The monolith had been used to cover a well at a farm in Wanzhuang village in Linxi County until a villager noticed characters inscribed on it and reported his observations to cultural heritage authorities.
Based on the 928 characters, the 1.86-meter stele was erected in 1294, said Yang Zunyi, a local historian.
It records the return home of retired Marshal Lu Tong, converted to Buddhism, and chronicles the rebuilding of a monastery in his hometown of Linqing, currently in Linxi County, said Yang.
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