Zhao-Song Ancestral Tombs

Zhao-Song Ancestral Tombs

The Zhao-Song Ancestral Tombs are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Five Dynasties, Song Dynasty

The Zhao-Song Ancestral Tombs have been extensively recorded in history. They were previously known as the "Three Song Tombs," namely: the Qinxing Tomb of Emperor Xizu Zhao Xian, the Kangling Tomb of Emperor Shunzu Zhao Heng, and the Jingling Tomb of Emperor Yizu Zhao Jing. Their actual location is in Baozhou, now Qingyuan County.

The tomb system of the Northern Song Dynasty largely inherited that of the Tang Dynasty, but with the difference that Song tombs were still constructed with burial mounds on flat ground. The various imperial tombs were concentrated within a range of less than twenty li, forming a sizable tomb complex. The unearthed cultural relics are of very high quality, mostly dating from the early to mid Northern Song Dynasty, and bear a strong resemblance in scale, structure, and carving style to the imperial tombs of the Northern Song Dynasty in Gongxian County, Henan. Among the tombs of emperors, nobles, and officials throughout Chinese history, the most prominent indicators of the tomb owner’s rank and status are the stone statues displayed on both sides of the spirit way.

Two stone tigers discovered in Dong’an Village are about 7 meters apart and were found at a depth of approximately half a meter below the surface. Stone tigers are a type of stone beast placed in front of the tombs of aristocrats and high-ranking officials during China’s feudal era. As funerary stone animals in front of the imperial mausoleums of ancient Chinese emperors, they served the functions of displaying the deceased's authority in life and warding off evil spirits.

About 4.5 meters south of the western row of stone tigers, there is one stone elephant on the east and one on the west. In addition, three stone figures were unearthed, located near the southeast of the western row of stone elephants, about 2 meters below the surface. All three stone figures wear official caps, round-collared narrow-sleeved robes, and have sashes tied around their waists. Judging from their attire, hand gestures, and facial expressions, these three figures are classified as horse-leading attendants, a type of ceremonial statue.

The Qingyuan Northern Song Ancestral Tomb site and its unearthed relics provide extremely valuable physical evidence for studying the evolution of imperial tomb structures during the late Tang, Five Dynasties, and early Northern Song periods, as well as for comparative research with the Northern Song Imperial Tombs in Gongxian County, Henan, and the Southern Song Imperial Tombs in Shaoxing, Zhejiang.

In May 2013, it was announced by the State Council as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units