Chen Gong

Duke Chen, approximately from 1235 to 1334, was a native of Weiyang Prefecture and the maternal grandfather of Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. During the late Song Dynasty, Duke Chen served as a troop officer and defected to the general Zhang Shijie, accompanying him along with Zhao Bing. In the spring of the same year, during the Battle of Yashan, Zhang Shijie fought against the Yuan forces and was defeated, resulting in a retreat and the collapse of the army; many soldiers drowned in the chaos. Duke Chen escaped by sea to avoid death, and after landing, faced starvation and attempted to die by eating dead horses but was rescued by officials who had surrendered to Yuan. He was subsequently sent to Tongzhou.

After returning to Weiyang, Duke Chen ceased military service and lived in Xuyi Jincheng Town, earning a livelihood through witchcraft, divination, and Feng Shui. He had no sons, only two daughters: the eldest married Ji Shi, and the second, Chen Erniang, married Zhu Shizhen. In his later years, Duke Chen followed his eldest son, Ji Shi, as his heir. He died at the age of ninety-nine and was buried in Xuyi.

Zhu Shizhen and Chen Erniang had a son, Zhu Yuanzhang. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang ascended to the throne as Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, posthumously honoring his mother, Chen Erniang, as Empress Chun. In the second year of the Hongwu reign, Duke Chen was posthumously granted the title of King of Yang and enshrined together with his mother in the eastern side of the temple. Zhu Yuanzhang commanded the Secretariat to establish a shrine and memorial on his tomb site, deploying 210 household guards to protect it. The inscription was composed by Hanlin scholar Song Lian, titled "The deeds of King Yang."