Han Tombs of Dayun Mountain

Han Tombs of Dayun Mountain

The Han Tombs of Dayun Mountain are located atop Dayun Mountain in Yunshan Village, Mapu Town, Xuyi County. In late 2009, the Nanjing Museum Archaeological Research Institute conducted archaeological surveys and excavations here, yielding significant discoveries. It has now been confirmed that the top of Dayun Mountain was the site of a grand imperial mausoleum from the Han Dynasty, covering a total area of 250,000 square meters. Archaeological evidence shows that there was once a 500-meter-square perimeter wall surrounding the area, within which a dense complex of buildings stood. Remains such as roads and the foundations of que towers can still be found at the eastern gate of the mausoleum. Identification has revealed this to be an exceptionally high-status joint burial tomb from the early Western Han Dynasty, featuring separate chambers for the husband and wife — the tomb owners were Liu Fei, King of Jiangdu.

It turns out this is an extremely spectacular imperial-level mausoleum complex from the Western Han Dynasty. Within the mausoleum park, three large tombs, two weapon pits, one chariot-and-horse pit, and thirteen accompanying tombs of various ranks have been discovered. Two kilometers directly south of the Han Tombs of Dayun Mountain lies the “Dongyang City Site,” a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province. This site connects with Xiaoyun Mountain and Qingdun Mountain, forming a continuous range with a peak elevation of 73.6 meters, making it the only mountainous area in the eastern part of Hongze Lake. Since the 1970s, numerous Han tombs have been found here, unearthing a wealth of precious artifacts.

On December 19, 2011, the People's Government of Jiangsu Province designated it as a provincial-level cultural heritage site in the seventh batch of such listings.

Mapu Town: Named after Majia Dam by the stream east of the town, Mapu Town was upgraded from a township to a town in November 1985. Located in the eastern part of the county, it is 31 kilometers from the county seat. The town borders Tianchang City of Anhui Province to the east, connects with Huanghuatang Town and Mudian Township to the south, neighbors Weiqiao Township to the west, and adjoins Guanyinsi Town to the north. The terrain is higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast, characterized by a hilly landscape. Mapu Town sits at the intersection of the Nanjing-Lianyungang and Nanjing-Xuzhou expressways, the Nanjing-Huai’an Expressway, and the Xuyang Highway, on the southern shore of Hongze Lake, serving as a crucial hub for water and land transportation in northern Jiangsu. The town covers a total area of 197.5 square kilometers and governs 23 administrative villages and 2 residential committees... More details about Mapu Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites