Jiuyuan Ridge Tomb Cluster

Jiuyuan Ridge Tomb Cluster

Jiuyuan Ridge Tomb Cluster is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shanxi Province.

Jiuyuan Ridge Tomb Cluster (Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Northern Dynasties

Location: Approximately 600 meters northeast of Xiàshè Village, Láncūn Township, Xīnfǔ District, Xīnzhou City

The Jiuyuan Ridge Tomb Cluster has seen incidents of tomb raiding in recent years. In June 2013, a rescue excavation was carried out on the most heavily looted Northern Dynasties brick-chambered mural tomb, uncovering over 200 square meters of murals. The murals are mainly distributed on the eastern, western, and northern walls of the tomb passage, with only small remnants surviving in the corridor and main chamber. The eastern and western walls of the passage are divided vertically into four sections. The first section features depictions of immortals, mythical beasts, and divine birds, with flowing clouds and honeysuckle patterns filling the surrounding spaces. Among them are the "?" (a horse that devours tigers and leopards) and "Jiāng Liáng" (a monster that eats snakes), both recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. The second section on the northern parts of both the eastern and western walls depict hunting scenes, with vividly portrayed figures and animals and rich hunting activities. The southern sections feature attendants and aides. In the western wall’s hunting scene, a figure wearing a general’s hat rides a horse, preparing to draw his bow, with a fleeing herd of deer ahead and another figure behind holding a command flag, seemingly directing the hunt. The third section on both walls shows a procession of standing warrior figures, all equipped with bows and arrows. The southern end of the western wall features a young horseback rider, with a hunting dog and an eagle in front of him killing a rabbit; the youth extends his right arm as if directing the hunt. The fourth section of the eastern wall has been completely destroyed due to looting, while the fourth section of the western wall shows a procession of standing warriors. The northern wall of the passage depicts a grand wooden structure with a hip-and-gable roof, topped with a brazier, and flanked by beast-headed, bird-bodied creatures. Six maidens are painted under the eaves. The murals on the eastern and western walls of the corridor have been almost entirely destroyed, with only a remnant mythical beast on the ceiling surviving. Most of the murals on the four walls of the main chamber have been looted, but the ceiling remains well-preserved, featuring a star map, with a three-legged crow still visible on the eastern side.

This tomb has been robbed multiple times. According to local villagers, the epitaph was stolen over a decade ago and included the words “Grand General.” Considering the scale of the tomb, it is inferred that the tomb owner was a person of high status and power, likely a core member of the Gao clan. Judging from the figures and artistic style of the murals, this tomb shares many similarities with the Xu Xianxiu Tomb and Lou Rui Tomb from the Northern Qi Dynasty in Taiyuan, leading to a preliminary dating to the late Northern Dynasties. In terms of content and scale, the tomb offers richer depictions of both the imaginary world and real-life scenes compared to other mural tombs of the same period, with particularly lifelike hunting scenes. The wooden structure depicted on the northern wall of the passage is the first of its kind found in tombs from the same era, visually presenting the architectural style of the Northern Dynasties for the first time through painting. The excavation of this tomb not only fills the gap of no known Northern Dynasties tombs in the Xinzhou area, but also clarifies the distribution of such tombs in the northern part of Shanxi, making it of great significance for the study of Northern Dynasties society, painting art, and ancient Chinese architectural history.

In June 2013, a rescue excavation was carried out on the most severely looted brick-chambered mural tomb, unearthing over 200 square meters of murals, mainly located on the eastern, western, and northern walls of the tomb passage, with only minor remnants in the corridor and main chamber. The mural content is extremely rich, and the hunting scenes are remarkably lifelike. The wooden structure on the northern wall of the passage is the first of its kind discovered in tombs from the same period. This tomb fills the gap of no known Northern Dynasties tombs in the Xinzhou area and holds significant importance for the study of Northern Dynasties society, painting art, and ancient Chinese architectural history. It was nominated twice for the annual Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries in China.

Source: Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau

Xiàshè Village: Xiàshè Village…… More details about Xiàshè Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites in Shanxi Province