The Tomb of Zhu Ran, located in the southern part of the city within the territory of Yushan Township, is the burial site of the great general of the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, Zhu Ran. Excavated in June 1984, it unearthed numerous valuable cultural relics, with some lacquerware filling the gaps in the art history of the Three Kingdoms and listed as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in China in the 1980s.
Inside the tomb complex, there is a cultural relics exhibition hall. The hall, built in the style of the Han Dynasty, is an antique-style building. It is based on the tomb structure, exuding a simple and solemn atmosphere. In the central part of the hall’s main area lies the tomb chamber, with a coffin placed inside. Surrounding it are artifacts unearthed from the tomb, as well as pictures, Chinese and foreign literature, and other materials related to the study of Zhu Ran’s tomb. Visitors can experience the social atmosphere of the Three Kingdoms era, over 1700 years ago. The tomb passage is located directly south of the tomb pit and is a flight of stairs with 26 steps, at a slope of 19 degrees. The passage is 9.10 meters long and has the same soil color as the sealed soil. The tomb pit is beneath the sealed soil, 35 centimeters deep from the ground at the top opening, and the shape of the pit is not very regular. The bottom of the pit is slightly smaller than the opening, 3.60 meters deep from the top of the tomb. The tomb walls are not very smooth, and the pit is filled with gray-white soil. The tomb chamber is located in the center of the tomb pit, constructed with bricks, and extends from south to north in the order of a corridor, front chamber, passage, and rear chamber. Externally measured, the total length is 8.70 meters, and the width is 3.54 meters. The interior is paved with bricks, all laid in a herringbone pattern, and the walls are built with a ‘three running and one soldier’ method. The ‘four corners arched in’ dome-shaped roof, with two layers of bricks on both sides to build the altar. Inside the chamber, there is a lacquered wooden coffin, which is the burial equipment for his concubines. The passage between the front and rear chambers is slightly to the left, with the same shape and masonry method as the corridor. In the rear chamber, there is a slightly larger lacquered wooden coffin than the front chamber, which is the burial equipment for the tomb owner, Zhu Ran. The wooden coffin has a layer of hemp cloth on both the inner and outer surfaces, with lacquer applied on top. The outer coffin is painted with black lacquer, and the inner coffin with vermilion lacquer. Over 140 funerary objects were unearthed from Zhu Ran’s tomb, including lacquerware, porcelain, pottery, and bronzeware, with lacquerware accounting for about 57%. Many lacquer items are painted with stories of people and patterns of animals and plants. The opening hours and business status are subject to the actual opening conditions on the day. Must-see tips: 1. Please maintain silence during the visit. 2. Cherish national cultural relics, and prohibit climbing, carving, painting, or damaging the buildings and other facilities inside the hall. 3. Entry is prohibited for those who are improperly dressed, bringing pets, or intoxicated. 4. Smoking is prohibited within the park.
