Mawangdui Han Tombs Site
马王堆汉墓遗址
The family cemetery of Li Cang, Marquis of Dai and Chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom in the Western Han dynasty, where Lady Xin Zhui’s tomb was excavated. Visitors can look down on the original pit of Tomb No. 3.
The Mawangdui Han Tombs are located on the eastern outskirts of Furong District in Changsha. They are the family cemetery of Li Cang, Marquis of Dai and Chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom in the early Western Han, along with his wife Lady Xin Zhui and their son. Excavated between 1972 and 1974, the three tombs yielded the remains of Lady Xin Zhui, preserved for more than two thousand years, along with silk gauze ritual robes, a T-shaped silk banner, silk manuscripts and a large number of lacquerware, creating a sensation around the world. Today the site preserves the large pit of Tomb No. 3, covered by a protective shelter. From railings, visitors look down at the stepped tomb walls and the positions of the outer coffin chambers, gaining a direct sense of the scale of Han tombs. The site itself is modest in size, while the artifacts and Lady Xin Zhui’s remains are held at the Hunan Museum, so it is best to see the Mawangdui exhibition at the museum before visiting the site. Admission is low-cost or free, but check whether reservations are required. The site is inside the Mawangdui Sanatorium, about 10 minutes by taxi from Yingbin Road Junction Station on Metro Line 2.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00 (confirm on site)
Nearby sights
- Hunan Martyrs' Park
- Hunan Museum
- Tianxin Pavilion
- Changsha Underwater World
- Baisha Well
- Window of the World Changsha
- Kaifu Temple
- Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum