A tomb with intact murals, which is said to have been built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), has been unearthed by Chinese archaeologists in north China's Hebei Province.

Archaeologists said this is the first time that an ancient tomb with intact frescoes and a definite date of construction has ever been excavated in Hebei.

The almost round tomb, situated beside an overpass on Huayang Road, Zhuozhou City, has brightly-colored murals on all its wallsand inscriptions on the west and east walls. The murals depict lavish banquets and the stories of 24 sons who were dutiful to their parents as well as clouds and cranes and flowers and birds.

Duan Hongzhen, deputy director of the Hebei Provincial Relics Research Institute, said the tomb was built in 1331 according to the inscriptions.

Experts said the tomb is of great significance in the study of the history of Yuan Dynasty and the history of Chinese art.

Experts will first copy the excavated murals before taking them off the tomb walls for better protection.

( Xinhua News Agency September 2, 2002)