Tomb of the Nine Maidens

Tomb of the Nine Maidens

The Tomb of the Nine Maidens is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Tomb of the Nine Maidens is located on the northern slope of Mùshānzī in Xiàtǎng Village, Chǔlán Town, Yóngqiáo District, Suzhou City. It is a pictorial stone tomb from the late Eastern Han Dynasty. It is the largest and best-preserved late Eastern Han pictorial stone tomb discovered in Anhui Province to date, serving as an important cultural heritage for studying various aspects of the Han Dynasty’s history, including politics, economy, and culture. It was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in 1961.

The tomb chamber consists of two passages, a transverse front chamber, two rear chambers, and one side chamber. The tomb entrance faces west, with an orientation of 285 degrees. The total length of the tomb is 7 meters and the width is 4.84 meters. The front chamber is 3.46 meters long, 1.93 meters wide, and 2.16 meters high. The side chamber is located on the north side of the front chamber,

measuring 1.4 meters east-west, 1.2 meters north-south, and 1.37 meters high. There are two tomb doors, each connected to the front chamber by a passage. Both passages are 1.8 meters long, 1 meter wide, and 1.54 meters high. Each tomb door is 0.9 meters wide and 1.11 meters high. The tomb passage is sloped, features steps, and is irregular in shape, measuring 5.55 meters long and 2.68 meters wide. Both the front and rear chambers have stone corbel-vaulted ceilings, with rectangular tomb roofs featuring blue stone caisson ceilings adorned with carved patterns. The tomb chambers are covered with pictorial stone carvings, most densely concentrated in the front chamber. The main carvings depict mythological stories, along with figures such as gate guards, horse-drawn carriages, banquets, dances, acrobatics, variety shows, and kitchen scenes, as well as mythical birds and beasts. The designs are richly varied, the figures vividly sculpted, and the lines simple yet fluid. On the caisson ceiling of the front chamber, Fuxi and Nüwa are carved dancing gracefully with flowing sleeves, encircling a blooming lotus. The pictorial carvings are interconnected, exhibiting continuity and narrative elements.