Archaeological Investigation and Industrial Heritage Study of the Wanshan Mercury Mining Site in Guizhou Province, China

ABSTRACTMercury is the only natural liquid non-ferrous metal that occurs under normal temperature. Cinnabar, also known as Chensha 辰砂 and Dansha 丹砂 in ancient China, is a natural ore of mercury sulphide that exists in mercury mines and is the most common source ore for refining elementary mercury. The largest cinnabar deposit in China is at the Wanshan mercury mine in Wanshan Town, Guizhou Province, which was an important centre for the mercury production industry since the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907). An archaeological field survey of the area identified 36 locations related to cinnabar mining and mercury production spanning the period from the Tang and Song Dynasties (AD 960–1279) to the late 20th century. This survey was the first comprehensive archaeological investigation and exploratory research of these materials, and provides a fresh insight into the evolution of the Wanshan mercury mine and its secondary development as a unique industrial heritage site.KEYWORDS: Wuling MountainsWanshancinnabar miningmercury smeltingmining industrial heritage Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 He Xianlong, Exploration of Chinese Cinnabar Culture, in Chinese 中国丹砂文化探索 (Jilin: Jilin Daxue Chubanshe, 2019).2 Qian Sima, translated by Burton Watson, Records of The Grand Historian: Han Dynasty II Revised Edition (New York: Columbia University Press, 1993), 440.3 Li Jifu, Photo Story of the Prefectures and Counties in the Yuanhe Period of the Tang Dynasty, in Chinese 元和郡县图志 (Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 2005), 741–52; Du You, Ancient Laws and Regulations of Past Dynasties, in Chinese 通典 (Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 1988), 128.4 Yingfu Li, Bisu Zhou and Liguo Wei, ‘Report on the Wanshan Mercury Mining Site in Guizhou Province’, in Chinese 贵州万山汞矿遗址调查报告, Jianghan Kaogu 江汉考古 2 (2014): 22–40.5 Li, Zhou and Wei, ‘Report on the Wanshan Mercury Mining Site in Guizhou Province’, 22–40.6 Containing valuable information on Ming government, society and prominent individuals, the Mingshi was compiled from materials collected over the course of the Ming period (1368–1644) and was presented to the Qing throne in 1736 and published in 1739.7 Zhang Tingyu, History of the Ming Dynasty, 18th ed. (Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 2020), 1974.8 Li, Zhou and Wei, ‘Report on the Wanshan Mercury Mining Site in Guizhou Province’, 22–40.9 Luqin Yang, ‘Study of Industrial Heritage of Wanshan Mercury Mine’, in Chinese 万山汞矿工业遗产研究. MA thesis, Guizhou Minzu Daxue 贵州民族大学 (2016).10 Jixiang Shan, ‘Focusing on the New Type of Cultural Heritage: Protection of Industrial Heritage’, in Chinese 关注新型文化遗产——工业遗产的保护, China Cultural Heritage 中国文化遗产 4 (2006): 11–14; Jixiang Shan, ‘Exploration of International Industrial Heritage Protection’, in Chinese 国际工业遗产保护的探索, The China Culture Post 中国文化报, April 28, 2009; Boying Liu, ‘Core Value of Modern China Industrial Heritage’, in Chinese探索中国工业遗产的核心价值, World Heritages 世界遗产 7 (2015): 26–32.11 Chorography Committee Office of Wanshan Special District, Annals of Wanshan Special District (Guiyang: Guizhou Renmin Chubanshe, 1992), 131–6.12 Caidong Xu, The Study of Mercury Smelting (Beijing: Yejin Gongye Chubanshe, 1960), 45–6.13 Ministry of Ecology and Environment, ‘Mercury Mine Site Applies for World Cultural Heritage Listing’, Media News, https://english.mee.gov.cn/News_service/media_news/201911/t20191101_740216.shtml (accessed September 6, 2023).14 Ruolan Zeng, China Mercury Mine (Chengdu: Sichuan Kexue Jishu Chubanshe, 1988), 4.15 Yongfeng Hua, Genesis and Prospecting Prediction of Mercury Mine in China (Guiyang: Guizhou Renmin Chubanshe, 1982), 165.16 Xiaoli Qian et al., ‘Distribution of Inorganic Mercury and Methylmercury in Wild Plants Inhabited on Abandoned Lands of Wanshan Hg Mining Region, Guizhou Province’, in Chinese 贵州万山汞矿废弃地自然定居植物对汞与甲基汞的吸收与累积, Chinese Journal of Ecology 生态学杂志 38 (2019): 558–66.Additional informationFundingThis research was funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (grant no. 2019M653456), the National Social Science Fund of China (grant no. 15ZDB056), and Sichuan University (2021CXC14 and 2035xd-02).Notes on contributorsYingfu LiYingfu Li, is a professor at the School of Archaeology and Museology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.Chunyan MaChunyan Ma is a Ph.D candidate at the School of Archaeology and Museology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.Fang LiuFang Liu is a Ph.D candidate at the School of Archaeology and Museology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Her research interests include protection and utilisation of cultural heritage.Wan HuangWan Huang is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Archaeology and Museology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Her research interests include archaeometallurgy and conservation of iron objects.Yuniu LiYuniu Li is a professor at the School of Archaeology and Museology & Centre for Archaeological Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. His research interests include archaeometallurgy, industrial archaeology and experimental archaeology. Correspondence to: Yuniu Li. Email: xiang0723@hotmail.com or lyn723@scu.edu.cn.