The Kuqa Youyi Road Tomb Cluster

The Kuqa Youyi Road Tomb Cluster

The Kuqa Youyi Road Tomb Cluster is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Kuqa has long been the birthplace of the Kucha culture. The Eastern Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms-period brick-chambered tomb cluster discovered during the construction of the underground street on Youyi Road in Kuqa County is large in scale and unique in nature, representing a major archaeological find in Xinjiang that fills a gap in the region’s archaeological record. These ancient tombs come in two types based on their structure: vertical pit graves and brick-chambered tombs, comprising two vertical pit graves and seven brick-chambered tombs. They are the first typical Han-style brick-chambered tombs discovered in Xinjiang. Among them, the brick-chambered tombs are further divided into three forms: single-chamber vaulted brick tombs, single-chamber domed brick tombs, and front-and-rear double-chamber domed tombs. The single-chamber domed brick tombs feature a screen wall above the tomb door (some with brick carvings), while the front-and-rear double-chamber domed tombs have lamp stands at the springing points of the arches in all four corners of the front and rear chambers, and the burial style is for multiple individuals.

By comparing the findings with tomb data from Jiangsu, Shandong, Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, as well as Jiuquan, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang in Gansu, and Datong County in Qinghai, the structure, construction methods, and brick specifications of the brick-chambered tombs discovered in Kuqa bear a striking resemblance to those found in Dunhuang Fayemiaowan and Datong Shangsunjiazhai in Qinghai, particularly from the Wei-Jin period, especially the Western Jin Dynasty. It can be inferred that these tombs date back to the Wei-Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms period, approximately the mid-to-late 3rd century to the 4th century.

Archaeological evidence suggests that as early as the Western Jin or continuing into the Eastern Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms period, Han culture had a significant influence on this region. The over two hundred precious cultural relics unearthed from the tomb cluster provide an important benchmark for dating archaeological cultures in Xinjiang. Although the tomb structures belong to the Central Plains tradition, their construction methods exhibit strong regional characteristics. The discovery of these tombs in Kuqa serves as direct physical evidence of the Western Han central government's establishment of the Protectorate of the Western Regions, substantiating the profound influence of Central Plains culture on the Western Regions through archaeological data. Properly preserving this tomb cluster holds great historical and practical significance for revealing the close historical and cultural ties between Xinjiang and the Central Plains during the Eastern Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms period.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units