Jiulin Tomb Murals

Jiulin Tomb Murals

The Jiulin Tomb Murals are a cultural tourism attraction.

The Jiulin Tomb Murals are located at the northern foot of Shiliuhuaxing Mountain in Puli Village, Lilin Town, Leping City, 25 kilometers from the city center. Surrounded by pine and cypress trees and rolling hills, the tomb lies adjacent to the Jianqin Reservoir within a 100-meter zone in front, with the Lehui Highway to the east of the reservoir. The tomb was discovered to have been robbed in April 1987, and in December of the same year, archaeologists from the provincial and municipal levels conducted a joint clearance. It is verified to be the joint burial tomb of a husband and wife — both Vice Directors of the Privy Council during the Southern Song Dynasty.

The tomb faces east with a 15-degree eastward orientation and is a Song Dynasty polychrome mural couple’s tomb, with the male on the right and the female on the left. The male burial chamber measures 3.2 meters in length, 1.4 meters in width, and 1.15 meters in height. The female burial chamber is 2.75 meters long, 0.9 meters wide, and 0.9 meters high. Both chambers share a single tomb mound, separated by a stone slab in the middle, with a window opening left at the center. The surroundings of the tomb are built with thick bricks—each brick measuring 1–2 meters in length, 0.31 meters in width, and 0.29 meters in height. Beyond the tomb walls, flat bricks are laid horizontally in a semi-circular shape, with a diameter of 10.9 meters. A square stone slab is used to pave the tomb’s worship hall, in front of which lies a sloped spirit path.

The surrounding tomb walls are painted with polychrome murals using grease-based pigments in bold strokes, depicting ceremonial seats, guards, and maidservants. In the male chamber, there is a large square cabinet screen with cloud-head feet; the cabinet is dark-colored, painted with green leaves and red peonies, exuding luxury and elegance. In front is a three-section typical folding armchair with a vertical carved backrest, commonly known as a “taishi chair.” On either side stands a maid, each holding a long-handled oval palace fan adorned with crimson brocade, smiling gently. They wear red inner garments, plain outer robes, over-the-shoulder capes, and ankle-length floral skirts woven with red diamond patterns. They have silk sashes tied around their waists, with flower-embroidered aprons tied at the front, and stand with full figures, each 0.74 meters tall. The left wall of the male chamber features five figures from west to east: the first is a military official holding a ceremonial staff with both hands and wearing a sword on his left hip, standing 1.13 meters tall. The second is a civil attendant, wearing a straight-footed official hat, with a well-proportioned face, holding a tablet, dressed in a bright red court robe, standing 1.11 meters tall. The third is an attendant, wearing a black soft-footed official hat, with three tufts of beard at the mouth corners, standing 1.14 meters tall. The fourth and fifth are young attendants. The right wall also has five figures symmetrically arranged from west to east.

The four walls of the female chamber are painted with images of a boudoir bed, maidservants, tables, and vases. Due to weathering of the stone slabs, two maids on the left wall have faded and become unclear, but the rest remain as vivid as ever. The upper part of the tomb chamber depicts a boudoir bed scene, featuring a square bed with a floral cabinet in the center, covered with an embroidered silk canopy that flares out in a V-shape. The base of the bed is decorated with diagonal grid patterns. The painting is 2.74 meters wide and 0.9 meters high. In front of the canopy is a square table, with a cloth draping down from the tabletop, in red with blue clustered flowers. On the table sit a pair of Yuhuchun vases, each holding a blooming red peony accented with green leaves. The right wall features four figures from west to east: the first two are maids, whose upper bodies have faded and are unclear. The third is a maid with a cloud-shaped hairstyle adorned with golden flowers, a plump face, and well-defined features. She wears a red tight-sleeved top and an ankle-length floral skirt, standing 0.88 meters tall. The fourth is a maid with a butterfly-style bun, wearing a white-floral purple-sleeved top and an ankle-length bright red skirt. She has sashes hanging from her shoulders to her abdomen, tied in a butterfly knot at the front, with her hands positioned in a waiting gesture at her chest, standing 0.9 meters tall. The left wall also features four figures from west to east. The layout of the left tomb murals is well-planned, with accurate proportions, refined brushwork, and lifelike expressions, making it a rare masterpiece of Song Dynasty artistry.

The structure of the tomb, the relics, and the techniques used in the murals all confirm it as a Song Dynasty polychrome mural tomb. It has now been reported for provincial-level protection, undergone restoration, and is under dedicated care.