Xituanshan Site

Xituanshan Site

The Xituanshan Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Xituanshan Site is a Bronze Age relic located on Xituanshan Hill in Jixing Village, Huanxi Township, Jilin City. The hill stands at an elevation of 236.2 meters, about 40 meters higher than the surrounding plains. It earned its name due to its location west of downtown Jilin and its roughly circular shape.

The southwestern slope of the hill is scattered with numerous stone and pottery artifacts, marking the burial area. The adjacent Xigang area was used for residential purposes. The burial site stretches approximately 100 meters from north to south and 40 meters from east to west, covering a total area of around 4,000 square meters. In September 1950, the Northeast Archaeological Excavation Team, led by Professor Pei Wenzhong, conducted the third excavation of the Xituanshan tombs. They proposed naming the archaeological culture represented by the Xituanshan tomb relics as the "Xituanshan Culture." The structure and design of the Xituanshan stone coffin tombs feature granite as the primary material—used in either slab or block form—with two methods of construction: upright slab stones or stacked blocks. Tombs built with upright slabs often included secondary coffins. Additionally, there were small, nearly square stone coffins for children. The arrangement of the tombs follows the natural contours of the hill, with most oriented so that the heads face the hilltop and the feet point downhill. The placement and combination of grave goods show certain patterns. As a Bronze Age archaeological culture, the Xituanshan Culture has gained fame both domestically and internationally.

In 2001, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units