Jishan Tomb Cluster

Jishan Tomb Cluster

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

Jishan, also known as Kongfu Mountain, was historically called Jishan because an ancient temple dedicated to Houji was built on the mountain. Houji, the founding ancestor of the ancient Zhou people, was skilled in cultivating the five grains. He served as an agricultural official during the reigns of Emperors Yao and Shun, teaching people how to farm, and thus earned the title “God of the Five Grains.” The ancient Qi capital had a gate called Jimen, which was also named after Jishan.

In 1983, while locals were quarrying stone in the mountain, an ancient tomb was discovered on the rocky cliff. The tomb was filled with funerary objects, including bronze tripods, gold-plated chime bells, gold-plated bear-shaped leg ornaments, and stone chimes. The coffin and outer coffin had decayed, and many artifacts had been scattered.

The structure of this tomb is unique: a vertical shaft tomb passage, 20 meters deep, was first dug. At around 10 meters down, a horizontal passage was carved to the north, leading to the burial chamber. Provincial, municipal, and district cultural heritage authorities have organized multiple investigations, discovering over ten Han Dynasty tombs on Jishan and the adjacent Jing Mountain. Together, they form a large cluster of Han Dynasty rock-cut tombs. In 1984, the Zibo Municipal Government designated it as a municipal-level key cultural heritage site and erected a sign reading “Zibo Municipal Key Cultural Heritage Site – Jishan Han Tomb Cluster.” In 1986, professionals from the Shandong Provincial Institute of Archaeology excavated further into a stone pool at the mountaintop, reaching a depth of about 25 meters. Han Dynasty small-scale horse-and-chariot fittings were found midway, confirming that the pool was actually formed by the subsidence of a Han tomb. After the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, carvings and the three characters “Kong Daifu” (Master Kong) were engraved on the northern wall, and a temple was built there.

Today, Jishan still retains its beauty as a famous mountain, with five surviving ancient cypresses, one stone stele, and the Han Dynasty rock-cut tomb chambers. The discovery of the Jishan Tomb Cluster and the excavation of exquisite artifacts have further enriched the cultural significance of Jishan.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units