Photo: Xinhua
A nearly 500-year-old stele of a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) has been found during a Great Wall repair project in North China's Hebei Province.
Erected in 1569, the white marble stele measures 78 centimeters high, 48 centimeters wide and 20 centimeters thick.
It notes that 10 civil and military officials, led by Qi Jiguang, a renowned military general, supervised the construction of defensive structures at a section of the Great Wall.
According to local cultural relics protection authorities, the stele was unearthed in Luanping County while the Wudaoliang section of the Great Wall was being repaired.
Its external appearance remains intact, displaying clear inscriptions and retaining a well-preserved condition.
The inscribed content on the stele includes details about the completion date, the names, hometowns, posts and responsibilities of the officials engaged in the supervision and construction of the Great Wall.
Gao Yang, the curator of the Luanping County Museum, said that the content of the inscription closely matches historical records. Gao added that the stele was erected specially to record the construction status of a larger construction project.
It provides evidence for the study of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, holding significant cultural and historical research value.
During the Ming Dynasty, soldiers led by Qi were stationed along the Great Wall to resist enemies coming from the north.
In mid July, another fragmented stone stele, with 538 years of history, was discovered in Huanghua city in Cangzhou, Hebei.
According to inscriptions on the stele remnant, local archaeologists have determined it was made to commemorate a local temple dedicated to Bixia Yuanjun, a Taoist goddess believed to bless and bring good luck to people.
The stele was also made during the Ming Dynasty.
It is so far the region's earliest discovered relic documenting the folk tradition.
It was 1.75 meters long and 0.4 meters wide.
Xinhua-Global Times
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