Tomb of the Nine Dukes of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period (Maojiagudui Tomb Cluster)

Tomb of the Nine Dukes of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period (Maojiagudui Tomb Cluster)

The Tomb of the Nine Dukes of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period (Maojiagudui Tomb Cluster) is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

Tomb of the Nine Dukes of Lu (Maojiagudui Tomb Cluster)

The Maojiagudui Tomb Cluster is located at the junction of Wenshang, Jiaxiang, and Liangshan. According to the "Spring and Autumn Annals, Year 10 of Duke Ding," it is recorded: "Duke Huan toured Kan, faced south, observed the auspicious vapors, divined for a propitious burial site, and wished to be buried there." In 694 BCE, Duke Huan died and, in accordance with his wishes, was buried on the sunny side of Phoenix Mound southwest of Kan City. Later, Dukes Zhuang, Min, Xi, Wen, Xuan, Cheng, Xiang, and Zhao were all buried here. It is also recorded in "Records of the Grand Historian": "The nine dukes before Duke Zhao of Lu were buried in Kanshi (i.e., near Nanwang in the southwest of Wenshang County)."

Based on these historical clues, in 1981, cultural heritage authorities conducted an on-site investigation. Near Nanwang Township in Wenshang County, within the area of Kanzhaoze, there are eight sites. Some locals directly refer to them as the tombs of the Dukes of Lu, while most call these sites "gudui" (mounds). Their names are: Wujiagudui, Bajiagudui, Wangjiagudui, Huangjiagudui, Jijiagudui, Zhoujiagudui, Pingjiagudui, and Sanguidui. The first five gudui still have visible traces, while the last three exist only in legend and their exact locations can no longer be confirmed. Jijiagudui is located about 300 meters south of Liutongwu Village in Jiaxiang County; Wujiagudui, Maojiagudui, Wangjiagudui, and Liaojiagudui are all situated northwest or west of Shili Zha Village in Nanwang Township; it is said that Zhoujiagudui and Sanguidui are both near Liangzhuang in Nanwang Township, and Pingjiagudui is also west of Shili Zha Village, but the exact locations of these three gudui have not yet been found. Wujiagudui has been designated as part of Liangshan County, and Huangjiagudui has also been incorporated into Jiaxiang County. The existing gudui on the ground all have pottery shards scattered on the surface, with the earliest dating back to the Western Zhou Dynasty, and the majority from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and later periods, which generally aligns with the time of the Dukes of Lu’s burials. Wujiagudui is the tallest, standing about 7 meters above the ground, with a circular earthen mound approximately 30 meters in diameter. The Wangjiagudui, Maojiagudui, and Huangjiagudui are also slightly higher than the general ground level.

The Tomb of the Nine Dukes of Lu is also called the Tomb of the Dukes of Lu. It was discovered during the third national cultural relics survey in 1981. It is located west of Shili Zha Village in Nanwang Town, southwest of the ancient Kan City (now south of Kaihe). Originally entirely within Wenshang County, parts were later incorporated into Jiaxiang County and Liangshan County after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It was the imperial mausoleum of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period.

According to historical records such as the "Ji Family Chronicles," during his lifetime, Duke Zhuang of Lu visited Nanwang for sightseeing and summer retreat, studied local customs, and met with Duke Song at Kan City. Observing the landscape — mountains shrouded in auspicious clouds and waters veiled in propitious vapors — he consulted astrologers and diviners, rejoiced, and bowed southward. After his death, he was buried here. In accordance with his last will, the nine subsequent dukes — Huan, Song, Xi, Wen, Min, Xuan, Cheng, Xiang, and Zhao — were all buried at Phoenix Mountain in Kan City with the ceremonial rites befitting the Son of Heaven. The tombs of the nine dukes still remain today, with burial mounds over 10 meters high. This site is a key cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province and has not yet been excavated or developed. To promote the development and utilization of the nine dukes’ tombs and harness their tourism potential, plans include increasing the height of the existing mounds to 20 meters, erecting monuments and pavilions in front of the tombs, planting pine and cypress forests around them, and establishing a Cultural Museum of the Lu Royal Family from the Spring and Autumn Period. This would make it a center for ancestral worship by descendants of the Lu royal family and facilitate the exploration and development of Lu culture.

Nanwang Town: Located in the southwest of Wenshang, Nanwang Town borders the ancient city of Wenshang to the east, Jiaxiang to the west, the Water Margin Liangshan to the north, and Rencheng District to the south. The town has a population of 57,000 and covers a total area of 59.3 square kilometers. It boasts a well-connected transportation network: the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs north-south through the area, while the Jiliang and Wenjin provincial highways traverse the town. It is 10 kilometers south of the Rizhao–Heze Expressway and 30 kilometers from the Beijing–Shanghai and Beijing–Kowloon railways as well as Jining Airport. The installed capacity of program-controlled telephone lines has reached 4,000 lines, and the town has 60 kilometers of village roads. With comprehensive infrastructure and a favorable development environment, Nanwang has become one of the most economically dynamic areas in the county. Nanwang... More detailed information about Nanwang Town++