Huang Wei's Tomb Introduction
Huang Wei, courtesy name Mengwei, courtesy title Yisou, also known as Yisuo, was from Wenshui Tou (now known as Houshuitou) and was born in the first year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1488). He served as an official in Quanzhou Prefecture and was an imperial scholar in the ninth year of the Zhengde era (1514). Initially appointed as an official in the Nanjing Ministry of Justice, he was known for his integrity, caution, clarity, and compassion in handling prison affairs. He later rose to the position of governor of Nanjun and implemented measures to reduce labor, promote proper etiquette, ban courtesans, and eliminate debauchery temples. Recommended by the local officials, he was then transferred to the governorship of Songjiang Prefecture, where he achieved significant results. However, due to his frank admonitions and refusal to align with those in power, he returned to his hometown to care for his parents and teach. Under Huang Wei's influence, the customs and practices of the people underwent significant changes. There was a popular saying in Kinmen, "Literature is related to Xu Zhongdou, while virtue is associated with Huang Yisou," and he was regarded as a "man of complete virtue" and listed among the Ten Talents of Wenling. In the sixteenth year of the Jiajing era (1537), a great famine struck Quanzhou, and the inspector Li Yuanyang requested Huang Wei, Xu Fu, and Yu Dayou to assist in disaster relief. Huang Wei exhausted himself and fell ill, eventually passing away on March 17 of the following year. His tomb was built in the seventeenth year of the Jiajing era (1538) and is located on the northern foothills of Mount Taiwu, in the Doumen Redevelopment Area, situated between the villages of Houshuitou and Doumen. Its shape resembles a bird spreading its wings, earning it the name "Flying Crow Landing Field," and it has a grand presence. In front, flat fields extend, with Doumen Creek and Jinsha Creek flowing gently from both sides and converging not far in front of the tomb, backed by Mount Taiwu and surrounded by the peaks of the Fujian coastline. At that time, it was classified as one of the four major auspicious sites in Kinmen's feng shui. Most of the burial mounds are at the back of the tomb, while the back of Huang Wei's tomb features a protective wall. The burial mound is divided into two layers; the lower layer is carved from a single piece of stone, with the middle part protruding in a square shape, topped by an inverted dome-shaped stone slab, commonly referred to in Kinmen as the "official seal-style 'tomb turtle'." On either side of the front of the mound, there is a relief-carved stone rail, and at the rear of the tomb stands the highest protective wall of the entire cemetery. Descending two steps from the center of the tomb leads to a tomb table, with the front side divided into three sections by relief carvings of bamboo joints. The center features an immortal holding a fan, accompanied by deer and cranes, symbolizing fortune, rank, and longevity, while the sides depict koi leaping over the dragon gate and a phoenix design. On both sides of the tomb table extend layers outwards to form two sets of ceremonial arms. The ming hall between the second set of arms serves as the sacrificial space; inside the third set of arms, there are stone benches for descendants to rest during rituals—a rare feature for such tombs. In front of the tomb are pairs of stone horses, stone tigers, and stone columns, though the current tomb no longer has the columns, likely due to collapse. Not far northeast of the tomb, by the banks of Jinsha Creek, lies a fallen stone tablet, with the upper half of the inscription worn away, while the lower part is clearly visible and finely crafted, documenting Huang Wei's life and achievements. The ending of the inscription mentions Jin Gui Xiang, a student promoted by Huang Wei during his time as governor of Songjiang, who visited Kinmen multiple times. This tablet was originally protected by a pavilion, but unfortunately, it has been destroyed. The inscription tablet was originally placed beside an ancient road next to Doumen Village, but after a land restructuring in 1987, it no longer lies by the road and has gradually been obscured by bushes. The inscription at the top reads "Ming Dynasty," and the text details "The Tomb Path of Huang Gong, a middle-ranking official of Songjiang Prefecture who served as governor, and his wife Chen," reflecting the characteristics of a fourth-rank official's tomb from the Ming Dynasty. This tomb stands out among all Ming tombs on the island for its unique features.
