By Keen Zhang
zhangr@china.org.cn 

On April 10 some villagers constructing a road in the city of Chongqing in southwest China accidentally unearthed an ancient tomb. Witnesses described the vivid frescos as shining like red lights when they were first excavated.

Linggetang Village natives were building a road that day. As the excavator routinely operated its steel arms suddenly the ground caved in and a hollow appeared, witnesses told the Chongqing Times yesterday.

"The cave shone, inside it seemed like red lights were shining; all of us were stunned!" one of the villagers recounted. Soon they discerned that the shining objects were actually vivid frescos inside the tomb. Clouds, horses, deer and female beauties had been painted and preserved on the cave wall. In addition to the frescos, the villagers also discovered four ceramic animal figurines and two pots.

Wang Changwen, a local cultural researcher, soon rushed to the location. Initially he said the frescos resembled Tang Dynasty-styled paintings, but after he studied the tomb cave in detail, Wang then surmised that the tomb dated back to the Ming Dynasty.

"Four auspicious beasts were standing at two sides of the tomb. There was also a container for grain and a ceramic pot. These objects represent typical funerary items of the Ming Dynasty. In addition the tomb's design structure is Ming-styled," he said.

The renowned Chinese artist Wu Huixia also checked the frescos, and felt that the fresco creator showed a profound artistic workmanship.

Liu Jidong, the head of a cultural relics team from Chongqing municipal archeology institute, said they haven't identified the tomb’s owner. But he asserted that whoever was buried there must be either an official or a businessman.

Liu said this is the first ancient tomb containing Ming Dynasty-styled frescos that has been unearthed in Chongqing. He said the frescos had great potential value for researchers wishing to study the lifestyle and arts at that time.

He also indicated that they are weighing options over whether to move the tomb or not. Currently road construction has ceased; the city's archeology institute has sent a team there, expecting to explore more.