Tomb of the Zhu Ran Family

Tomb of the Zhu Ran Family

The Zhu Ran Family Tomb Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a patriotic education base.

The Zhu Ran Tomb Park, situated in Yushan Township south of the city, is the tomb of Zhu Ran, a celebrated general of the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era. Unearthed in June 1984, it produced many valuable relics. Some lacquerware pieces helped fill gaps in the art history of the Three Kingdoms and it is recognized as the highest-status, largest, and earliest excavated tomb of the Eastern Wu period. It was listed among China’s Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries of the 1980s.

The tomb park includes a cultural relics exhibition hall. The hall is a mock-ancient structure designed in the style of the Han dynasty. Built around the tomb itself, it has a simple and solemn appearance. At the center of the main hall lies the tomb chamber, which houses a wooden coffin. Surrounding it are relics unearthed from the tomb, along with photos and documents related to the study of the Zhu Ran Tomb, including both Chinese and international literature. Visitors can gain insight into the social environment of the Three Kingdoms era over 1,700 years ago. The tomb passage is located directly south of the burial pit, featuring a 26-step staircase inclined at 19 degrees. The passage is 9.10 meters long, with soil color matching that of the covering mound. The burial pit lies beneath the mound, with its upper opening 35 cm below ground level and an irregular shape. The bottom of the pit is slightly smaller than the opening, lying 3.60 meters below the surface. The walls are not very smooth, and the pit is filled with grayish-white soil.

The burial chamber is located in the center of the pit, constructed of bricks. From south to north, it consists of a passageway, front chamber, connecting corridor, and rear chamber. The total external length is 8.70 meters, and the width is 3.54 meters. The floor is paved with herringbone-patterned bricks, and the walls follow a “three flat, one row” brick-laying technique. The ceiling features a “four-corner vaulted” dome. On both sides, there are altars built with two layers of bricks each. A lacquered wooden coffin is placed inside, likely intended for Zhu Ran’s wife or concubines. The passage between the front and rear chambers is slightly off-center to the left, with a shape and construction similar to the main passageway.

The rear chamber contains a slightly larger lacquered wooden coffin than the one in the front chamber, serving as the burial vessel for Zhu Ran himself. The inner and outer surfaces of the coffin are lined with linen fabric coated with lacquer putty. The exterior is painted black, while the interior is red. Over 140 funerary objects were unearthed from the Zhu Ran Tomb, including lacquered woodware, ceramics, pottery, and bronze items, with lacquered woodware accounting for about 57%. Many of the lacquer items feature colored paintings depicting figures, stories, plants, and animals.

Background Information: Zhu Ran, originally from Anji, Zhejiang, was adopted by his maternal uncle at the age of 13 and studied alongside Sun Quan in his youth. During the power struggles of the Three Kingdoms, Zhu Ran resisted Cao Wei in the north and Shu Han in the west, capturing Guan Yu and eventually becoming a leading general of the Eastern Wu forces. He rose to the rank of Left Grand Marshal and Right Military Advisor, and lived to the age of 68.

Ticket & Opening Hours

Ticket: 7 RMB. Opening Hours: 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM, 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM (summer), 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM (winter). Phone: 0555-2515857.

Transportation

Address: No. 3 Zhu Ran Road, Yushan District. Accessible via Bus 131 within the city.

Protected Area: East to the western red line of Huxi Middle Road, west to the eastern red line of Zhu Ran Road, south to the northern red line of Huayuan Road, and north to the northern wall of Zhu Ran Cultural Park and the Zhu Ran Family Tomb Museum.

Construction Control Zone: Extending approximately 100 meters east to the row of eastern gables of residential buildings along Feicui Urban Garden, 70 meters west to the western side of residential buildings in Queqiao Community – Gangcheng Garden, the eastern side of the Gangcheng Junior High School sports field, 100 meters south to the southern side of Gangcheng Garden Yicun residences, and 115–150 meters north to the western entrance of Zhongding Yuecheng residential area and the east–west line along the northern side of Fangdong Xincun residences.

Further Reading:

· National Second-Class Museum of China

· National Third-Class Museum of China