The Han Guangling Tomb Museum in Yangzhou, China, is a significant archaeological site that preserves the elaborate burial practices of the Western Han Dynasty.
The museum is centered around the tomb of Liu Xu, the first King of Guangling, who was the son of Emperor Wu of Han. This structure is a prime example of a "cavern tomb," masterfully carved directly into the bedrock of a hill rather than built as a free-standing structure. The tomb features a sophisticated layout comprising a main chamber, side chambers, and corridors, showcasing the immense power and wealth commanded by the regional rulers of that era.
Adjacent to the king's tomb is the burial site of his queen, which complements the main site by illustrating the social hierarchy and funerary customs of the royal court. Her tomb, while distinct in scale, shares the same meticulous stone-carving craftsmanship found in the king's mausoleum, providing researchers with a more complete understanding of Han Dynasty burial aesthetics and rituals. Together, these tombs serve as a profound historical record, offering visitors a rare, tangible look into the life, death, and architectural sophistication of the Han nobility nearly two millennia ago.
A panoramic view of Han Tomb Museum «Yangzhou Museum of Guangling King's Tomb in Han Dynasty, also known as Han Tomb Museum, covering an area of over 60000 square meters. The terrain is undulating, with lush trees and magnificent buildings. It is a cemetery style museum that integrates cultural relics and gardens. The museum displays the tombs of Liu Xu, the first Guangling King of the Western Han Dynasty, and his queen. It is an imperial level wooden coffin tomb with a large scale and rigorous structure, and is one of the rare large-scale tombs of the Han Dynasty in China, with a history of over 2000 years.» |
Main Gate |
Stone Lions |
Approaching the Underground Palace of Guangling King |
Underground Palace of Guangling King
The Underground Palace of Guangling King |
Jade Clothes «Jade clothes, also called in ancient times “Jade case” were one of the most important parts in the emperor funeral, for they were signs of the high status of the dead. According to the ranks, jade clothes were woven with wires of gold, of silver, of copper, and of silk respectively. The ancient people held that “jade” was the essence of the mountain and the jade clothes had the immortal efficacy for preserving the body if the dead was them. Wearing jade clothes was the highest treatment in the funeral rites then. This suit was made according to the remains of the one excavated from the tomb of Liu Xu, which was 1.88 meters long and was woven with 2480 pieces of different kinds of jade and 750 grams of gold wires.» |
Descending to the Underground Palace |
South facade of the Underground Palace, seen from the south |
The ladder that the robber used |
Entrance door to the Underground Palace, seen from the south |
View from above of the Underground Palace, southwest view |
View from above of the Underground Palace, west view |
View from above of the Underground Palace, north view |
View from above of the Underground Palace, east view |
View from above of the Underground Palace, southeast view |
Detail of a corridor |
Detail of the sarcophagus |
Iron Woodworking Tools «The iron woodworking tools were excavated from Han Tomb No.1 at Sanjiao Wei, Tianchang County, Anhui Province. As an important discovery in the archaeological study of Han Dynasty, these tools are rich in variety, miscellaneous in function, and intact in preservation. Known from the seals "Huan Ping Personal Seal" and "Guangling Official Call", Huan Ping must have been a close official of Liu Xu, king of Guangling, responsible for internal royal affairs. The intact preservation of the unearthed exquisite tools proved the fine woodworking of Guangling, West Han Dynasty.» |
Longitudinal section of Tomb No. 1 shaft
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Shenju Hills «The Shenju Hills, formed by the lava erupted from a volcano 1,500,000 years ago, lie in Tian shan village, 45 kilometers northwest of Yangzhou. It's 49.55 meters high above the sea level. At present, four tombs of West Han have been unearthed, of which No.1 and No.2 are tombs of the king and queen, while No.3 and No.4 are their satellite tombs. There lies the tomb of King Guangling, 25 meters deep in a upright stone hole, which was bored straightly in the hill and was linked to the ground by a slop of tomb path. To build the two tombs, 60,000 cubic meters of stones and 1,000 cubic meters of nanmu were used; innumerable man-power and materials were consumed. What a huge project!» |
Sets of tableware «Sets of tableware were excavated from "No.1 Inner-room for Food Official". There were lacquered tables, lacquered plates, lacquered bowls, sets of lacquered eared cups, and so on. This set of cooking utensils was excavated from the outer chamber of Tomb No.1. They are grave goods with rough production and simple design.» |
The Queen's Tomb
The Queen's Tomb |
Han Tombs of Shenju Hill «No.1 and No.2 Han Tombs of Shenju Hill were both unearthed in 1979 at the same time. No.1 tomb belongs to Liu Xu, the first King of Guangling, while No.2 tomb belongs to the empress. Both of them are wooden-structure tombs named "Huang Chang Ti Cou". As couple-shared but separately buried tomb, No.2 tomb lies 50 meters to the east of No.1 tomb. Even the No.2 tomb was once damaged by cracksmen, some excavated antiquities and relics still enjoy high cultural and historical values, such as "Jin Lu Yu Yi" (Jade Garment with Gold Thread), “San Sou Xi Yue Yong” (Figures of three Joyful Old Men) and so on. "Year Sity-Two" Wooden Tablets of Inscription and “Guangling Si Fu” Ink Paste provide us reliable and precious materials to clarify the identity and status of the owners of the tombs. The couple-shared Tomb of Liu Xu, King of Guangling, one of the large-scale mausoleums built in West Han Dynasty, enjoys an extremely high value of culture and tourism.» |
Wood-carved Painting of the Han Dynasty |
Reconstruction of life in the imperial harem |
Wooden Figurines |
Three Elders Playing Figurines (left) and Throw Pot (right) Three Elders Playing Figurines - «The three elderly figures playing music were unearthed from the main coffin of the imperial collection. The figures are vivid and lifelike, demonstrating an extremely high level of craftsmanship. The three elders are depicted with one playing a zither, one beating a drum, and one listening attentively with a cane, enjoying themselves leisurely and full of charm.» Throw Pot - «Pitch-pot was a game played at social banquets in ancient times. During the games, the host sat on the left and the guests on the right, with one person acting as referee. The host and guests took turns throwing arrows into the pot, and the one whose arrow landed in the pot won, while the loser was penalized with a drink. The pitch-pot unearthed from this tomb is very small and should be a funerary object, only 4 centimeters high, which is quite interesting.» |
Crossbows |
Fragments found inside the tomb |
One-Horse-And-Carriage Chamber |
Four-horse-riding Carriage |
Entrance door to the Queen's Tomb |
View from above of the Queen's Tomb, southwest view |
View from above of the Queen's Tomb, south view |
View from above of the Queen's Tomb, west view |
Zhang Ya's Tomb in Pengling, Changsha |
Figurines reenacting the funeral procession |
View from above of the Queen's Tomb, north view |
The Shuangdun No. 1 Han Tomb, Lu'an, Anhui Province |
View from above of the Queen's Tomb, east view |
Han Dynasty tombs at Dayunshan, Xuyi, Jiangsu |
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