The Weijin Tomb Murals (魏晋墓砖壁画), located in the Gobi Desert of Xincheng Township, Jiayuguan City, are a significant archaeological discovery, comprising over 1,400 brick tombs predominantly from the Wei and Jin periods (220-419 AD). These tomb murals are renowned as the “world’s largest underground art gallery” due to their vast scale and extensive collection of underground murals. From 1972 to 1979, 13 tombs were excavated, among which eight contained painted brick murals, yielding more than 700 mural bricks. Currently, Tomb No. 6 and Tomb No. 7 are open to the public, with the Weijin Brick Mural Museum built to showcase these historical treasures. Covering an area of 18,000 square meters and with a building area of 32,000 square meters, the museum’s architecture mimics ancient styles with a large roof design. The entrance wall features a grand mural of a Weijin period funeral procession, adding to the museum’s majestic aura.
Tomb No. 6 is a triple-chambered tomb designed for a couple, with the chambers arranged in front, middle, and rear sections. The tomb is structured with the entrance facing east, immediately turning southward, leading down a 20-meter long, 2-meter wide sloping passage to the three chambers, all constructed from dry bricks. The tomb’s interior features a unique architectural design with the brick ceiling forming isosceles triangles, creating a square apex. The floor is paved with various patterned bricks. The entrance wall, standing at 11 meters high, is adorned with intricate brick carvings and paintings depicting celestial and mythical creatures like the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Qilin, symbolizing the tomb owner’s aspirations for an afterlife in “heaven.”
The tomb chambers symbolize the owner’s residence, with the front and middle chambers representing multi-storied buildings with projecting eaves, and the side chambers denoting stables, kitchens, and storage rooms. The rear chamber, considered the owner’s “bedroom,” preserved two well-maintained coffins and the remains of the deceased. A total of 136 mural bricks in the tomb depict various aspects of daily life, reflecting the tomb owner’s existence.
Tomb No. 6, a representative tomb from the Western Jin Dynasty, has remarkably remained intact for over 1,600 years. Archaeologists discovered a small hole in the middle chamber’s ceiling with a steel wire used for hanging an oil lamp. Before sealing the tomb, the grave robbers lit the oil lamp, then sealed the chamber with seven layers of bricks. The burning lamp consumed the oxygen inside, creating a vacuum that preserved the murals and artifacts from oxidation.
The murals in Tomb No. 6 illustrate the tomb owner’s journey from a diligent nomadic herder to a successful farmer, merchant, and eventually an official. The murals can be categorized into three main themes:
- Scenes of Labor: These murals depict various agricultural and pastoral activities, highlighting the tomb owner’s industrious lifestyle.
- Servants’ Duties and Feasts: The murals show servants engaged in various tasks such as butchering and cooking, alongside scenes of the tomb owner and his family enjoying lavish banquets, reflecting the social hierarchy and daily life.
- Luxurious Lifestyle: These murals illustrate the tomb owner’s opulent and extravagant life as an esteemed official, showcasing his wealth and status.
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 hour |
| Ticket Price | 31 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 9.00 – 17.00 |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0937-6385353 |
Location and Transportation
The Weijin Tomb Murals are located in the Gobi Desert of Xincheng Township, about 20 kilometers northeast of Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province. To reach the site, you can only travel by hiring a private car. The cost for a single trip to the murals is approximately 100 RMB. If you plan to visit the murals along with other nearby attractions such as the Jiayuguan Fort, the Overhanging Great Wall, and the First Beacon Tower within a single day, the car hire would be around 200 RMB.
