Ancient Liao Dynasty Tombs in Guanshan

Ancient Liao Dynasty Tombs in Guanshan

The ancient Liao Dynasty tombs in Guanshan are a cultural heritage site protected at the Liaoning provincial level.

The ancient Liao Dynasty tombs in Guanshan are located in areas such as Wangfen Gou, Mazhang Wa, and Sandao Gou near the Guanshan Breeding Farm, and are designated as a provincial-level cultural heritage site. Nine tombs from the Guanshan Liao Tomb Cluster have been excavated; all were ancestral burial grounds for the imperial clan of Empress Chunqin, wife of Liao Taizu. These tombs vary in scale, size, and complexity, but all are built of brick and feature an octagonal floor plan. Each tomb consists of a passageway, a shaft, a tomb door, a corridor, side chambers, and a main chamber. The artifacts and murals unearthed in these Liao tombs serve as an encyclopedia for studying the history of the Liao Dynasty.

Tomb of Xiao Dewen: Located on the southern foothills of Guanshan. Xiao Dewen was the son of Chen Wang Xiao Zhizhu (A La), who served as the Chancellor of the Liao Dynasty, and the nephew of Empress Xuanyi of Liao Daozong. He held the title of “Left Golden Armored Guards General” under Liao Daozong and was a meritorious official during the rise of the Liao Dynasty. On the 19th day of the third month in the first year of the Dàkāng era of the Liao Dynasty, he passed away in a traveling camp west of the Liao River at the age of 45. According to the epitaph unearthed in 1926, he had five brothers, whose names followed the sequence of virtues: "Wen (温), Liang (良), Gong (恭), Jian (俭), and Rang (让)." His great-grandfather Xiao Aguzhi was the younger brother of Empress Chunqin of Liao Taizu (Empress Shulü), a founding hero who assisted Yelü Abaoji in establishing the great Khitan Liao Dynasty, and once served as the Northern Prime Minister. His great-great-grandfather was Xiao He, his grandfather was Xiao Mu. From his great-grandfather onward, 17 members of his family successively served as Northern Prime Ministers, 13 were enfeoffed as kings, and 20 married imperial princesses. Among the women in the family, five became empresses and two became imperial concubines, making it a distinguished and prominent noble lineage.

Tomb of Xiao He: Unearthed in May 2001 in Mazhang Wa, Guanshan. Xiao He served as the Military Governor of Tianxiong Army during the Liao Dynasty. He also held positions such as Participating Chancellor of the Ministry of Personnel, Compiler of National History, Prefectural Chancellor of Weizhou, and concurrently as Chancellor of the Secretariat. He was awarded the title of “Senior Pillar of State, Duke of Hongnong Commandery.”

Tomb of Xiao Degong: The tomb of Xiao Degong is in the same burial ground as that of Xiao Dewen. Xiao Degong was the third younger brother of Xiao Dewen and held the title of “Silver-Green Grand Master of Merit.” He once served as the Military Governor and Surveillance Commissioner of Shouzhou, concurrently as Censor-in-Chief and Senior Cavalry Commander, and was granted the title of “Founding Son of Lanling County.” He passed away in a traveling camp near Songshan Prefecture at the age of 38.

Tomb of Xiao Zhixing: Unearthed in 2001 in Wangfen Gou, Guanshan. Xiao Zhixing was the grandson of Xiao He and the fifth son of Xiao Xiaocheng. He once served as a Defense Commissioner. He was known for his philanthropy throughout his life. He passed away at a separate residence in Shantuoya Mountain at the age of 44.

Friends, at present we can only see the tomb of Xiao He, as the other tombs have been backfilled.

A large number of cultural relics have been excavated from these Liao Dynasty tombs. These include celadon bottles and pottery fired in the official kilns of Jingdezhen, vivid tomb-guarding beast heads, and the extremely precious “Yellow Intestine Stack Burial Structure.” Additionally, a tomb epitaph weighing up to 500 kilograms and nearly square in shape, belonging to Xiao Degong and his wife, was discovered. Its massive scale, exquisite carving, and vigorous calligraphy (with both large Khitan script and Chinese characters coexisting, featuring styles of Yan Zhenqing and Ouyang Xun) are truly unparalleled. The over ten-meter-long entrance corridor to the tomb is also adorned with colorful murals depicting auspicious clouds, pine trees, a flower-wheeled cart pulled by camels, galloping horses, soaring phoenixes, monks, as well as scenes of Khitan and Han people. Despite being over a thousand years old, the murals remain as vivid and breathtaking as ever.