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Uncovering a lost state: the Guo State cemetery
More than 2,600 years ago, there was a state
called Guo in today's Sanmenxia city in Central China's Henan Province. People's impression about the state now is
mostly related to some familiar Chinese idioms like "The Guo State is conquered
by borrowing a path from the Yu State," and "Teeth will be exposed to the cold
when the lips are gone."
But this small state was a major military and economic power in the Zhou Dynasty (about 11th century - 771BC). Results of
excavations from the Guo State cemetery are stunning.
The well-preserved Guo cemetery is the only known large-scale state cemetery
from the Zhou Dynasty and is now under state protection. The discovery of the
imperial family's burial grounds provides materials for studying history,
politics, economics, culture, and the religious system, as well as metallurgy,
transportation, weaving, and ancient wars.
 Amazing excavations
Archeologists found a series of ancient tombs in Sanmenxia's Shangcunling
Village in in the winter of 1956. The Chinese character guo appeared in a lot of
inscriptions on the relics.
Historical records show Emperor Zhou Wenwang conferred the two the regions of
East Guo and West Guo regions to his two younger brothers. East Guo State faded
away after numerous wars and changes without leaving many historical records.
Towards the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the king of Guo State became the prime
minister of the dynasty.
Guo State was conquered by the mighty Jin State in 655BC, and there is a
famous story about the demise of the Guo State.
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