The biggest Warring State Period tomb and its affiliated funerary pit were discovered in Wenlin, Zhejiang Province, on November 3, and many precious cultural relics have been excavated from the tomb.

Archaeologists started to look for the pit after they found the tomb, as it was a common practice among aristocrats to build luxurious affiliated funerary pits near their graves, and their search was not in vain.

The pit is only 3 meters long, 6 meters wide and 1 meter deep, but as many as 27 pottery musical instruments were squeezed into it, including a chime, a bell, three Chun Yu (an ancient Chinese percussion instrument, like chimes), 5 chime stones and three cymbals similar to bronze ones. The three cymbals are the most complete among the 27 instruments, and one is in almost perfect condition.

Great discoveries have been made in the main tomb, too, where many precious potteries and jade objects have been found. However, greater news may yet be to come, as the excavation work is far from completion.

(Chinanews.cn November 17, 2006)