Located about 15 kilometers northeast of Jiayuguan, Wei-Jin Mural
Brick Tomb is a big tomb group with over 1,400 tombs built between
the 3rd Century and 5th Century during the Wei and Jin dynasties.
Renowned as the largest subterranean art gallery in the world, housing
a great deal of colorful murals, the gallery has attracted tourists
from both home and abroad since 1972 when it was excavated. Most
tombs are of families, housing bodies of three or four generations,
and now only Grave 6 and Grave 7 are open for tourism.
Entering the cold stone tomb, you will marvel at the vivid murals
and special layout inside. Each Wei-Jin tomb generally has two
or three chambers which are connected by corridors paved with
tiles in various flower patterns. The gate was decorated with
delicate patterns and easy lines symbolizing clouds, water, fire,
gods and weird animals. The exquisite murals on the inner chamber
walls tell the master and mistress's contemporary carefree life,
and servant's hard working one. Most reflect the political, cultural,
military, and scientific developments of the Wei and Jin Dynasty
age...an insight into this ancient Chinese feudal society. Mainly
painted realistically and earlier than Mogao Grottoes, Wei-Jin
Art Gallery provides an example of unmixed Chinese realism art
- filling in gaps in the fields of painting between the Wei and
Jin periods, and so considered highly valuable for historic research.