Qianxi Gantang Han Tombs

Qianxi Gantang Han Tombs

The Qianxi Gantang Han Tombs are a Guizhou Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Unit.

The Qianxi Gantang Han Tombs are located in Qianxi. Categorized as ancient tombs and historical figures' burial sites, they are among the first batch of Guizhou Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units.

The Gantang Han Tomb cluster is distributed across Wayao, Gaopo, Xiongpo, and Songlinpo in Hongxing Village, Gantang Township; Yangjiazhai in Sanjiao Village. Geographic coordinates: approximately 106°07.288′ east longitude and 27°05.720′ north latitude. Since the discovery of Han tombs in 1972, the Guizhou Provincial Museum and the Guizhou Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology have successively excavated a total of 27 Han tombs in Shuangxing Village and Shiyuan Village of Qianxi Chengguan Town, Yeba and Luobukua of Linqian Town, and Dahaizi of Lühuaxiang in Lühua Township. The tomb structures are divided into earthen pits, stone chambers, and brick chambers; tomb ceilings include arched and corbelled types; plan structures are categorized into rectangular and knife-shaped, with some featuring second-level platforms or side chambers. Among them, the structures of M29, M30, and M31 are quite rare among previously discovered Han tombs in Guizhou. Hundreds of various artifacts were unearthed, and based on these findings, the dating of the Qianxi Han Tombs is determined to be from the late Western Han Dynasty to the early Eastern Han Dynasty.

From May to June 2005, to accommodate the construction of the Qianxi Thermal Power Plant, the Guizhou Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology excavated Han tombs within the plant’s construction area, unearthing a total of 10 Han tombs. The tomb structures are divided into earthen pit tombs and stone chamber tombs. Earthen pit tombs can be further divided into rectangular and knife-shaped plans, with all fill soil being yellow clay and no burial coffins found. Stone chamber tombs also come in rectangular and knife-shaped plans, constructed using irregular stone blocks with inner surfaces smoothed, and without any use of adhesives. The burial mounds are roughly mound-shaped and well-preserved, though some have been leveled for farmland. Unearthed artifacts include pottery, bronze, silver, stone, iron, and other items. Despite differences between earthen pit, brick chamber, and stone chamber tombs, the artifacts unearthed are largely similar, and the three types of tombs are considered to be from roughly the same period. The artifacts from the Qianxi Han Tombs bear similarities in form to those found in Sichuan Han Tombs, such as tiger-shaped belt hooks and tomb-guarding figurines. Therefore, the excavation of the Qianxi Han Tombs is of significant importance for studying the exchange, integration, development, and dissemination of Han Dynasty culture within Guizhou.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Guizhou Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units