Unearthing long-lost fiefs

In the Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BC), the dynasty's strength relied not only on its grand capitals — Fenghao, in present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and Luoyi in today's Luoyang, Henan province — but also on an invisible network of fiefdoms, known as caiyi, scattered across the royal domain.

These were fiefs granted by Zhou kings to members of the royal family and trusted officials. Largely self-sufficient, tightly administered and generally loyal to the throne, they collected taxes and helped maintain the vital corridor linking the two capitals.

Now, archaeologists have uncovered another complete caiyi from the middle-to-late Western Zhou period, offering a rare opportunity to test historical records against physical evidence.

After four years of work, archaeologists have identified a Western Zhou fiefdom at the Changchun site in Fuping county, Shaanxi. The discovery was listed as one of China's top 10 archaeological discoveries of 2025, a selection organized by the National Cultural Heritage Administration.

Excavations began in 2022 as a rescue effort targeting looted tombs. Unexpectedly, archaeologists uncovered an entire Western Zhou fief in the eastern part of the Guanzhong region — one of the most prosperous areas of present-day central Shaanxi and the northern frontier of the royal domain. The site covers an impressive 2.2 million square meters and includes both a vast cemetery and a large settlement.

Li Yanfeng, the lead archaeologist, says the Guanzhong region lies at the heart of the royal domain and has long been a focus of Western Zhou research. Yet, most previous work concentrated on western Guanzhong, leaving major gaps in understanding the east. The Changchun site helps fill that void.

Research first focused on the cemetery, which spans 200,000 sq m and contains more than 3,150 tombs and chariot pits. Among them are 12 large tombs, each featuring a tomb passage — a characteristic often associated with high social status.

"Such a large cemetery, together with so many large tombs with passages, has never before been found in eastern Guanzhong and remains rare in Western Zhou archaeology," says Li.