The Ganguzi Ancient Tomb Cluster

　　Located about 6 li (3 km) east of Shidao Valley in Changbai County and 1 li (0.5 km) northwest of Ganguzi Village, the Ganguzi Ancient Tomb Cluster spans a vast area along both the northern and southern banks of the Xiganguzi River. It is the largest ancient tomb complex in Changbai County and the upper reaches of the Yalu River. This tomb cluster covers an area approximately 1,200 meters long and 400 meters wide from east to west, and currently includes 19 well-preserved ancient tombs. On October 24, 1987, it was designated as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Jilin Province. A tentative excavation and survey were conducted here in April 1985.

　　The tombs in the Ganguzi Ancient Tomb Cluster were all built using river cobbles and come in two types of construction: "pile-stone serial tombs" and "pile-stone tombs." Among them, Tomb No. 1 is 24 meters long and contains three circular stone chambers (burial pits), connected in the middle by stone slabs and with a natural soil layer as the bottom. Tomb No. 2 is the largest, measuring 48 meters long and 24 meters wide, and houses eight circular stone chambers. Several tentative excavations have unearthed artifacts such as stone axes, stone knives, weapons, wild boar tusk ornaments, pottery, and antenna-style bronze swords. Based on the construction style of the tombs and the large number of relics unearthed, experts believe that the Ganguzi Ancient Tomb Cluster may date back to the Western Han Dynasty of China, making it over 2,000 years old. Experts also indicate that while the Central Plains had entered the feudal society period, some remote areas were still in the primitive society stage, hence these tombs likely belonged to the ancient　

　　ethnic group. The discovery of antenna-style bronze swords suggests that the　

　　people had begun to use bronze artifacts that were prevalent during the Spring and Autumn, Warring States, and Han periods, reflecting the economic development of the primitive society and the wisdom and creativity of the ancient

　　people. These findings provide valuable material for studying the social development stages and living conditions of the people in this region during ancient times, as well as important historical data for researching the tribal structures of ancient ethnic groups in the borderlands.

　　In recent years, to develop the economy of Changbai County, large-scale bridge construction, road paving, and resource development projects have been carried out, which have caused a certain degree of damage to the original appearance of the tomb cluster. However, with the booming economy and the advancement of archaeological work, the Ganguzi Ancient Tomb Cluster has gained attention and protection from society. Especially with the rise of tourism in recent years, the tomb cluster has been listed as a new science and education tourism project. There are also plans to carry out substantive excavation and research at the site to further unravel the mysteries of the Ganguzi Ancient Tomb Cluster.