Tianhe Tomb (Chengjiagou Ancient Tomb)

Tianhe Tomb (Chengjiagou Ancient Tomb)

Tianhe Tomb (Chengjiagou Ancient Tomb) is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tianhe Tomb (Chengjiagou Ancient Tomb) is located on a high ridge about 1 kilometer south of Chengjiagou Village, Shaizhuang Town, Qingzhou City, Shandong Province. To the east is Beixindian Village, to the southeast is Shangzhuang Village, to the northwest is Shenjiaying Village, and to the south is Yao Wang Mountain about 1 kilometer away. To the west, there is a major road leading to Chengjiagou Village. The existing tomb mound is square-shaped and terraced in three levels, approximately 30 meters high with sides about 50 meters long. It was built from compacted yellow earth, with each layer around 0.10 meters thick. In 1965, a stone gate panel was discovered within the mound. About 300 meters to its southwest lies a smaller earthen mound tomb, locally called the “Imperial Tomb,” which may have been a burial site associated with this tomb.

The Qi Chronicles states: “(Tianhe Tomb) is twenty li northwest of the county in Putong Store.” The Guangxu-era Illustrated Gazetteer of Yidu County records: “Tianhe Tomb is twelve li northwest of the city at the front of Chengjiagou Village.” The ancient Chengjiagou Tomb is indeed the Tianhe Tomb. Duke Tai of Qi (unknown–384 BCE), originally named Tian He and respectfully called Zihuozi in life, was the son of Tian Zhuangzi (Tian Bai) and the brother of Tian Daozi. His wife was posthumously honored by their son, Duke Huan of Qi (Wu), as the Filial Grand (or Great) Consort, though her name is unknown. He was the tenth-generation descendant of Chen Wan. The first year of Tian He’s reign was 404 BCE. In 391 BCE, Tian He declared himself ruler of Qi. He exiled Duke Kang of Qi to a sea island, allowing him to rule just one city in order to maintain sacrifices to the Jiang clan. In the 19th year of Duke Kang's reign (386 BCE), Tian He was officially recognized as a feudal lord by King An of Zhou, thereby replacing the Jiang-clan Qi state with the Tian-clan rule. Tian He formally claimed the title of marquis but retained the state name of Qi. To distinguish it from the former Jiang-clan Qi, it became historically known as the Tian Clan’s Qi, or the “Tian Clan Replacing Qi.”

In 2013, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China designated it as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units under the name “Chengjiagou Ancient Tomb.”

Chengjiagou Village: Chengjiagou Village…… Detailed information about Chengjiagou Village++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units