Ancient Tombs of King Chu Mountain

Ancient Tombs of King Chu Mountain

The Ancient Tombs of King Chu Mountain are a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

The Han Dynasty Tombs of King Chu Mountain are located on the northern slope of King Chu Mountain, south of Daliuzhuang Village, Jiahe Township, Tongshan District, about 10 kilometers west of Xuzhou City. The tombs are arranged from east to west, with five currently in existence. Tomb No. 1 is the main burial site, situated on a mountain spur extending northward from the main peak. This spur rises approximately 70 meters high, topped with a brown rammed-earth tumulus around 8 meters tall, forming a rectangular platform oriented north-south, 43 meters long and 5 meters wide. The tomb passage is located on the eastern side of the mountainside, approximately 2 meters in both height and width, extending eastward from the tomb entrance along a fishback-shaped pile of rubble, about 100 meters long, which consists of discarded stone chips from the tomb’s excavation. To the south of the tumulus lies an artificially dug east-west ditch, approximately 80 meters long, 5 meters wide, and 4 meters deep, likely built to prevent mountain floods from eroding the tomb mound. Tomb No. 2 is located at the foot of the mountain north of Tomb No. 1. It is an oval-shaped earthen mound with a rectangular top. The base of the mound is 135 meters long from east to west and 69 meters wide from north to south, standing 22 meters high. Its rammed layers are not distinct, and it is believed to be an accompanying tomb for Tomb No. 1. Tomb No. 3 is located 250 meters east of Tomb No. 1 and is also an accompanying tomb. Its tumulus has an inverted-trapezoid shape, with a base 60 meters long, a top side 20 meters long, and a height of 12 meters, divided into three tiers. The rammed layers of the tumulus are clearly visible, each about 10–20 centimeters thick. Tomb No. 4 is located about 200 meters east of Tomb No. 3, also square and inverted-trapezoid in shape, with a base side 60 meters long, a top side 17 meters long, and a height of 13 meters. Tomb No. 5 is situated approximately 20 meters northwest of Tomb No. 4. Its tumulus is smaller, also inverted-trapezoid in shape, with sides 22 meters long and a height of 3.5 meters.

The tumuli of Tombs No. 1, 3, and 4 were originally encircled by neatly cut stones. These stones were taken away by locals for other uses in the 1960s, leaving only remnants. According to the *Commentary on the Water Classic*, *The Gazetteer of Xuzhou Prefecture*, and *The Gazetteer of Tongshan County*, the tomb of King Yuan of Chu was located on the northern side of Tongxiao Mountain (i.e., King Chu Mountain), described as a “mound of earth, circular on top and square below, constructed of layered stones, over ten zhang tall, spanning a hundred paces, and surrounded by more than ten graves, all paved with stones.” The *Book of the Later Han · Treatise on Commanderies and Kingdoms* cites the *Record of the Northern Campaign*: “Twenty li west of Pengcheng there is a mountain where the tomb of the King of Chu is located.” Originally, there were many tombs in this area, but over the course of history, only these five remain. Whether they are the burial sites of Han-era feudal lords remains to be confirmed through excavation. Currently, the tumuli are surrounded by lush pines and cypresses, helping to preserve them in good condition.

Further Reading:

· First and Second Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province