Tomb of Yue Fei
restored tomb of the Song general Yue Fei near West Lake in Hangzhou, China
The Tomb of Yue Fei, also known by its Chinese names Yue Fen and Yue Fei Mu, is the traditional Chinese tomb of the Song-era general Yue Fei located at his temple south of Qixia Hill (栖霞岭) and northwest of West Lake in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province in eastern China. The site has been revered for centuries as a memorial to Yue's unflagging patriotism and self-sacrifice, although its associations with Han chauvinism and feudal values have sometimes been problematic. Heavily damaged during the Cultural Revolution, Yue Fei's tomb, the adjacent tomb of his son Yue Yun, and their spirit way have since been restored to their general appearance under the Song.
History
Yue Fei was a low-born soldier of the Song Empire who rose to the rank of general during its suppression of peasant uprisings and its wars with the invading Jurchen Jin. Steadfastly committed to Song's reconquest of northern China, Yue was ultimately executed by the Southern Song emperor Gaozong due to court intrigue and to political pressures during his peace negotiations with the Jin. In the most common account, he was initially buried at Jiuqucong Temple (九曲叢祠) near Baoshi Hill outside the city wall's northwestern Qiantang Gate. Upon the resumption of hostilities two decades later, Gaozong retired from the throne and repented the manner of Yue's death, blaming his decisions on wicked advisors. His successor Xiaozong posthumously exonerated Yue and had his corpse reburied at its present site in 1163. Later Song emperors subsequently elevated Yue to royal status and venerated his memory at a nearby temple.
Yue's legacy was largely ignored by the Yuan but was greatly promoted by the Ming, who established the sculptures along the tomb's spirit way.
The public source identifies “Tomb of Yue Fei” as restored tomb of the Song general Yue Fei near West Lake in Hangzhou, China. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Tomb, restored and tomb.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Tomb of Yue Fei”, the useful work is to connect “restored tomb of the Song general Yue Fei near West Lake in Hangzhou, China” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q16924408. Authority coordinates are 30.255, 120.129. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1163.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tomb of Yue Fei”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tomb of Yue Fei primary sources, Tomb of Yue Fei archive and Tomb research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Tomb of Yue Fei”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Tomb of Yue Fei” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.