Opposite Mountain Tomb Cluster

Opposite Mountain Tomb Cluster

The Opposite Mountain Tomb Cluster is a cultural tourism attraction.

Eastern Zhou–Tang Dynasty, Lechang: The Opposite Mountain Tomb Cluster is located behind Dagongping Village in Henan Township, about 1 kilometer southwest of Lechang City. Excavated between 1987 and 1988, a total of 202 tombs were cleared, making it the site with the largest number of ancient tombs excavated in Guangdong to date. Opposite Mountain is a low hilly area approximately 30–40 meters in height, about 1 kilometer northwest of the Zhuzai Qin-Han city site on the banks of the Wu River. The tombs are distributed over an area approximately 400 meters east–west and 250 meters north–south, and can be divided into four phases. Tombs from phases one to three are all vertical earthen pit graves. Both human remains and burial coffins have completely decayed.

Phase one includes 6 tombs from the early period, with tomb types including waist pit tombs (Type I), narrow long pit tombs (Type III), and rectangular pit tombs (Type IV). Typical artifacts are mainly pottery urns and pots, with stamped decorative patterns on the pottery, characterized by kui-dragon motifs. Bronze dagger-axes adorned with interlocking thunder patterns are also classified in this phase. These generally date to the Spring and Autumn period, at the latest to the early Warring States period. The late period includes 17 tombs. Tomb types consist of two-tiered platform tombs (Type II) as well as Type III and Type IV tombs; main burial objects include bronze ding vessels, daggers, spears, axes, and knives; iron mattocks and axes; and pottery bottles, ding vessels, jars, small boxes, bowls, cups, and more. The bronze ding vessels, spears, and axes are typical forms popular during the Warring States period, and the pottery jars decorated with heavy grid-cross patterns are typical artifacts of that era. The dating is to the Warring States period.

Phase two includes 53 tombs from the early period. Tomb types are Type II, Type III, Type IV, as well as knife-shaped tombs with ramps (Type V) and protruding character-shaped tombs with ramps (Type VI). Main artifacts are bronze ding vessels, swords, daggers, spears, dagger-axes, axes, and knives; half-liang coins; iron mattocks, axes, and scrapers; and pottery urns, bottles, cauldrons, handled cauldrons, ding vessels, steamers, jars, four-eared jars, straight-bodied jars, boxes, small boxes, three-legged boxes, bowls, ring-footed bowls, basins, cups, and lamps. The dating is from the Qin to the early Western Han period. The late period includes 77 tombs. Tomb types are Type III, Type IV, and Type VI; main artifacts are bronze mirrors, wu-zhu coins, and “Da Quan Wu Shi” (50 cash) coins; pottery urns, cauldrons, ding vessels, yan steamers, steamers, jars, double-eared jars, four-eared jars, five-linked jars, straight-bodied jars, jars, gui food containers, boxes, bowls, basins, kui vessels, ewers, gourd-shaped ewers, lamps, stoves, grain bins, and storage buildings. Tomb no. 116 yielded a pottery jar inscribed with a group of 40-plus characters: “In the tenth month on the day jiashen of the fifth year of the Chuyuan era, Chen Huang Zhi Jun made this for Su [name] and Lu [name], for medicinal vessels, may Zhi Jun’s medicine last ten thousand years, may the children’s vessels preserve them for a thousand years, for the benefit of descendants.” This is extremely precious. “The fifth year of Chuyuan” corresponds to 44 BCE. This phase dates to the later Western Han period, from the time Emperor Wu of Han destroyed the Nanyue Kingdom to the fall of the Xin Dynasty.

Phase three includes 25 tombs from the early period. Tomb types are Type III, Type IV, and Type VI, though Type III tombs are rare, with most being Type IV. Main artifacts are bronze mirrors; iron swords; pottery urns, cauldrons, three-legged cauldrons, ding vessels, yan steamers, incense burners, jars, double-eared jars, four-eared jars, straight-bodied jars, gui food containers, boxes, small boxes, bowls, ring-footed bowls, kui vessels, wine vessels, ewers, warming vessels, bottles, lamps, wells, grain bins, and storage buildings. The dating is to the early Eastern Han period. The late period includes 13 tombs. Tomb types are only Type IV. Main artifacts are bronze mirrors; iron knives and mattocks; pottery urns, cauldrons, three-legged cauldrons, ding vessels, incense burners, double-eared jars, four-eared jars, straight-bodied jars, gui food containers, ring-footed bowls, kui vessels, cups, wine vessels, ewers, bottles, stoves, wells, and storage buildings. The dating is to the later Eastern Han period.

Phase four consists of brick-chambered tombs from the Jin to Tang periods. The main structure is a single rectangular chamber with a vaulted roof, though some Southern Dynasties examples feature twin chambers for joint burials. Burial objects are mainly celadon ware, including four-eared jars, bowls, plates, saucers, and cups, along with pottery cauldrons, talc pigs, iron scissors, and knives. Additionally, Tang tombs yielded Kaiyuan copper coins, and one Southern Dynasties tomb featured a brick inscription reading “fifth year of Yongming” (487 CE).