When did Headstones Start?

The Headstones of loved ones are remembered for one or two generations, but not for three. Especially experienced war, migration and other displaced people, do not know where the ancestral Headstones. 

People have devised many ways to remember the location of their ancestors. At first, people were inspired by the round wooden stakes on which the dead were buried. In front of the tomb of the deceased, a wooden stake or bamboo pole is inserted, and then the date and date of birth and death are written on fibrous paper or silk. This is called "mingjing" by ancient people. 

Over time, wooden posts or bamboo poles are easily damaged. So people came up with another idea, that is to use stone columns instead of round wooden piles, people carved on the stone column the name of the dead, date of birth, official position, and so on, in order to express the memory of the dead.  

In order to carve more characters on the stone columns, the shape of the Headstones for Graves changed from cylindrical to square and rectangular and were buried inside and outside the tomb. Later, referring to the style of houses and buildings, the cap is added on the top of the tombstone, and animals and plants, landscapes, patterns are engraved on the body of the stele, and the life stories of the deceased are engraved on the body. Some tombstones also indicate whether the deceased was buried alone or with his wife, concubines, children or daughters, along with the direction of the tomb and feng shui. In the ancient rich family's tombstone, usually is carved beautifully large stele, such as the ancient emperor mausoleum and royal and noble tomb, the poor family's tombstone is often relatively simple, most of them are only engraved name small stele.  

Later Headstones for Graves with carvings, epitaphs and ornaments gradually transformed into cultural works of art. Its function, form, texture, ornamentation are more and more diversified. Many celebrity tombstones, multi-purpose marble, granite and other high-grade stone carving, the top of the monument has the statue of the dead or in the center of the monument inlaid with the porcelain of the dead. Today, tombstones have become "honor" and "decoration" to record the deceased's family and deeds of merit. This phenomenon is in line with the customs of the Chinese people to honor their ancestors, benefit the later generations and perpetuate their fame. In order to protect the tombstone from natural erosion and man-made damage, people will put the monument outside the tomb, the epitaph and inscription buried in the tomb, in order to preserve longer.