Dabaotai Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum
Beijing Dabaotai Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum
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| Established | 1983 |
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| Location | Beijing |
| Coordinates | 39°48′18″N 116°17′26″E / 39.80500°N 116.29056°ECoordinates: 39°48′18″N 116°17′26″E / 39.80500°N 116.29056°E |
| Type | Historical site, History museum |
| Public transit access | public bus, subway |
The Beijing Dabaotai Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum (Chinese: 北京大葆台西汉墓博物馆) is a museum built over the tombs of Western Han dynasty prince Liu Jian and his wife at Dabaotai in Fengtai District of southwestern Beijing Municipality about 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Beijing's city centre. The two tombs are over 2,000 years old and were discovered in 1974. Also discovered in the vicinity are remnants of a residence from the Jin dynasty (1115–1234).
The museum opened in 1983 and has been closed since 2012 for renovation and expansion.
Liu Jian was the Prince of Guangyang who ruled the Guangyang State, a royal fiefdom that administered four counties in the Beijing region during the Western Han dynasty. His father Liu Dan, also a prince, was stripped of his royal title for conspiring against the Han Emperor Zhao and the State of Guangyang was demoted to a prefecture. During the reign of Han Emperor Xuan, the family’s royal status was restored and Liu Jian became prince. He ruled for about 29 years from 73 BC to 45 BC. His descendants continued to rule as princes of Guangyang until Wang Mang overthrew the Western Han dynasty.
Liu Jian’s tomb was discovered in 1974 by workers of the East is Red Petrochemical Refinery who were digging inside two mounds of earth in Dabaotai village to bury storage tanks. They discovered charcoal, plaster and ancient coins. Chinese archaeologists called to inspect the site discovered Tomb No. 1. The tomb had been looted and burned in antiquity. Charred bone remnants indicates that the entombed was a male of about 45–55 years old. Archaeologists identified the tomb as belonging to Liu Jian using artifacts and historical records. Based on the scale of the tomb, they determined that the buried was a royal prince. Inscription on a piece of lacquerware found inside the tomb indicates that the ware was made in the 24th year of the reign of the owner. According to historical records, only four princes in the Han dynasty ruled the Beijing region for as long as 24 years. Based on coins found in the tomb that date to 118 BC, two of the princes who died prior to that date were eliminated. The tomb of a third prince, Liu Dan who was Liu Jian’s father had already been found in Shijingshan District, leaving Liu Jian as the only possible resident prince of the tomb.
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