Liude Forest of Steles of Taliu Ethnic People in Yongsheng County, Lijiang
Chinese Name: 永胜县六德他留碑林
English Name: Liude Forest of Steles of Taliu Ethnic People in Yongsheng County, Lijiang
Liude Tablets (六德碑林) of the Taliu people (他留人) is located 30 kilometers away from Yongsheng County (永胜县). This site features more than 10,000 tombstones scattered across a hillside, covering an area of 0.3 square kilometers, with a particularly concentrated cemetery area of 100 hectares. The tombstones are unique in their format, featuring carvings of phoenixes, kirins, and Taiji symbols. The designs and craftsmanship of the engravings are exquisite and varied, showcasing the artistic talent of the Taliu people.
Historical Significance
The tombs, constructed on the hills, are arranged in a scattered yet organized manner. The Chinese stone monuments stand prominently, exhibiting a rigorous and magnificent layout. This Tablet Forest serves as a burial site for the Taliu people, with ancient tombs that feature inscriptions engraved in standardized Chinese characters. Many of the stone tablets are adorned with Taliu totems.
Origin and Cultural Insights
According to historical inscriptions, the construction of these tombs began during the Jiajing and Wanli years of the Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, the four kings of Chen, Hai, Wang, and Lan erected tombstones for their ancestors, listing their lineage on the tablets. Some of these tombs trace back at least seven generations, with many reaching as far back as the eleventh.
The grave mountain of the Taliu people provides valuable insights into the history of their ancestors’ settlement, the evolution of their totems and surnames, and the broader historical processes of social, economic, and cultural development. This site is celebrated as a remarkable spectacle of Chinese monumental culture and has been designated as a county-level key cultural relics protection unit.
