventy-two
fake tombs for himself as a means of preventing looting of his real
tomb. It is a mystery handed down from ancient times.
???
The second couplet is a sign from the author about the rise and
fall of the tripartite situation during the Three Kingdoms period.
The author cherished a memory of Han officials in his imagination
that envisioned various stone inscriptions and other signs of
respect and honor in and around the mausoleum. In fact, stone
inscriptions in front of Liu Bei's tomb disappeared long ago, and
history shows there were never any carved stones by Liu Bei's
tomb.
???
The Zhao Lie Temple commemorating Liu Bei was built for the
Huiling Mausoleum. It is located by the mausoleum. Originally, this
temple was separated from the Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple. However,
since Liu Bei had a dose relationship with Zhuge Liang, the Zhao
Lie Temple and the Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple were gradually, over
the centuries, combined into one. Actually the Zhuge Liang Memorial
Temple is the Zhao Lie Temple, this can be seen in a sign above the
gate of the temple, on which are engraved in golden characters "The
Zhao Lie Temple of Han. "
???
Surrounded by a vermilion wall, the temple occupies 56 mu of
land. Just inside the temple is a quiet and secluded courtyard
planted with green cypresses and fragrant nanmu (a hard
wood species). Inscribed pillars stand on both sides of the
courtyard.
???
Through a second door, one sees a high and spacious building. It
is Liu Bei Hall connected to east and west corridors, forming a
courtyard in the center which is densely wooded and carpeted with
lush flowers and grass. Liu Bei's statue stands in the middle of
the main hall. About three meters high, the statue shows Liu in
golden robes, with an imperial crown on his head and holding a
scepter. He seems to have a respectful and modest expression,
reminding one of an impressive-
looking emperor.
???
Left of the main hall is the attendant statue of Liu Zhan, Liu
Bei's grandson. However, the statue of Liu Can, the emperor's son
and Liu Zhan's father isn't there, prompting questions about the
exclusion. Liu Can was left out because he intended to surrender at
a time when enemy forces were bearing down on the border and the
State of Shu was in dire peril. Meanwhile, Liu Zhan tried his best
to stir resistance to the enemy. He was awe-inspiring in his
righteousness and filled with grief and indignation, saying "If we
cannot find good reasons for fighting and defending ourselves and
thus yield to the enemy, it will be a disaster for our state. So,
the whole country should stand with backs to the city wall and
fight to win or die. We should prefer to die in battle. Then, we
can meet our forefather emperor." His effort was in vain; his
father surrendered.
???
Liu Zhan protested tearfully at his ancestor's temple and,
finally, killed himself for his country. To honor Liu Zhan's act of
facing danger fearlessly, later generations erected the statue for
him. As for Liu Can, he was ignored by later generations because he
surrendered himself to the State of Jin and even said to Sima Zhao
after his surrender,-'This is much better than Shu, so I never
think of that country any longer."
??
East of the main hall stand statue of Guan Yu (?-219) and his
sons Guan Ping and Guan Xing as well as his general, Zhao Lei,
while the statues of Zhang Fei (?-221) together with his son and
grandson stand in the west side hall. These statues depict Guan
Yu's impressive demeanor and Zhang Fei's irascible temperament.
??
Fourteen statues of ministers and generals line the east and
west corridors from the main hall. In front of each statue stands a
small stone tablet on which is recorded the life story of the
person. Among famous persons of Shu in statue are Pang Tong, Jiang
Wan, Fei Yi and Dong Yun, as well as generals Zhao Yun, Ma Chao,
Huang Zhong, Jiang Wei, and others. With different expressions and
styles, these statues seem to be accurate images of those generals
of the State of Shu mentioned in the book Romance of the Three
Kingdoms.
???
Records show that Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple and Zhao Lie
Temple were merged in the early Ming Dynasty when Zhu Chun, emperor
Shu Xian, noting that the Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple was close to
the Huiling Mausoleum, ordered a damaged Zhuge Liang's statue
restored into the Zhao Lie Temple, forming the joint temple of
emperor and minister. The present Zhao Lie Temple was rebuilt in
the 1lth year of the Kang Xi reign (1672) on ruins left from wars
of the late Ming Dynasty.
???
Du Fu, poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote the following lines in
his Prime Minister of Shu with seven characters to a
line:
???????
Where is the Prime Minister's temple,
Deep amidst cypresses outside ]inguan
(Chengdu).
Lush growths of trees and grass make spring,
But orioles among the leaves sing in vain.
Heeding Liu's three calls at the thatched cottage
and?masterminding the schemes,
He devoted his efforts to helping the Lius found
the Han and govern state affairs.
Unfortunately, he died before victory on an
expedition,
That makes heroes' eyes fill with tears.
This poem written in the first year of the Shang Yuan reign
(760) shows that pines and cypresses at the tombs were already
green and luxuriant. Generally speaking, cypresses grow very
slowly; at least, two or three hundred years are needed for these
trees to grow large. So, we may imagine the temple was probably
moved there from Shaocheng, around 400 or 500 to place Zhuge
Liang's temple near Liu Bei's tomb and temple.
?? ?
After Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple was moved to ?the nearby
Liu Bei's tomb and temple, the Prime Minister was still worshipped
separately for nearly a thousand years. People of those times
respected and admired Zhuge Liang at least as much as they did
Emperor Zhao Lie, so, construction details of the temple were
magnificent, and pillars and tablets with numerous poems and'
inscriptions by poets of past ages were included. However, because
of the relations between prince and minister, the status of the
temple was much lower than before as soon as it was merged into the
Zhao Lie Temple. Not only was the title of the main gate changed to
Zhao Lie, but also the Zhuge worship hall was placed behind the
Zhao Lie Temple. It was also smaller than the Liu Bei Hall.
