Han Zhongshan Kings' Tombs

Han Zhongshan Kings' Tombs

The Han Zhongshan Kings' Tombs are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Han Zhongshan Kings' Tombs are distributed across 25 townships throughout Dingzhou City in Hebei Province, with the majority of the tombs located in the eastern, western, and southern parts of Dingzhou's urban area. These tombs served as burial grounds for the kings of Zhongshan and the upper aristocracy during the Western and Eastern Han dynasties, dating approximately from 154 BC to 184 AD.

Since 1959, several tombs have been excavated, including the Tomb of Liu Yan, King Jing of Zhongshan; the Tomb of Liu Chang, King Mu of Zhongshan; the Tomb of Liu Xiu, King Huai of Zhongshan; Tombs 120–122 at Sanpanshan; and Tomb 137 to the north of the mausoleum area. The Han Zhongshan Kings' Tombs feature high-ranking tomb specifications and have yielded a wealth of cultural relics. For example, the Tomb of Liu Xiu employed the "Huangchang Tizou" burial structure, and the tomb owner was dressed in a jade burial suit sewn with gold thread. Additionally, bamboo slips of the Analects of Confucius with significant documentary value were discovered. The 174 inscribed stone blocks found in the Tomb of Liu Yan recorded many place names from the Zhongshan Kingdom and neighboring commanderies, providing important references for the study of the historical geography of Zhongshan. These inscriptions also offer physical evidence for the study of the transition of Chinese characters from Qin seal script to Han clerical script. The Tomb of Liu Chang also produced two sets of silver-threaded jade burial suits along with a large number of exquisitely crafted artifacts made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and jade.

The Han Zhongshan Kings' Tombs provide important material evidence for the study of the burial system of kings during the Han dynasty as well as the history and culture of the Zhongshan Kingdom. (National Cultural Heritage Administration)

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units