Qige Ta Han Tomb

Qige Ta Han Tomb

The Qige Ta Han Tomb is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

Qige Ta Han Tomb: The Qige Ta Han Tomb is located about 200 meters north of Qigezhi Village (north of the Nan Zhao Fu Drainage Canal), consisting of two earthen mounds of different sizes and a raised area (situated to the west of the mounds), aligned from east to west in parallel. In the past, locals referred to them as the "Three Linked Mountains." The western raised area, originally an earthen mound, was leveled during the construction of a canal in the 1950s. In 1966, over a hundred jin of Han Dynasty wuzhu coins were unearthed here. The central earthen mound among the tombs is the largest, covering an area of 400 square meters and rising 6 meters above the ground. Before the Republic of China era, a Jade Emperor Pavilion was built on it. The pavilion housed an iron bell inscribed with the words “Longqing Sixth Year, Xiaoshangtun Village” (Xiaotun Village being the ancient name for Qigezhi Village; today’s Dashangtun Town was formerly known as Dashaoshangtun). The temple enshrined an iron statue of the “Goddess of Mercy,” which was destroyed and melted down by the Japanese invaders during the War of Resistance against Japan. The eastern earthen mound is slightly smaller, with an area of about 300 square meters, and once had a Temple of the Goddess, which was also destroyed during the Anti-Japanese War along with the Jade Emperor Pavilion.

The Qige Ta Han Tomb was discovered in 1970 when villagers digging an air-raid shelter on the large earthen mound found a large brick-built ancient tomb at the western base of the mound (the discovery site is believed to be at the southwest corner of the ancient tomb). The tomb is square-shaped, with its entrance facing east, leading to the burial chamber (which consists of northern and southern chambers— one in the north and two in the south—with some collapsed sections). The tomb passage is 1.8 meters high, 1 meter wide, and widens to 2 meters at the turns. The passage is square-shaped, interconnected in a loop, and has some indented sections. The structure of the ancient tomb is complex and largely well-preserved. The burial chamber and passage feature arched ceilings. Burial objects such as pottery dogs, pottery plates, glazed pottery buildings, and wuzhu coins were found in the tomb passage. Smoke marks were also observed on the brick walls of the passage. Following appraisals by cultural relics experts in 1976 and 1985, the Qige Ta ancient tomb was identified as a Han Dynasty brick-chambered tomb. As the tomb had been looted long ago, the identity of the tomb owner remains unknown. The eastern mound has been damaged and no tomb was found there.

The Qige Ta Han Tomb is one of the more intact large multi-chambered brick tombs from the Han Dynasty preserved in Langfang City. It is relatively large in scale, required substantial earthwork, and clearly reflects the visible structure of the burial site above ground. The burial mound is well-preserved, showcasing the luxury of the upper class elites in northern China at that time, as well as the ancient burial customs of the region. It serves as an important physical example for studying the economy, politics, culture, and craftsmanship techniques of the Han Dynasty. In 1993, the Qige Ta Han Tomb was listed as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit by the People’s Government of Hebei Province.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hebei Province