Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum

Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum is a museum presenting Chinese ancient tombs in Luoyang, Henan province. The Museum was established in 1984 and opened to the public in 1987. It is located on Mang Hill, in the eastern side of Zhongtou Village, about 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Luoyang City. Covering an area of nearly 3 hectares (7.4 acres), the museum is housed in a complex of grand buildings in the Han Dynasty architectural style.

The museum comprises two parts: an underground and an above ground sections. The above ground part contains a Han-style gate and several halls. Tomb models from the Stone Age to the Han Dynasty, restored funerary objects and funeral rituals are displayed in the eastern hall.

The underground section is a tomb group’s site which is about 7 meters underground and contains 22 tombs from Henan province. The architectures in the underground section are arranged in the Chinese character '回', totally moving and rehabilitating 22 typical tombs from the Western Han Dynasty to the Northern Song Dynasty. They are mainly funerary objects, daily utensils and ornaments, the excavated color-painted pottery figures and the pink guardian animals being the most impressive. Another highlight in this section are the eye-catching murals depicting the ascent to heaven and the attainment of immortality, the exorcising of demons, fairy tales, historical stories, diagrams of astronomical phenomena and scenes of family life and social life of the tombs' occupants.

In the above ground section, you will see the tablet inscribed with the name of the museum in Chinese characters, the Menque (a kind of ornamental watchtower set in front of palaces, mausoleums, temples and residences) carved from white marble, the Xumu (prelude) Hall with a pair of Tianlu (a mythical creature said to ward off evil spirits). The hall houses the sand map showing the distribution of the Han Dynasty tombs. The side halls present models of the tombs, burial objects and simulations of funeral scenes from the primitive society to the Zhou Dynasty, which illustrate clearly the development of ancient tombs and the local customs of ancient Luoyang. Behind Xumu Hall lies the Xuan Hall, which is the entrance to the underground section. The latter half of the above ground section contains the Sijiao (quadrangle) Pavilion and the Wangjing (sightseeing) Pavilion.

Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum is not only a distinctive museum with pseudo-archaic architectures, ancient tombs and murals, but is also has a modern garden with exuberant grass and flowers, tall trees, artificial hills, piled stones, pools and fountains. You are sure to find it charming and attractive. By the way, The museum is very close to Luoyang Airport, three stops away by bus. Passengers who will make short stopovers in Luoyang Airport can spare some time there.

For more information, please visit www.top-chinatour.com