Stone statues ceased to be used as imperial funerary objects under the Yuan Dynasty (1271- 1368) that succeeded the Song to reign supreme over China. This funerary practice was, however, restored immediately after the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) replaced the Yuan. In 1369, Zhu
 |
| Picture shows the "guard of honor" in front of the tomb of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, in Nanjing. | Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the new dynasty, ordered construction, in his native place, Fengyang of Anhui Province, of a mausoleum for his parents with stone statues flanking the divine road. Stone statues of the Ming Dynasty that have survived to our time are found in Fengyang, Yutai of Jiangsu Province where ancestors of the imperial family were buried, Nanjing of Jiangsu where Zhu Yuanzhang was buried, and in Beijing that has the tombs of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. Whether human or animal figures, these look submissive and rigid, testifying to the strengthening of the centralized feudal monarchy under the Ming Dynasty.
The practice of placing stone statues in front of imperial tombs continued into the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the difference being that those military and civil officials of stone "wear" uniforms in Manchurian style. The Qing, China's last feudal dynasty, was overturned in the 1911 Revolution. Even though the country was already republic, Yuan Shikai (1859-1916), a warlord careerist who maneuvered to presidency, attempted to bring China back to monarchy and made himself Emperor Hong Xian of China. His "dynasty", so to speak, survived for no more than three months before he abducted in frustration, amid nationwide protests and armed uprisings against him. Yuan died three months afterwards, and was buried in Anyang, Henan Province. The man had a group of stone statues built in front of his tomb, which look ugly with Western-style "military uniforms" on. |
