The Tomb of Huang Motang

This article was originally published on November 26, 2010, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

Huang Motang's tomb rests in a quiet place on the back of Lianhua Shan

In other posts we've visited the Huang family museum in Xiasha Village, and the Huang Ancestral Hall in Shang Meilin. These are both connected to one figure, Huang Motang, whose descendants settled both of those villages, and several others.

Said to be a 14th-generation descendant of patriarch Huang Qiaoshan, a native of Fujian in the Song-Dynasty who had 21 sons, Huang Motang passed away over seven centuries ago, and his tomb dates to 1248. It was rediscovered in 1991.

Entering Lianhuashan Park from the northwest gate --across from Beijing (Peking) University Hospital-- cross a plaza to the right with trees in boxed planters and enter the forested area to the south.

The paifang leading to the tomb, with memorial steles to the side

There you'll see a classic Chinese gate in the style known as "paifang," with four columns in a straight line and three panels up high between them. This kind of unpainted stone paifang is reserved for religious areas and burial grounds.

This D-shaped pond improves the site's feng shui. The tomb is uphill to the left (out of frame)

Around the gate are tablets inscribed with Huang family information (alas, all in Chinese). Inside the gateway is a "D"-shaped pond essential to the tomb's feng shui, providing it with water before, and the hill Lianhua to its rear. Stairs lead around either side of the pond toward the tomb itself.

The small pagoda at center constitutes the tomb itself

It's an exquisite small stone "pagoda," about half a meter wide and one-and-a-quarter tall, with Huang's name carved in granite. It's surrounded by a rather elaborate, modern setting of cut block, but the pagoda itself is ancient.

Space for rituals in front of the tomb

The tomb is worth a quick visit. If you have time, climb to the top of the mountain for a view of the city built by Huang's descendants and millions of others.

The park in which the tomb is located is described in my article Lianhua Shan Park.

Another article in the Shenzhen Daily:  Huang Motang's tomb on Lotus Hill

GPS Info:

• 22.55411, 114.05182

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Map:

Note: The tomb is southeast of the pond at the center of this map.
It's on the northwest side of Lianhua Shan, across from Peking University Hospital.

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