I checked out of my hotel room at 8.30am and booked another cab to take me around the city before I go to the airport
Bajie pagoda- I wonder if the architects of the TV tower drew their inspiration from the Chinese pagoda
Sun Yet Sun Memorial. Dr Sun Yat Sun was a revolutionary hero who helped bring down the Qing Dynasty
Visiting the Nanyue Mausoleum Museum was the most intersting activity of my trip to China
THe Mausoleum was discovered in 1983, 20 metrres underneath Xianggang shan (Elephant hill) during the construction of a hotel
Entrance to the tomb
The west side chamber was a sort of storeroom for the king.The various objects that belonged to the king in his lifetime was buried here.This included ornaments for horses and carriages, weopons and jade objects
The main coffin room housed the inner and outer coffins that protected the king. The coffins have have rotted beyond repair.On the east side of the room was place a screen made of lacquer. On the west side were placed bronzed dagger axes and other weapons like ironarrowheads. The king was dressed in a jade suit sewn together with silk threads and resting on a pillow stuffed with pearls. The whole body was covered in a number of large jade disks.On both sides of his waist were placed 10 iron swords. One of them was 1.46 metres long-the longest Han Dynasty iron sword that has been discovered. Aseal bearing the name "Zhao Mo "helped Chinese historians identify the owner of the tomb
The eastern side chamber was a storeroom for ritual objects, table wares, wine containers and musical instruments.Remains of a sacrificial person who might have been a musician was found near the chime bells
Photo taken when the Mausoleum was discovered and being unearthed
In the western annex chamber the remains of 5 persons was discovered without coffins.There were also bones of cow,sheep ansd pigs. A seal of the Leading Chef found here indicates that these sacrificial persons were cooks and servants of the king. The eastern annex chamber 4 concubines were buried here in lacquer coffins with jades objects and bronze mirrors. Seals were also found with the incriptions "The seal of Lady Right" ,"The Seal of Lady left", The Seal of Lady Tai", and "The Seal of Lady Bu"
Inscription of the seal found in the tomb reads as "Executive seal of Emperor Wen"
It was the discovery of this seal that enable the Chinese archeologists to identify the owner of the tomb as the second king of NanYue
Iron tip weapons unearthed from the tomb
These pieces uncovered showed that horses were used during this period
The king was entertained with music made by these chime bells
The king was buried in a suit made of 2,291 jade pieces
After a couple of centuries this is all that remain of the king
Pearls were used to stuf the pillow that the king laid on
Map showing the extent of the Nanyue.It consisted of parts of the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and much of modern northern Vietnam
There was another exhibition at the museum. Liaoning province is situated in the north eastern part of China, right next to North Korea
These clay figurines gives us an idea of their manner of dressing in those days
Foreigners must have been trading in the area
Anther clay figurine with non Chinese features
Statues of Gods and mythical creatures
I only had about 30 minutes to tour the Museum before heading to Guanzhou Bai Yun Airport for my flight home
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