Harvesters at work in the fields next to the Yongxi Mausoleum in Gongyi, Central China's Henan Province, on June 2, 2025 Photos: VCG

As the golden waves of wheat ripple through the plains of Central China's Henan Province, thousand-year-old stone sculptures from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) stand quietly amid the vast fields like timeless guardians. Recently, a series of photos capturing this unique scene has gone viral online.

At the heart of this landscape are the imperial tombs of the Northern Song Dynasty, where seven of the dynasty's nine emperors are buried. Their resting places are guarded by stone sculptures, 1,027 of which still remain today.

Zhu Xingli, director of the Gongyi Cultural Heritage Bureau, told the Global Times that the stone sculptures reflect the era's costume and art, featuring symbols such as tigers representing imperial power, and sheep symbolizing common people. "These stone sculptures offer a glimpse of the culture of a thousand years ago."

According to Zhu, although the stone sculptures have stood here for a millennium, farming and gathering firewood were once strictly forbidden within the imperial tomb area. This special scene only emerged later, as agricultural development gradually took place, making the coexistence of ancient Song Dynasty tombs and golden wheat fields the more remarkable.

Modern protection

The land surrounding these tombs was historically owned and managed by the state. "In 1915, a local vocational school began leasing the land to fund its operations," Zhu said. As the land was cultivated, the tomb area gradually became integrated with the farmland.

To better manage this precious landscape, local authorities began a new stewardship model in June 2021. The 3,160 mu (about 521 acres) of farmland around the core tomb areas were placed under the care of the local supply and marketing cooperative. This approach allows for uniform cultivation, harvest, and - most critically - protection of the stone relics.

According to Zhu, since 2021, 74 livestock farms within the Song tomb area have been dismantled as part of the thorough restoration of the entire imperial tomb site. A dedicated imperial tomb management office was then established to oversee the protection of cultural relics. The special fund was allocated for security measures, including surveillance cameras and the development of an ecological and cultural park.

"This not only protects the relics, but also benefits local residents and enhances the city's image," explained Zhu.

Besides, nearly 20 years ago, Gongyi established dedicated protection stations at the tomb sites. More than 120 cultural relics protection specialists work around the clock, conducting regular professional maintenance on the stone carvings.

Beyond the core zones, many stone figures have found themselves becoming part of the urban environment - in parks, on streets, and even in rural villages and on mountain slopes. Each of these sculptures has its charm: a stone elephant in the Yongtai Mausoleum, a general with large ears in Yongchang Mausoleum, and a stone sheep guarding Yongxi Mausoleum.

"We also hand-drew a tourist route map featuring these imperial tombs, linking the sites into a unified travel itinerary," said Zhu.

In recent years, rapeseed flowers and sunflowers have been planted in the fields around the tombs, blooming brightly in spring and summer, and drawing large crowds of tourists and photographers.

Zhou Jian, a photographer from Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, told the Global Times that he has visited Gongyi three times in 2025. 

"I think what makes this place special is how history and nature come together, and how tradition and modernity intertwine," he said.

Thousand-year-old stone sculptures from the Northern Song Dynasty in the wheat fields of Gongyi, Central China's Henan Province, on May 29, 2025 

Heritage in nature

Despite the picturesque setting of the stone sculptures scattered across the fields, some netizens have expressed concerns about the fragility of the relics. Suggestions like enclosing the sculptures in glass or constructing protective roofs have been put forward, however Zhu explained why such measures may do more harm than good. "A glass case could trap heat and moisture, turning the statue's environment into a sauna," he said. "And roofing would not only interfere with the landscape but also detract from the statues' royal presence."

"The unique landscape where Northern Song Dynasty stone sculptures coexist with wheat fields is one of the most vivid ways history speaks to the present," Zhu noted.

Each year during the wheat harvest season, machines are used to harvest the fields around the tombs, with staff on site to guide operators and ensure the stone statues are avoided. Crops growing near the relics are harvested by hand to better protect the ancient sculptures.

"I assist the farm machinery operators - it's like being a security guard helping someone back into a parking space," said Cao Feihu, a resident of Baling village in Gongyi, and an employee of a company under the Gongyi Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

"The stone statues are scattered across the fields, so to protect the relics, we can't get too close when planting or harvesting. There's even someone assigned to keep an eye on them during the harvest season," Cao told the Global Times.

The 2025 wheat harvest at the Song tombs has almost concluded, but the cycle of life and history will continue. In the coming seasons, fields will be replanted with sorghum and corn. 

"We hope this area will provide tourists with a different experience in each season, achieving true cultural and tourism integration," said Zhu.