Xiaoshandongzhuang Western Zhou Tombs

Xiaoshandongzhuang Western Zhou Tombs

The Xiaoshandongzhuang Western Zhou Tombs are a cultural tourism attraction.

The Xiaoshandongzhuang Western Zhou Tombs are located at the foot of the mountain on the west bank of the Luanhe River, about 10 kilometers southeast of Qian’an City, on the eastern side of Longshan Mountain. In November 1983, local villagers discovered them while constructing a road leading to Dashandongzhuang. The excavation site was on the first terrace of the west bank of the Luanhe River. Although some artifacts were damaged or lost, most of the unearthed items have been collected and are housed in museums. These include three bronze tripods, one gui (food vessel), two ge (dagger-axes), four axes, and 124 bronze buttons; two gold armlets and one gold earring; eight pottery jars and four pottery li (tripod cauldrons); one turquoise earring and 35 pieces of turquoise.

The bronze tripod bears an inscription reading “Zuo zun yi,” with beast-mask patterns decorating its belly.

The bronze gui is inscribed with “(Hou)(Jue)zuo bao(zun)yi,” also decorated with beast-mask patterns on its belly.

The pottery is predominantly sandy brown or sandy gray-brown, with less common examples of sandy red-brown pottery.

Regarding the relative dating of this tomb complex, analysis of the shapes, decorative patterns, and inscriptions of the bronze ware shows characteristics of the Shang style and early Western Zhou features. Similarities can be found among unearthed artifacts of the same type from the Central Plains region. Although the information obtained from this tomb site is limited, it undoubtedly provides important physical evidence for studying the Bronze Age culture of the Tangshan area, especially in relation to the Guzhu State and related issues.