Tomb chambers engraved with exquisite carvings such as dragon reliefs. ［Photo by XU LIN/CHINA DAILY］
A conservation team is conducting 3D－laser scanning of an ancient mausoleum， surrounded by high－rise residential complex — a striking contrast between centuries－old heritage and modern urban density.
Located in Jinjiang district， Chengdu， Sichuan province， the mausoleum belongs to Zhu Xuanqi， 11th－generation ruler of the Shu princely fiefdom （today＇s Sichuan） during the Ming Dynasty （1368－1644）. His posthumous title is Duan， which means ＂principled＂.
The central tomb belongs to Prince Duan， flanked symmetrically by the tombs of his two consorts. All three brick－and－stone structures are of identical sizes and architectural layouts， sharing a unified burial mound. With intricate coffered ceilings， the tomb chambers were also engraved with exquisite carvings such as dragon reliefs.
It＇s one of Chengdu＇s new discoveries of the ongoing fourth national census on cultural relics in China.
Toward the end of 2023， as preparations were being made for an infrastructure project in the Panjiagou area， archaeological personnel conducted surveys before the land＇s transfer， bringing the tomb， which was hidden for 30 years， back into the light.
The site was first identified in the 1990s when the locals reported robbery of graves to the police. Cultural heritage professionals came and collected artifacts such as terracotta figures， before backfilling it for protection.
As the landscape and neighboring surroundings changed greatly， the tomb unfortunately vanished， though local authorities tried to locate it during the third national census on cultural relics in China， which was conducted from 2007 to 2011.
Professionals conduct a fieldwork at the mausoleum of Zhu Xuanqi， 11th－generation ruler of the Shu princely fiefdom during the Ming Dynasty （1368－1644）， in Chengdu， Sichuan province. ［Photo by XU LIN/CHINA DAILY］
＂Among all unearthed tombs of Ming princes of Shu， it＇s the first time remains of architecture were discovered in front of the mausoleum，＂ says Xie Tao， an associate researcher of Chengdu Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
The single－building structure itself didn＇t survive， but there were ruins of corridors and 26 column bases. Xie says they can reconstruct the mausoleum complex＇s layout based on these findings， providing valuable insights for studying the architectural designs of mausoleums of Ming princes.
＂Compared with the tombs of other Ming princes of Shu that have been unearthed， this prince＇s underground palace is notably smaller with similar structure， about one－third of others＇ size，＂ he says.
He says it＇s probably because the prince lived in the late Ming Dynasty — a period of declining economic vitality — with the dynasty collapsing within 32 years of his death.
Bao Shaoyuan， head of Jinjiang district＇s cultural relics protection office， says finding cultural relics relies on advanced technology as well as local informants. ＂Cultural relics personnel should go down to the grassroots.＂
Bao recalls frequently visiting the site to locate Prince Duan＇s tomb， when farmers still lived there.
＂I always chatted with them. I was touched every time a warmhearted elderly man guided us through the forest and shared his memories of the place.＂
Xie recalls that since the 1990s， Chengdu has pioneered nationwide institutional collaboration between archaeological work and infrastructure construction projects. Archaeological surveys must be done before the beginning of construction.
He points out that problems still crop up. Once the land is already transferred to the owner， sudden archaeological findings may require on－site protection or time－consuming excavations， both of which may disrupt the infrastructure construction.
＂Now， we have adopted a new model， regulating that archaeological surveys must be completed before land transfer. This can effectively balance the contradiction between infrastructure construction and cultural relics preservation，＂ he says.
It＇s in accordance with the newly amended Law on Protection of Cultural Relics， which took effect on March 1.
Besides that， Chengdu has taken other proactive measures to smoothen cultural relics conservation work.
Based on the standards of the fourth national census on cultural relics， Chengdu has established a stricter and more detailed protocol for documentation of immovable cultural relics in accordance with the city＇s specific situation. For instance， it mandates precision in photographs and 3D laser scans， as well as the marking of pest－related problems in drawings of cultural relics.
＂Chengdu protocol aims to address practical challenges that personnel encounter in their daily work， streamline data collection and information documentation， and establish a comprehensive profile of cultural relics，＂ says Bai Yuchuan， vice－h(huán)ead of the operational guidance team of Chengdu＇s fourth national census on cultural relics.
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