Over 700-year-old stone tablet found in north China's Hebei

SHIJIAZHUANG, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- A stone tablet dating back to the year 1286, which falls within the Yuan Dynasty (1271 to 1368), has been discovered in Longyao County of north China's Hebei Province, according to local authorities.

The tablet found in Gongzi Village of Weijiazhuang Township has a history of 736 years.

According to experts, this tablet records the merits and virtues of a local family surnamed Wang.

The tablet measures 1.52 meters high, 0.76 meters wide and 0.26 meters thick and is made of bluestone with a dome on top. The characters on the front face of the tablet are clear and in 18 lines.

The inscription describes the deeds of the Wang's ancestors who worked as farmers all their lives. They diligently worked in the fields and bought their own homes, showed filial piety for their elders at home, and helped the poor. The Wang's descendants rebuilt the tombs and erected the tablet as a monument to remember their merits and virtues.

Guo Yingjie, a scholar of literature and history in Longyao County, said the discovery of this stone tablet has high value in terms of the study of the cultural history of the Yuan Dynasty.