Yanggu in Shandong was the capital of the Dongyi tribes. Ringed by ancient city walls, it radiates the glory of primeval times.

Great was Chi You, ruler of the Nine Li clans. His prestige shook all China; he pioneered an advanced civilisation.

He first established plough-based farming with oxen and irrigation works. Harvests grew abundant, golden grain covering the land.

Yet those in power failed to recognise his wisdom, sneering that his people "ate sand and stones".

Chi You mastered the laws of heaven, observing the movement of sun, moon and stars. He tracked meteorological changes, predicting wind, rain, mist and sunshine.

He formulated a calendar to fix sowing and harvesting seasons. All trades flourished as tribes settled these fertile eastern lands.

Harmony prevailed between heaven, earth and mankind, with strict laws ensuring everyone lived in peace and order.

Dongyi folk revelled in music: bronze chimes and stone qing resounded, string and wind instruments played in unison. Dragons danced and phoenixes soared amid the melody of lusheng pipes.

High-footed wine vessels brimmed with intoxicating brew. Craftsmen excelled at pottery and spinning wheels.

He smelted copper to forge weapons: dagger-axes, crossbows, swords and halberds. With bronze head and iron forehead, his troops proved invincible on the battlefield.

Clad in ox-hide armour, his warriors appeared as "four-eyed six-limbed giants"; brandishing sharp horns, they looked like "men with ox hooves".

He fought nine battles against Xuanyuan (Huang Emperor) and won every one. His cavalry galloped far and wide, striking terror into the Central Plains.

Huang Emperor retreated to Mount Tai, praying desperately for divine aid. He received a military treatise from the Goddess of the Ninth Heaven and learned the art of turning the tide of war.

Huang Emperor forged a grand allied coalition and finally reversed his fortunes. The decisive battle at Zhuolu ended in defeat for the Nine Li tribes.

Chi You sacrificed his life amid earth-shaking upheaval. The salt marshes ran crimson with his blood.

The Nine Li split into three branches: the southern clans became the Three Miao tribes, some moved northwest to join the Qiang people, while others remained in the Central Plains and served under Xuanyuan’s generals.

Later Chi You was honoured as the God of War and Military Patron under Huang Emperor. Huang Emperor hung his portrait across the realm to stabilise the land.

Though biased historians slandered him as a rebel chieftain, his noble virtue endured, preserved in sacrificial rituals down the ages.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Gaozu of Han offered sacrifices to Chi You with the utmost reverence, for military victories were attributed to the blessing of this war god.

Chi You was originally of the Kan clan, and his noble spirit returned to Kanxiang Township.

Buried upon this lofty mound seven zhang high, he became the ancestral deity revered by countless common folk.

Crimson banners flutter above the tumulus, against blue skies streaked with floating clouds.

The great mound remains tall and intact, green and vibrant after thousands of years.

Majestic are the Three Founding Ancestors of China: Yan Emperor, Huang Emperor and Chi You. Yan Emperor was the elder brother of Huang Emperor, and Chi You was a descendant of Yan Emperor.

Their merits endure for all eternity, their wisdom flowing through past and present. All Chinese people today are descendants of these three great forefathers.

Though hundreds of clans compete and merge into one nation, we share the same ancestral roots while retaining our unique traditions.

We seek harmony among all nations amid prosperity and vitality. Chinese civilisation thrives as a pluralistic yet unified whole.

Today in Yanggu, people stand united with one heart. Our leaders govern with far-sighted vision for the people’s well-being.

We rediscover ancient history to correct historical prejudices. We restore this ancient tumulus and erect this stele to record his immortal feats.

Now our nation enjoys peace and prosperity. Reform and innovation drive social progress. Good governance brings universal harmony as we march toward moderate prosperity.

Dragons and phoenixes dance together; hundreds of flowers bloom across the motherland.

We carry forward China’s age-old civilisation and inherit the benevolent virtues of our three founding ancestors.

We strive ceaselessly for upright conduct and pure social morality. Renewing our vitality day after day through countless generations.

People of all nations gather under one sky, united in heart.

At the completion of this grand commemoration, and at the earnest request of the organisers, I compose this epigraph to mark the occasion.

Respectfully written by Professor Duan Baolin of Peking University Autumn, the tenth lunar month of the Wuzi Year

The Mausoleum of Chi You enshrines Chi You, one of China’s primordial ancestors. In remote antiquity, Yanggu served as the political, economic, cultural and military centre of the Dongyi confederation. Under Chi You’s leadership, the Nine Li tribes developed farming, smelted copper and iron, manufactured five categories of weapons, created hundreds of crafts, studied astronomical laws and instituted moral education. They made extraordinary contributions to the formation of early Chinese civilisation.

In recent years, Yanggu County has achieved major breakthroughs in research on Chi You culture. After deliberations at two national academic symposia, scholars confirmed Yanggu as the site of Chi You’s Head Tomb and the "Capital of the Dongyi Tribes". The county has planned and built the Chi You Mausoleum Cultural Park.

The whole park covers a planned area of 105 mu, consisting of three functional zones: the sacrificial area, the mausoleum precinct and the cultural exhibition area. Phase I construction was completed in October 2010, including the main gate, bronze statue of the primordial ancestor, grand sacrificial hall and sacrificial square. Phase II is currently under construction. The development of Chi You Mausoleum will vigorously boost the growth of cultural industries in Yanggu County.

(Text and photos provided by Yanggu County Tourism Bureau)