世界遗产日：一定要参观的十大中国考古遗址 (下) World Heritage Day: 10 must-visit archaeological sites in China (II)

8. Tomb of the Marquis of Haihun, Jiangxi province (江西海昏侯墓, jiāng xī hǎi hūn hóu mù)

The tomb of the Marquis of Haihun, dating back to Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- 25 AD), is located near Nanchang in East China's Jiangxi province. It's the best-preserved royal tombs of the West Han Dynasty (西汉皇家陵墓, xī hàn huáng jiā líng mù) ever discovered in China.

The owner of the main tomb, Liu He (刘贺, liú hè), was the grandson of Emperor Wu, the greatest ruler of the Han Dynasty, one of the most prosperous periods in China's history. Liu was given the title "Marquis of Haihun" after he was deposed as emperor after only 27 days, dethroned by the royal clan because of his lack of talent and morals. Haihun is the ancient name of a very small kingdom in the north of Jiangxi.

Excavation of the tomb began in 2011 and more than 10,000 artifacts including gold, bronze and jade artifacts (黄金、青铜器和玉器, huáng jīn、qīng tóng qì hé yù qì) have been unearthed.