Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster

Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster

The Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster is a cultural heritage conservation unit of Jiangsu Province.

The Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster is located in Diantou Village, Situ Town, Danyang, stretching approximately 250 meters from north to south and about 180 meters from east to west, covering an area of around 45,000 square meters. The mountain is distinctly bordered by its surroundings, giving the impression of an artificial creation.

The Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster is a high-status ancient burial site. At Shizi Mountain, you can also make out the lion’s two eyes and the imperial ball. Not far to the northwest of Shizi Mountain lie two tumulus tombs — Qinjiao Dun Tumulus Tomb, which represent the lion’s eyes; further ahead is Yaofen Dun Tumulus Tomb, representing the imperial ball.

The existing Qinjiao Dun Tumulus Tomb is covered with pine trees and stands about 6 meters above the ground. Originally there were two mounds here, but one was destroyed during road construction a few years ago. You can still see a distinct raised arc in the road near the Qinjiao Dun Tumulus Tomb. During the roadworks, workers noticed that the soil here was a different color — black — compared to surrounding areas, leading them to suspect a tomb and thus they stopped digging deeper. Therefore, it is very likely that this tomb remains undamaged.

The Yaofen Dun Tumulus Tomb is located to the north of Qinjiao Dun Tumulus Tomb and is said to also consist of a pair of mounds. Because it is farther away, only the densely vegetated mound bodies can be seen. Records indicate: the Yaofen Dun Tumulus Tomb has a base diameter of about 35 meters and stands about 4–5 meters above the ground.

The Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster is situated at the border between Danyang City and Dantu District. This region contains a large number of Wu culture sites and tumulus tomb distributions, characterized by large tumulus tombs with base diameters exceeding 100 meters and heights over 10 meters. However, the Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster differs from other contemporary tumulus tombs — it was built by constructing a high platform on flat land. Specifically, a roughly 10-meter-high earthen platform was first compacted on level ground, and then the tomb was built atop it. This method has not been found elsewhere in Danyang and is extremely rare among the Wu culture tumulus tombs of southern Jiangsu. Moreover, the Shizi Mountain Tumulus Tomb Cluster retains the first intact circular moat, along with incomplete outer water systems. Although water systems encircling tombs are not uncommon in Danyang — many sites and tumulus tombs naturally formed such features due to earth extraction during construction — the combination of both a circular moat and a raised platform highlights its high status and also adds an air of mystery.

On December 19, 2011, the People's Government of Jiangsu Province listed it as part of the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural heritage conservation units.

Situ Town: Situ Town (originally formed by the merger of Situ, Heyang, and Quanzhou towns) is located in the western suburbs of Danyang, known as the “Eyewear Production Capital of China,” and lies in the eastern outskirts of Nanjing. It is nationally renowned as the “Hometown of Eyewear.” Boasting a superior geographical location and notable transportation advantages, it is traversed by the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway, National Highway 312, Provincial Road 122, Danxi Road, and Danfu Road. The completion of the Heyang Interchange on the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway at the end of 2005 further established Situ as a shining pearl along the Shanghai-Nanjing corridor. The town covers a total area of 121.13 square kilometers, with a population of 62,000, governing 24 administrative villages and 3 community residential committees.

…… More details about Situ Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Conservation Units