After days of investigation and research, Chinese archaeologists
believe that the tombs they excavated at Zhou Gong Temple, Qishan
County, Shaanxi
Province, may be the family cemetery of Zhou Gong, the regent
in the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 1100 BC–771
BC).
In their exploration of the burial ground, which began in March,
archaeologists discovered 19 large tombs and 13 funeral pits. Nine
of the tombs have four passages each, four have three passages,
another four have two passages and two have just one tomb passage
each.
More than 700 tortoise shells engraved with 420 characters
identified so far were also unearthed at the tombs. Among the
inscriptions on the shells, archaeologists discovered the symbols
for "Zhou Gong" four times.
The dig also revealed a 1,500-meter-long city wall and six sites
of building ruins.
"We began our archaeological studies of the Western Zhou Dynasty
over 70 years ago, but this is the first time we have discovered a
large city site that includes a city wall, tortoise shells, ruins
and tombs for persons of high rank," said Peking University
Professor Zou Heng. The 78-year-old Zou is noted for his discovery
of the relics of the capitals of Yan and Jin, two states of the
Western Zhou Dynasty, and directing the excavation of the tomb of a
Marquis of Jin.
Zou says the "Zhou Gong" inscription on the tortoise shells
indicates that the site may be the fiefdom of Zhou Gong, and the
tombs may be those of the nobleman's family.
"The tombs of dukes or princes--even kings--that we have
discovered in the past had only one or two tomb passages," said Yin
Shengping, a historian specializing in the Western Zhou Dynasty and
a former curator of the Shaanxi Historical Museum. "But it is
understandable if the tombs with four passages that we discovered
this time were of the family of Zhou Gong. He enjoyed the treatment
of a king in the Western Zhou Dynasty and so was entitled to the
highest funeral rites," said Yin.
Zhou Gong, whose given name was Ji Dan, was the founding father
of the Western Zhou Dynasty, assisting his brother, Ji Fa, in
overthrowing the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC–c. 1100 BC). Ji Fa
became the first king of the Western Zhou Dynasty,
After Ji Fa's death, Zhou Gong acted as regent to assist Ji Fa's
young son in ruling the country. He returned power to the boy seven
years later.
During his regency, Zhou Gong established regulations and
systems that laid the foundation for the political civilization of
the Chinese nation. It is on the basis of Zhou Gong's ideas that
Confucius (551 BC–479 BC) created the code that later became the
core of Chinese culture.
"As the title of Zhou Gong was passed down for more than 500
years, it is not surprising that there are several tombs with four
passages," said Zhang Tian'en, a researcher with the Shaanxi
Archaeological Research Institute. His work involves searching for
tombs of the Western Zhou kings.
However, Yuan Zhongyi--former curator of the Terra Cotta
Warriors and Horses Museum--says that because the four-passage
tombs are comparatively small, there could not be the tombs of the
Western Zhou kings. "It is more likely that the tombs are the
family cemetery of Zhou Gong," said Yuan. "But further excavation
and investigation is necessary before we can say for certain."
Local officials say that armed police will soon be guarding the
site. The Qishan County government has banned new construction
projects and will halt any ongoing projects in a
10-square-kilometer area around the tombs.
"This burial ground should be treated in accordance with
regulations on historical sites, afforded first-class state
protection, and should be given the best protection," said Shan
Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural
Heritage.
(Xinhua News Agency,?China Daily June 8, 2004)