HeritagePhoto Wikimedia CommonsMuseum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King
Guangdong · China
Mausoleum of Nanyue King, dating back to about 2000 years ago, reveals the very outset and depth of the history. The Nanyue Royal Tomb lies at the Xianggang Hill in north-western downtown. The original slope from hilltop leads you downwards through stone gate into the 20-meter-underground tomb in the hill, as if you were descending into the depth of history. The 100 square meters complex is of huge scale and systematic layout, made up of some 750 grit-stone pieces and divided into 7 chambers for different functions in front and rear parts. Rough colorful cloud painting is found on the walls and ceiling of front chamber while remains of bone ashes, clothes, arrow tips and life items are showed where they were in all chambers. Here you are subject to instant and vivid touch of a living world beneath of historic luxury.
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King
Welcome to one of the most significant archaeological sites in southern China: the Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King. This site, discovered quite by accident in 1983 during a construction project,…
Listen in the app2The Tomb Entrance and Royal Guards
We begin our exploration at the entrance to the tomb chambers. As you descend into the ground, you are following the path taken by the King's funeral procession over two millennia ago. …
Listen in the app3The King's Coffin and Jade Suit
We now enter the main coffin room, the most sacred and central part of the mausoleum. Here, King Zhao Mo's body was laid to rest within two nested coffins. …
Listen in the app4The Chamber of the Concubines
To the east of the main coffin room lies a chamber that tells a darker story of the Nanyue court. Here, archaeologists found the remains of four women. …
Listen in the app5The Royal Treasury and Weaponry
We now move to the east side chamber, which served as the King's storeroom for his most valuable physical possessions. This room was a treasury of wealth and power, holding over 70 iron tools, numerous weapons, and ritual…
Listen in the app6The Music and Banquet Hall
No royal life was complete without entertainment, and the Nanyue King’s tomb reflects this with a dedicated space for music and banquets. In this chamber, archaeologists found a remarkable collection of musical instruments,…
Listen in the app7The Porcelain Pillow Exhibition
As we move into the modern exhibition wing of the museum, we encounter a unique and surprising collection: the porcelain pillows. While these were not all found within the King’s tomb, they represent a significant part of the…
Listen in the app8Closing
As we conclude our visit to the Nanyue King Museum, let us take a moment to reflect on the sheer scale and significance of this discovery. This site is a rare window into a lost era, a time when the Nanyue Kingdom flourished as a…
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What is Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King?
Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King is a place in Guangdong · China with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Guangdong · China |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 23.1379, 113.2612 |
| Last updated |
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