Yangshan Tomb Cluster

Yangshan Tomb Cluster

The Yangshan Tomb Cluster is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shandong Province.

The Yangshan Han Tombs are the most extensive Han Dynasty tomb complex discovered so far in Shandong Province. In addition to ten large interconnected tombs found on the northern side of the hill, most are small single-chamber or double-chamber stone tombs. Many of these tombs are relatively concentrated, some just one or two meters apart, others three to five meters, scattered across the front and back of the hill.

The Yangshan Han Tombs are world-famous for the unearthed painted pottery artifacts from the Han Dynasty, especially the terracotta figurines and horses, which feature delicate craftsmanship, lifelike forms, and a grand artistic style. These artifacts vividly reflect the level of productive forces in Yangshan during the Han Dynasty.

A Western Han Dynasty bronze mirror with raised dots and a ruled pattern, unearthed from the Yangshan Han Tombs in the 1980s, has a diameter of 14 cm, a thickness of 0.72 cm, and weighs 439.2 grams. At the center of the back of the mirror, outside the semi-circular knob base, there is a square grid pattern containing 12 inscribed characters (now corroded and illegible). Along the four sides of the square grid, there are raised dot patterns, each flanked by grass-leaf motifs extending outward with paired leaf flowers. This is a typical Western Han bronze mirror featuring raised dots and grass-leaf designs. The mirror not only contains rich historical and cultural information but also holds extremely high artistic and craft value. Its patterns, inscriptions, craftsmanship, and artistic style all reflect the grand and vigorous spirit of the time as well as the profound artistry, making it an important reference for studying Han Dynasty bronze mirror culture in China. Authenticated by experts from the Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee, this mirror is classified as a national third-grade cultural relic. It is currently housed in the Jinxiang County Museum.

On March 11, 2001, the Yangshan Han Tomb Cluster was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site by the Jining Municipal People's Government. In 2013, the Yangshan Tomb Cluster was listed as part of the fourth batch of provincial-level cultural heritage sites by the Shandong Provincial People's Government.

Yangshan Town: Located in the hinterland of southwestern Shandong, in the northwest of Jinxiang County — known as China’s hometown of garlic — Yangshan Town lies at the junction of Jining and Heze cities, and Jinxiang, Jiaxiang, and Juye counties. It covers an area of 76.8 square kilometers (116°01'4" E, 35°01'0" N). The town enjoys convenient transportation and a dense network of rivers. The Nanxie Line runs east-west across the town, and the Yangma Road passes through it. It is 9.1 km east of National Highway 105, borders Wanfu River to the south, and is 15 km from Jining Airport. The town administers 62 administrative villages and 98 natural villages, with 68,000 mu of arable land and a total population of 52,000, predominantly Han Chinese... More details about Yangshan Town++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites

· Third Batch of Jining Municipal Cultural Heritage Sites