Wang Ningyuan, a researcher at the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, briefs the discovery at the 3rd Liangzhu Forum. [Photo/WeChat account: hzfabu]

At a sub-forum of the 3rd Liangzhu Forum on Oct 19, the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology announced a major new finding at the Fanshan Royal Burial Ground, part of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.

Near the site where the famous King of Cong — the largest jade cong from the Liangzhu period — was unearthed, archaeologists have discovered a large courtyard complex spanning about 25,000 square meters, surrounded by walls on all four sides. In total, six such courtyards have been identified around Fanshan.

Experts suggest the discovery may represent one of the earliest prototypes of a royal mausoleum in China.

"If these walls are confirmed to be the boundary of a royal cemetery, it shows that Liangzhu nobles already had the concept of a mausoleum with surrounding walls and ceremonial structures," said a researcher from the institute.

The discovery was made possible through an integrated archaeological approach combining aerial, satellite, ground, and digital technologies — referred to as the Air-Space-Ground-Data approach. This approach has enabled researchers to map the full layout of Liangzhu's ancient water management system, uncovering over 20 additional dams in recent years.

Findings indicate that the Fanshan Royal Burial Ground was constructed along a north-south ridge connected to the city's water system, confirming that Liangzhu's urban planning and hydraulic engineering were part of a unified design.

This discovery provides fresh insights into the origins of China's ancient mausoleum system and the social hierarchy of the Liangzhu civilization, which dates back more than 5,000 years.

The six in red squares are the six courtyards discovered near Fanshan. [Photo/WeChat account: hzfabu]