The Guodi Village Tomb Cluster

The Guodi Village Tomb Cluster

The Guodi Village Tomb Cluster is a cultural heritage site protected by Hebei Province.

The Guodi Song Tombs: Also known as the Guodi Ancient Ruins, the Guodi Song Tomb Cluster is located around Guodi Village. In the past, there was a raised area to the south of Guodi Village, stretching 340 meters from east to west and 60 meters from north to south, standing 1.5 meters above the ground surface. The soil layers contained bronze arrowheads, pottery shards, and wuzhu coins from the Warring States, Qin, and Han periods. To the northwest, connected to this area, there was a 40-square-meter earthen mound containing ash soil, rammed earth foundation mixed soil, and pottery shards from the Qin and Han periods, locally referred to as the "Shanghang Yan Dun." Nearby, in 1972, a pit was discovered containing the skeletal remains of humans and horses from the Song Dynasty, along with chopped axes and whetstones. In 1985, a Han tomb cluster stretching 700 meters from east to west was found south of the "Shanghang Yan Dun" site (now divided into two parts by an irrigation channel). Additionally, an adult Han Dynasty tile coffin tomb was discovered east of the village (the tile coffin is now housed in the county cultural center). It was once said that Guodi was a military camp of Guo Wei, the founding emperor of the Later Zhou Dynasty during the Five Dynasties period, but this is not supported by historical records. According to historical documents, this east-west elevated area is actually the site of the Zhao State’s Great Wall from the Warring States period.

In the southwestern part of the village, locally called the "Poluotang Qian Di," in 1950, a brick-lined tunnel was discovered, containing the complete skeletal remains of a military general, with a bronze chest protector mirror on his chest (kept at the Liu family pharmacy in the village, now damaged). In 1972, the skeleton of a Song Dynasty military general was also found here, along with a three-section whip weapon and a large number of pottery burial objects. The inscriptions on the tomb bricks, written in cinnabar, included phrases such as "Governor Li Neng" and "Guodi Store." A pit (about the size of a room) containing human skulls was also unearthed (possibly from beheadings).

In the Zhou Family Cemetery at the northwest corner of the village, in 1976, a group of brick-domed tombs was discovered, yielding artifacts such as white porcelain ewers from the Ding Kiln, celadon bowls, Chengni inkstones, and copper coins from the Song Dynasty. Cultural relics experts have verified that these items date back to the Northern Song Dynasty. During the Northern Song period, the border between the Song and Liao dynasties ran along the line of Tang'erli and Bazhou to the north of the village. It is therefore inferred that, in preparation against the Liao, the Song Dynasty used the Wen’an marshlands as a defensive barrier and stationed troops there. The Guodi area was one such military post. The Guodi region was also known as one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Old Daicheng,” namely the “Guodi Sunset.” In 1993, the Guodi Song Tomb Cluster was designated as a provincial-level key cultural heritage site by the People’s Government of Hebei Province.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Hebei Province