Pathfinder Episode 123: Exploring the Tomb of Ming Dynasty Eunuch Li Rong

Today's ride: 57 km The tomb of Li Rong at the end of Tanyu Road in Shijingshan, which is not even on Gaode Maps. ​🌺 Ming Dynasty eunuch Li Rong, some articles say he was from Luoyang, Henan, while others say he was from Sanyuan, Shaanxi. I couldn't find any authoritative information. ​Li Rong was born in 1440 and entered the palace at the age of 10 during the reign of Emperor Yingzong. He outlived four emperors and lived to see the fifth emperor, the infamous Emperor Zhengde, who was rumored to have ADHD. Li Rong died in the seventh year of the Zhengde era at the age of 83. It is said that eunuch Li Rong was honest and straightforward, and he was a dedicated eunuch who served the emperor faithfully and communicated well with the ministers. During the Zhengde era, when the famous eunuch gang led by Liu Jin, known as the Eight Tigers, disrupted the court, eunuch Li Rong served as their superior, the Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and was a loyal supporter of Emperor Zhengde, remaining untainted by corruption. ​🌺 ​After Li Rong's death, Emperor Zhengde personally ordered a grand funeral for him, presided over by several high-ranking eunuchs of the time. His epitaph was written by Li Dongyang, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, who was second only to the emperor. 🌺 The tomb of Li Rong, as seen from the pit of the underground palace, with the remaining spirit path: a pair of huabiao (one fallen), a pair of stone horse warriors, civil and military officials, and the epitaph stele. The remnants are exquisite. 🌺 The three books I've read recently are all set against the backdrop of the Ming Dynasty emperors Zhengde and his father Hongzhi, with many stories involving Li Dongyang and Liu Jin. So, when I learned about this tomb, I immediately set out to explore it...