Tomb of the Queen of King Xiao of Liang from the Western Han Dynasty

Tomb of the Queen of King Xiao of Liang from the Western Han Dynasty

The Tomb of the Queen of King Xiao of Liang from the Western Han Dynasty is a cultural tourism attraction.

Historical records about Queen Li are scarce. According to “Records of the Grand Historian · The House of King Xiao of Liang,” after King Xiao’s death, the Kingdom of Liang was divided into five smaller states. The eldest son of King Xiao, named Mai, became the King of Liang, known as King Gong. After King Gong’s death, his son Liu Xiang ascended the throne as the King of Liang, known as King Ping of Liang. “In the 14th year of King Ping of Liang, his mother was called Empress Chen, and the mother of King Gong was called Empress Li. Empress Li was the paternal grandmother of King Ping.” Queen Li is believed to be the mother of Liu Mai and the grandmother of King Ping of Liang, Liu Xiang. In 123 BC, due to a dispute over a precious jade vessel known as the lei zun, which was passed down from her grandfather Liu Wu and desired by the favored Empress Ren of King Ping, tensions arose between Empress Ren and Empress Li, leading to estrangement. This caused Empress Li to fall ill from anger and eventually pass away. Because Empress Ren did not get the treasure, failed to visit Empress Li during her illness, and did not observe mourning after her death, Emperor Wu of Han was informed and deemed Empress Ren’s actions to be treasonous. As a result, eight cities were stripped from the Kingdom of Liang, and Empress Ren was executed and her body displayed in public. After Queen Li’s death, a large amount of gold, silver, and treasures were buried with her. Although the tomb was sealed with massive stones, it still could not escape being looted.

The Tomb of the Queen of King Xiao of Liang is located on the northern peak of Baoshan Mountain at the foot of Mangdang Mountain, north of Yongcheng City, Shangqiu. It stands adjacent to the Tomb of King Xiao of Liang on the southern peak, about 200 meters apart. The tomb entrance faces east and was carved through the rock of the mountain. The entire tomb chamber was essentially hollowed out from the interior of the back mountain and constructed to imitate the layout of an imperial palace on the surface at that time.

After the death of her husband, King Xiao of Liang, Queen Li managed the affairs of the kingdom for over 20 years. Her life was far more luxurious than that of King Xiao. The underground ice storage room built for her can be considered the largest and oldest preserved ice chest in the world to date. The overall structure of Queen Li’s tomb is roughly the same as that of King Xiao’s tomb, but it is three times larger in scale, covering a total area of more than 1,600 square meters, with a total volume of 3,600 cubic meters. The burial objects unearthed from her tomb are also more numerous and exquisitely crafted than those from King Xiao’s tomb.

In a burial pit at the top of the underground palace, about 3 meters deep and 10 square meters in area, nearly 2,000 artifacts were excavated, including gilded chariot and horse fittings, swords, knives, and halberds. Fifteen gilded bronze plaque ornaments were unearthed, featuring patterns of immortals, mythical beasts, hosts and guests, attendants, and others, all intricately carved and lifelike. Gilded animal-shaped bow cover caps, crossbow halberds, and iron paperweights in the shape of reclining tigers are uniquely designed and extremely exquisite. A perforated gilded bronze frontlet, with a galloping horse as the central motif surrounded by flowing cloud patterns, gives the impression of the horse about to take flight, making it particularly precious.

The discovery of this tomb has provided a wealth of valuable artifacts that have helped resolve many significant academic issues in Chinese archaeology. It has been rated as one of the Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries in China.

Scenic Area Transportation

Buses heading to Mangshan Town can be taken from Shangqiu Railway Station.

Scenic Area Location

Northern peak of Baoshan Mountain at the foot of Mangdang Mountain, north of Yongcheng City