Compiled by Nanjing Museum, Jiangsu Provincial Institute of Archaeology

Cultural Relics Management Committee of Xishan District, Wuxi

 

Abstract：

       The elite cemetery of the Yue 越 state at Hongshan 鸿山 is located to the east of the Hongshan Township. The cemetery, which is 6 km from east to west and 4 km from south to north, contains nearly one hundred earth – mound burials.

       Seven Yue elite earth – mound burials of the early Warring – states Period had been excavated from April 2003 to June 2005. They are, from the south to north, WHD Ⅰ (Laohudun 老虎墩), WHD Ⅱ (Laofendun 老坟墩),  WHD Ⅲ (Caojiafen 曹家坟), WHD Ⅳ (Zoujiadun 邹家墩), WHD Ⅴ (Dujiafen 杜家坟), WHD Ⅵ (Wanjiafen 万家坟) and WHD Ⅶ (Qiuchengdun 邱承墩). The Qiuchengdun earth mount is the second largest Yue elite burial just smaller than the mausoleum of the King of the Yue State at Yinshan 印山, Shaoxing 绍兴, Zhejiang 浙江.

       According to typological, chronological researches and the results of radio carbon dating, elite burials at Hongshan can be dated to early the Warring States Period (around 470 BC), when the Yue State, under the dominion of King Goujian 勾践, just conquered the Wu 吴 State and entered its most glory age.

       The seven burials can be divided into four types according to the size of their earth mounds and their structure: the small type (DⅡ、DⅣ), the middle type (DⅢ、DⅤ), the large type (DⅠ、DⅥ) and the extra large type (DⅦ). Yet they might be divided into five classes based on the types and quality of burials offerings in them.

       The first – class burial Qiuchengdun (DⅦ) has a east – west orienting cut – head – pyramid – shaped earth mound, which is 78.6 m long, 50.8 m wide and 5.4 m high. The burial pit under the mound is in the shape of Chinese character 中 (zhong), 56.7m in length, 6.3m in width, 3m in depth and orienting to 110 degree. The pit consists of a passage, a main chamber and a rear chamber. The main chamber is further divided into the middle, southern and northern sub – chambers by wood block. An ellipse tabernacle was found in the southern wall of the passage. Drainage ditches were discovered at the bottom of the passage and the back of the rear chamber.

       Within this large burial, were unearthed 1098 pieces offerings of the highest class of the Yue State. They include jade ornaments and funeral objects, and sets of celadon copy of bronze ritual objects and musical instruments. Many of them, such as glazed ceramic open – work snake - ball, celadon bowl washer (consisting of a Fu 釜 boiler and a bowl container), celadon wine warmer and cooler, pair of celadon horn – like objects, celadon bi 璧 – shaped objects, celadon fou 缶 musical instrument, celadon zhenduo 振铎 bell, celadon drum seat with coiled serpent, rectangular stoneware roaster, jade flying phoenix and jade tube with animal spirits, are for the first time found in elite burials of the Yue State.

       Deceased under the Qiuchengdun earth mound might be a high – level noble of the Yue State who was almost as noblest as the King.

       The second – class burial Laohudun (DⅠ) has an east – west orienting cut – head – pyramid – shaped earth mound which is about 56m long and 43m wide. It has no burial pit. Under the mound, was found a rectangular burnt wooden burial bed which is 8.6m in remaining length, 6.6m in width and orienting to 110 degree.

       About 500 pieces of burial offerings had been unearthed from this burial, including jade objects, sets of celadon and stoneware copy of bronze musical instrument, ceramic born – like and bi – shaped objects, stoneware copy of bronze ritual vessels and stoneware or fine clay utensils.

       The third – class burial Wanjiafen (DⅥ) has an east – west orienting cut – head – pyramid – shaped earth mound which is 42.6m long, 35.9m wide and 3.3m high. A wooden burial bed which is 16.68m long, 5.07m wide and orienting to 110 degree was found under the mound. Some traces show that the mound had been burnt.

       No jade objects were found among the 510 pieces of burial offerings. All the musical instruments were made of ceramic instead of celadon. Horn – shaped and bi – shaped objects were made of ceramic. Similar with Laohudun, only stoneware and ceramic copies of bronze ritual vessel and utensils were found in this burial.

       Caojiafen (DⅢ) and Dujiafen (DⅤ) are the two fourth – class burials.

       The burial Caojiafen has an east – west orienting cut – head – pyramid – shaped earth mound which is 35m long, 26.9m wide and 3.5m high. The burial pit under the mound is rectangular in shape, 8.75m long, 2.25m wide, 1.95m deep and orienting to 112 degree. Ninety – three pieces of utensils, horn – shaped and bi – shaped objects and jade objects were unearthed.

       The burial Dujiafen has an east – west orienting cut – head – pyramid – shaped earth mound which is 42.6m long, 35.9m wide and 2.8m high. The burial pit under the mound is 8.05m long, 2.4m wide, 0.8m deep and orienting to 112 degree. Totally 74 burial offerings, including utensils, horn – shaped and bi – shaped objects were unearthed.

       Laofendun (DⅡ) and Zoujiadun (DⅣ) are the two fifth – class burials.

       The cut – head – pyramid – shaped earth mound of Laofendun is east – west orienting, 13m long, 10m high and 2.5m high. Burial pit under the mound is rectangular in shape, 4.75m long, 3.25m wide, 0.2m deep and orienting to 112 degree. The 52 burial offerings include celadon and ceramic utensils and ceramic xuanling 悬铃 bells.

       The cut – head – pyramid – shaped earth mound of Zoujiadun is east – west orienting, 34.5m long, 23.5m wide and 1.5m high. Burial pit under the mound is rectangular in shape, 3.88m long, 2.34m wide, 0.35m deep and orienting to 112 degree. The 46 pieces of burial offerings include celadon and ceramic utensils and ceramic bi – shaped objects and jade objects.

       The large quantity of celadon ritual vessels, musical instruments and jade objects from the elite burials at Hongshan clearly reflect the glory of Yue State in Goujian’s reign. As the most important archaeological discovery of the Yue culture after the excavation of the mausoleum of the King of the Yue State at Yinshan, Hongshan burials provide us brand new knowledge of the Yue State during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. The new knowledge will raise the introspection on the history of the Yue State, and trigger the comprehensive research on burial system, hierarchy system and ritual system of Yue.

       The complete sets of ritual and musical instruments unearthed from the well – preserved burials at Hongshan show the harmonic combination of local Yue tradition and Central Plains tradition. They are valuable material data for resolving some key issues in the history of Yue. The solution of these issues will greatly improve the research on the Yue culture and the ethnohisory of the Baiyue 百越 people.