The Tomb of Yu Hong from the Sui Dynasty

The Tomb of Yu Hong from the Sui Dynasty

The Tomb of Yu Hong from the Sui Dynasty is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Tomb of Yu Hong from the Sui Dynasty is located south of Wangguo Village in Jinci Town. In the summer of 1999, villager Wang Qiusheng discovered it while clearing the path in front of his house. It was designated by the National Cultural Heritage Administration as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in China for 1999.

The tomb is a single-chamber brick structure with a sloping passageway. The chamber has an arc-sided square floor plan. The remaining artifacts include a white marble stone outer coffin, an octagonal white marble stone column, and stone carvings such as the heads of worshippers. The stone outer coffin features an architectural style imitating wooden structures, consisting of a base, walls, and a roof. Particularly precious are the richly carved bas-relief patterns around the coffin base and walls, some of which are painted or gilded. The figures, costumes, vessels, and floral and bird motifs display strong Central Asian ethnic cultural characteristics. The owner of the tomb’s stone outer coffin, Yu Hong, served during his lifetime as a military officer of the Yu State. His ancestors were tribal chiefs of the Yu State and commanders under the Rouran State. He had been an envoy to Persia and other Western Regions countries. Later, after being sent as an envoy to the Northern Qi dynasty, he was retained in official service. He held positions successively in the Northern Qi, Northern Zhou, and Sui dynasties, eventually rising to the rank of Tongsi (equivalent to a high-ranking official), serving as Governor of Liangzhou and Supervisor of the Zoroastrian faith. He was also head of the imperial guards and was tasked with “guarding and pacifying Bing Province” (Taiyuan). He resided in a private residence known as the “Bing Residence,” i.e., his home in Jinyang. In the 12th year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (592), he passed away and was buried here.

This tomb is the only scientifically excavated and accurately dated ancient site reflecting Central Asian culture discovered so far in the Central Plains. It is rich in content and well preserved. It holds significant value for the study of Sino-Western cultural exchanges during the Northern Dynasties and Sui periods, the history of the Silk Road, and the ancient city of Jinyang.

Wangguo Village: The village has a total population of 5,321 and arable land covering 2,945 mu. Its main industry is agriculture. The village leadership is well-established, with Bai Jian as Party Branch Secretary, Wang Shunsheng as Village Committee Director, nine Party Branch members, two Village Committee members, 88 Party members, and 89 village representatives.

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