Tomb of Princess Linhe

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Tomb of Princess Linhe

The Tomb of Princess Linhe is an ancient burial site in Ci County, Hebei, China. It was built in the early 6th century for Yujiulu Chidilian, better known as Princess Linhe, a princess of the Eastern Wei with roots in the nomadic Rouran people.

The tomb was discovered in 1979. Many treasures were found, though the tomb had been robbed earlier. Among the finds were a gold plaque with flower and apsaras motifs, a figure of a shaman, a Standing Figure in a Hood, and various other statues and vessels. In total, about a thousand clay figurines were unearthed. The figures showed officials, soldiers, and servants in different costumes, offering important clues about fashion at the time.

The murals and decorations are especially notable. The walls and ceilings are filled with images of mythical creatures, attendants, and officials. The art combines Northern Wei Luoyang styles with influences from southern Chinese dynasties, creating a striking, innovative look. The life-size human figures line the passageways, giving the tomb a dramatic and monumental feel.

Architecturally, the tomb has one brick chamber measuring about 5.23 by 5.58 meters, connected by a sloping corridor to a long passage. The square chamber once had a cupola on top, and the ceiling and walls were richly decorated with scenes and stars.

An epitaph mentions that the tomb is near the mausoleum of Gao Huan, a powerful Northern Wei general. Despite pillaging, the tomb still contained gold and jewel ornaments, as well as Byzantine coins.

Princess Linhe died young, at about 13 years old, and her tomb’s lavish design reflects her unusual background: she was of Rouran origin but buried in a Chinese style. The tomb is one of the mid-6th-century tombs that archaeologists have studied for its size and artistic program, and it is considered one of the three largest tombs in the Ye region.

Overall, the tomb is important because it shows a rare blend of cultural influences in art and burial practices, and because the many figurines and murals provide valuable insights into clothing, official life, and nomadic-to-Chinese cultural interactions in that era.