???
From Liu Bei Hall, one enters Zhuge Liang Hall by descending
steps behind Liu's hall and passing through a connecting hallway.
Although it is smaller than that of Liu Bei Hall, Zhuge Liang Hall
is elegant and exquisite in construction, comprising a main hall
and two corridors as well as a courtyard. Blue stones serve as
barristers edging the corridors, and stone pillars are carved with
rare birds and beasts in various postures, vividly true to life. At
the sides of the main hall stand the bell and drum towers each with
flying rafters. Indeed, they are magnificent.
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Seated clay statues of Zhuge Liang, and his son and grandson
covered with gold leaf occupy the center of the hall. With feather
fan in hand and head wrapped in silk ribbon, the statue of Zhuge
Liang sits with dignity in the middle, denoting the experience and
prudence of a strategist who thought deeply and planned carefully.
To the left of Zhuge Liang's statue is the statue of Zhuge Zhan,
son of Zhuge Liang while the statue of Zhuge Shang, grandson of
Zhuge Liang is on the right.
???
Zhuge Zhan was good at painting and calligraphy and had a good
memory. Both Zhuge Zhan and Zhuge Shang fought the enemy bravely
when the State of Shu was about to be subjugated. Both finally lay
down their lives for their country.
Three generations of the Zhuge family were unswerving in their
loyalty to the State of Shu and accounts of their deeds were widely
read by people over generations owing to Zhuge Liang's great talent
and bold vision, especially his merits and achievements in
assisting Liu Bei in governing the State of Shu.
???
Today, there still exist not a few poems and inscriptions
admiring their deeds. A couplet written on scrolls and hung on the
pillars of Liu Bei Hall, says that during the southward expedition
in 225, Zhuge Liang made a psychological move in persuading Meng
Huo, then the chieftain of the Yi nationality who had been defeated
and captured seven times by Zhuge Liang to capitulate again.
Finally Meng was convinced and surrendered himself to Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge and the couplet reminded his successors to take this strategy
carefully into consideration. This couplet was written by a person
of the late Qing Dynasty. (However, it is signed by Zhao Fan,
commissioner-in-chief of salt and the tea in Sichuan, in the first
ten-day period of November 1902, in the 28th year of the Qing
Dynasty, during the Guang Xu reign.)
???
The memorial Asking for the Emperor's Marching Orders
was written by Yue Fei, a well-known national hero in China. It was
said he had mixed feelings of grief and joy and was moved to tears
as he wrote the plea. With its intense sentiment, the couplet was
an inspiration to many generations.
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A bronze drum on display in front of Zhuge Liang's statue was
called "Zhuge drum." Originally, such a drum was a cooking utensil
used by some minority groups in southwestern China, which appeared
in the Spring and Autumn (770-476 B.C.) and Warring States (457-221
B.C.) periods. Later it developed as a musical instrument. Zhuge
Liang's tremendous influence among the people in southwestern China
led them to erroneously attribute invention of the drum to Zhuge
Liang.
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There is a famous Tang Dynasty stone tablet in Zhuge Liang
Memorial Temple called "three-unique stone" for several hundred
years. The "three-unique" means that the text, calligraphy and
carving of the stone were done by separate well-known persons. For
example, the text was written by Pei Du, a famous Prime Minister
who advocated unification of the state during the middle of the
Tang Dynasty and assisted the Tang Emperor in smashing attempts at
a separatist regime by Fan Zhang. When he wrote the tablet text in
the 4th year of the Yuan He reign (809), he was an official under
Wu Yuanheng, Xichuan Prefecture in Sichuan Province. And soon after
he was promoted to palace aide to the censor-in-chief, high
minister and finally prime minister. The text was written when he
and Wu Yuanheng went sightseeing to the Zhuge Liang Memorial
Temple.
Part of the "Three-Unique Tablet"
???
The carver and engraver were Liu Gongchuo and Lu Jian,
well-known calligrapher and engraver of the Tang Dynasty. With a
calligraphic style similar to that of his younger brother, Liu
Gongquan, Liu Gongchuo nevertheless had an originality of his own,
writing in bold hand with vigorous strokes, while Lu Jian's
engraving was bold and extremely skillfully carved.
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In short, the stone tablet incorporated strong points of three
different schools, earning it the name "three-unique stone."
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There are many evaluations of Zhuge Liang at his early stage.
However, Pei Du's text on the stone tablet is fairly complete and
sets a high value on Zhuge Liang. It declares that Zhuge Liang was
well-known in the world and "had moral courage to assist an
emperor, talent to found a country, a way of establishing an
unassailable position and a method for remolding persons."
???
He could be mentioned in the same breath with Guan Zhong and Yan
Ying of the Spring and Autumn Period, Xiao He and Zhang Liang in
the Western Han Dynasty and he even demonstrated many of their
strong points.
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Pei Du especially appreciated Zhuge Liang's policy of ruling by
law, saying that Zhuge Liang established policies and criminal law
in troublesome border areas, so even those sentenced to death were
not resentful.
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The historical story, "Killing Ma Su with hearts full of tears"
illustrates that any one would be punished who violated the
military law, no matter how great the contributions he made.
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The "three-unique stone" is erected behind the gate of the
temple. It is well preserved although more than one thousand years
have elapsed, making it a treasured relic of important historical
and artistic value.
