Dabaotai Han Dynasty Tombs

Located on the west of Guogong Village, Huangtugang Township, Fengtai District, the Western Han Dynasty Tomb at Dabaotai was built more than 2000 years ago, and unearthed in 1974. Facing the south, the tomb looks like a hill-shaped mound, and consists of path leading to grave, external winding corridor, wooden wall around coffin, internal winding corridor, front chamber and rear chamber. It is a distinctive underground of timber structure.

The tomb has two coffin chambers. One (No.1) contains the coffin of Liu Jian a prince of Western Han Dynasty; the other (No.2) houses his wife. Since the tomb had been robbed, most of funeral objects have lost. But there are still over 400 antiques unearthed, including pottery, bronze, iron, jade, agate, lacquer, silk and other ware. The Western Han Dynasty Tomb was built according to the imperial funeral system of the Han Dynasty, embodying the highest funeral level.

The "wooden wall around coffin" was only seen in ancient documents until the tomb was unearthed, disclosing a physical example. It was made of 15,880 square cedar woods (approximately 122 cubic metres). The wooden wall in No.1 coffin chamber has a height of 3 metres, a thickness of 0.9 metres, and a circumference of 42 metres. A colour-painted wooden chariot is parked on the path leading to grave. It is the best-preserved chariot of Western Han Dynasty in China for the time being. Although the chariot is in decay, its wheels, shafts and wheel ribs are still clearly identifiable.

Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Tomb at Dabaotai was founded in 1983, mainly displaying underground palace, chariot, sacrificial objects, etc. An Exhibition of Imperial Mausoleums of Successive dynasty is offered as well. It is a national cultural heritage under special protection.