Western Jin Tombs at Jianyao Temple

Western Jin Tombs at Jianyao Temple

The Western Jin Tombs at Jianyao Temple are a cultural heritage conservation unit of Jiangsu Province.

The Western Jin Dynasty family tombs in Jianyao Village were accidentally discovered in June 2015 by local villagers while leveling land. A joint archaeological team composed of the Nanjing Museum, Xuzhou Museum, and Pizhou Museum conducted emergency excavations at the site. Through meticulous investigation, surveying, and excavation, a total of nine Western Jin noble tombs were discovered at the site. All are brick-chambered tombs with front and rear chambers and sloped entryways, featuring intact structural forms. These are currently the only known group of Western Jin tombs in China that have never been looted. Due to the well-preserved condition of the Jianyao Temple tomb site—untouched by looters—the placement of burial objects is clear. More than 300 funerary artifacts were unearthed, including gold and silverware, bronze ware, ironware, porcelain, glassware, lacquerware, stoneware, nautilus shells, and tortoiseshell. Additionally, the coexistence of southern celadon and northern brown-glazed ceramics within the tomb cluster—especially the discovery of celadon granaries and flat-handled flasks—reflects the northward spread of southern celadon during the Western Jin period, as well as cultural exchange and integration symbolized by the flow of goods between north and south.

As the only known Western Jin noble tomb site in China that has never been looted, the Xinhe Jianyao Temple Western Jin Tombs preserve extremely complete and rich historical information. Thanks to their well-preserved state and the clear relationship between the placement of burial objects and the structure of the tombs, these graves hold significant importance for studying burial and interment systems of the Western Jin period. In particular, a nautilus cup originating from the Pacific or Indian Ocean, along with a glass bowl from the Sassanian Empire of West Asia, indicates that the Maritime Silk Road had already extended to the Xuzhou region 1,700 years ago. Meanwhile, the coexistence of southern celadon and northern brown-glazed ceramics reflects the northward spread of southern celadon during the Western Jin period, as well as cultural exchange and integration represented by the movement of goods between north and south. The archaeological excavation of the Jianyao Temple Western Jin noble tombs represents a particularly major achievement in the archaeology of the Western Jin period in Jiangsu and even in all of China. It fills a gap in research materials on burial and interment systems during the Western Jin era, and holds significant importance for the study of the history of the Western Jin-era Xiapi Kingdom.

In 2019, the Western Jin Tombs at Jianyao Temple were included in the eighth batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Conservation Units.

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Conservation Units