Tomb of King Cuo of Zhongshan
Encyclopedia
King Cuo of Zhongshan was the fifth ruler of the state of Zhongshan
during the Warring States Period
in ancient China
. He reigned for 15 years.
As the son of Duke Cheng of Zhongshan, he inherited the state from his father and expanded it to its peak size. He attacked Yan
to the north and Zhao
to the south and expanded his territory to nearly double what he inherited. His new gains from Zhao broke the state of Zhao into North and South pieces, laying the future cause for the state of Zhao to destroy the country.
, Hebei
, China
. The tomb was built near the ancient city of Lingshou (靈壽) on the Hutuo River. The tomb contained the burial of King Cuo.
Initially, farmers discovered a large river rock inscribed in archaic (large seal
) characters during 1940s or 1950s and stored it for several decades. In the early 1970s, local artifact administrators received news of this rock and examined it. A copy was sent to Li Xueqin, a renowned expert on ancient Chinese writing. He immediately recognized its importance. The inscription was about two men, Gongsheng De and Jiujiang Man, who were servants and fishers during the king's life and later guarded his tomb after his death. Later, the king was known to be King Cuo from inscriptions on bronze ware.
The plans for the tomb complex was engraved on a bronze diagram found inside the tomb (this is the earliest architectural drawing known from ancient China). The original plan was designed to house five tomb complexes (xiangtang 饗堂) in a row, with the tomb of the king in the center, flanked by tombs of two queens, then flanked by outer tombs of two consorts; the tomb complex was never completed as designed.
The site was excavated in the 1970s. Although the central burial chamber had already been looted in antiquity, archaeologists were still able to uncover hundreds of bronze, jade, lacquer and pottery artifacts. Six others were buried alongside the king. Two horse and chariot pits were included in King Cuo's burial complex. Three boats were uncovered, and an underground canal linked the tomb to the Hutuo River.
The bronze artifacts underwent a drastic change in usage and style during the fourteenth year of King Cuo's reign. Among the changes was a de-emphasis on ritual bronzes vessels and a new focus on luxury bronze objects. A bronze vessel from the tomb recorded a previously unrecorded invasion of Yan
during that year that may have contributed to the change in style; some archaeologists believe that the new techniques may have been introduced by Yan artisans or copied from looted Yan bronzes. The new technique included the use of inlaid silver and gold onto bronze objects, often portraying mythical beasts.
Zhongshan (state)
Zhongshan was a Di state created by the nomadic Xianyu tribe in China during the later Zhou Dynasty, in the Chinese written sources it is referred to as a state of the Bai Di .)...
during the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
in ancient China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He reigned for 15 years.
As the son of Duke Cheng of Zhongshan, he inherited the state from his father and expanded it to its peak size. He attacked Yan
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
to the north and Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
to the south and expanded his territory to nearly double what he inherited. His new gains from Zhao broke the state of Zhao into North and South pieces, laying the future cause for the state of Zhao to destroy the country.
Tomb of King Cuo of Zhongshan
The Tomb of King Cuo of Zhongshan is an archaeological site located in Sanji, PingshanPingshan
Pingshan may refer to the following locations in China:*Pingshan County, Hebei , of Shijiazhuang Prefecture*Pingshan County, Sichuan , of Yibin Prefecture*Pingshan District , Benxi, Liaoning*Pingshan New Area , Shenzhen, Guangdong...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The tomb was built near the ancient city of Lingshou (靈壽) on the Hutuo River. The tomb contained the burial of King Cuo.
Initially, farmers discovered a large river rock inscribed in archaic (large seal
Large Seal Script
Large Seal script or Great Seal script is a traditional reference to Chinese writing from before the Qin dynasty, and is now popularly understood to refer narrowly to the writing of the Western and early Eastern Zhou dynasties, and more broadly to also include the oracle bone script...
) characters during 1940s or 1950s and stored it for several decades. In the early 1970s, local artifact administrators received news of this rock and examined it. A copy was sent to Li Xueqin, a renowned expert on ancient Chinese writing. He immediately recognized its importance. The inscription was about two men, Gongsheng De and Jiujiang Man, who were servants and fishers during the king's life and later guarded his tomb after his death. Later, the king was known to be King Cuo from inscriptions on bronze ware.
The plans for the tomb complex was engraved on a bronze diagram found inside the tomb (this is the earliest architectural drawing known from ancient China). The original plan was designed to house five tomb complexes (xiangtang 饗堂) in a row, with the tomb of the king in the center, flanked by tombs of two queens, then flanked by outer tombs of two consorts; the tomb complex was never completed as designed.
The site was excavated in the 1970s. Although the central burial chamber had already been looted in antiquity, archaeologists were still able to uncover hundreds of bronze, jade, lacquer and pottery artifacts. Six others were buried alongside the king. Two horse and chariot pits were included in King Cuo's burial complex. Three boats were uncovered, and an underground canal linked the tomb to the Hutuo River.
The bronze artifacts underwent a drastic change in usage and style during the fourteenth year of King Cuo's reign. Among the changes was a de-emphasis on ritual bronzes vessels and a new focus on luxury bronze objects. A bronze vessel from the tomb recorded a previously unrecorded invasion of Yan
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
during that year that may have contributed to the change in style; some archaeologists believe that the new techniques may have been introduced by Yan artisans or copied from looted Yan bronzes. The new technique included the use of inlaid silver and gold onto bronze objects, often portraying mythical beasts.