The Tomb of Ranzi

The Tomb of Ranzi lies east of Gaowangduan Village, 9 kilometres northwest of downtown Guanxian County.

Ranzi, courtesy name Zhonggong, was also known as Ran Yong. He was a native of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period and ranked among the "Twelve Wise Disciples", the most outstanding pupils of Confucius. Zheng Xuan, a great Confucian scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty, stated: "After Confucius passed away, Zhonggong and his followers compiled the Master’s remarks into The Analects." This proves that Ranzi was one of the main compilers of this Confucian classic.

Successive dynasties honoured Ranzi for his virtue and erudition and conferred posthumous titles upon him. He was awarded the Marquis of Xue in the Tang Dynasty, the Duke of Xiapi and later the Duke of Xue in the Song Dynasty.

According to legend, Ranzi came to Guanxian to deliver lectures and died of illness unexpectedly. Following the ancient custom of "burial without choosing an auspicious site", he was buried right here. Even today, nearby village names such as Tianping (formerly Tianbing), Wangduan (formerly Wangduan) and Xiaozi Ku (unchanged up to now) still bear witness to this historical event.

The exact founding date of the Ranzi Shrine can no longer be verified, yet it was clearly recorded in Shui Jing (The Water Classic), the famous geographical work of the Jin Dynasty, testifying to its long history.

After its final reconstruction in the Qing Dynasty, the tomb stood more than three metres tall, covered with lush grass. The front shrine consisted of three bays, with grey tiles, red walls and upturned eaves. A vividly sculpted statue of Ranzi was enshrined in the central hall. The courtyard was lined with pine and cypress trees and dotted with numerous stone steles. Two ancient trees outside the gate cast dense shade. To the east of the courtyard stood a building where officials and scholars could rest and discuss affairs when coming to pay homage and offer sacrifices.

The entire architectural complex was simple, solemn and stately, a rare memorial site for ancient worthies in western Shandong. Only the ruins remain today