The Jiwangju Tomb Cluster

The Jiwangju Tomb Cluster

The Jiwangju Tomb Cluster is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Jiwangju, located at the junction of Linyi and Zibo as well as Yishui, Yiyuan, and Mengyin — two cities and three counties — lies about four kilometers northwest of Quanzhuang Township, approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Yishui City. With an elevation of 577.2 meters, the mountain features steep and majestic terrain, a flat mountaintop, and covers an area of around 4 square kilometers. Among the seventy-two ju in the Yimeng region, most have relatively small mountaintops, but Jiwangju stands out with its broad and expansive summit, extending in a northwest–southeast direction. It stretches several kilometers from north to south and is up to 2 kilometers wide from east to west, exuding the grandeur and majesty of a king. It is also the largest among the seventy-two ju, the only one with a natural water source, and the only one that has been continuously inhabited by people through generations. Its magnificent scale, naturally marvelous formation, and rich cultural heritage are unmatched by any other ju, earning it titles such as the “Peerless Beauty Among the Seventy-Two Ju,” “The Number One Ju Under Heaven,” and “The Timeless Jiwang City.” With the development of the Tianwangcheng tourism project, this ju has been infused with renewed vitality.

Jiwangju is situated deep in the heart of the Yimeng Mountains, far from main roads, remote and quiet, and rarely visited. It is generally not marked on regular maps, and the location may seem roadless, but the roads are actually passable, with relatively clear signage — even cars can drive there. For visitors from southern China, you can reach Jiwangju via Linyi → Yishui → Tianwangcheng (Jiwangju). Those from northern China can take the exit at Zhangjiapo, Yiyuan, on the southern section of the Jiqing Expressway → Tianwangcheng. Alternatively, you can exit at any junction in Qingzhou on the northern section of the Jiqing Expressway, then travel via Qingzhou → Linqu → Tianwangcheng.

The “Jiwangju Tomb Cluster” is located within the Tianwangcheng Scenic Area in Quanzhuang Town, Yishui County, Shandong Province. Nestled in the heart of the Yimeng Mountains, the scenic area takes advantage of the world’s rare ju landform cluster of the Yimeng range. Centered around Jiwangju — the foremost ju of the Yimeng — and themed around the historical story of the ancient Ji State relocating its capital here during the Spring and Autumn Period, it has been developed into the national AAAA-level Tianwangcheng Scenic Area, hailed as the “Mysterious Ancient Kingdom on the Cliff.”

Ancient tombs from the Spring and Autumn Period are extremely rare, and the location of the Tianwangcheng Spring and Autumn Tomb in Yishui, atop such a high ju mountaintop, is unparalleled in China. The tomb is large in scale and high in grade, with a significant quantity of exquisitely crafted artifacts unearthed — including thick-walled, grandly shaped bronze ware — filling multiple gaps in both provincial and national archaeological records. When the ancient tomb was excavated in 2012, it was live-streamed on-site by major media outlets such as China Central Television and Phoenix TV. The Tianwangcheng Spring and Autumn Tomb has also been named one of China’s Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries.

Quanzhuang Town: Quanzhuang Township in Yishui County, Shandong Province, is located in the heart of the Yimeng Mountain area. The township government is situated 27 kilometers northwest of Yishui County. The township governs 46 administrative villages, with 11,000 households and a population of 34,000, covering a total area of 146,000 mu, of which 38,000 mu are arable land. The terrain is higher in the west and lower in the east, mostly consisting of mountains and hills, with an average elevation of around 400 meters — a typical mountainous township. Of the famous seventy-two ju of Yimeng, ten are located in Quanzhuang, among which Jiwangju is the foremost. The Malian River, a tributary of the Yi River, runs from south to north through the entire township.

In recent years, Quanzhuang Township has increased its base… More detailed information about Quanzhuang Town ++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units