Changchuan Tomb No. 1 is among the painted tombs of the ancient Koguryo kingdom, a state that ruled northern Korea and much of Manchuria from the first centuries BC until 668. The tomb itself lies on the Chinese bank, in a valley of fields and low hills where the Koguryo kings had one of their capitals.
What makes the Koguryo tombs remarkable is their art. The walls of the stone chambers were plastered and painted with scenes of daily life and spirit worlds, hunters on horseback, dancers, musicians, wrestlers, and the four guardian animals of the directions: the azure dragon, the white tiger, the red bird and the black tortoise-snake. The paintings, made between the fourth and seventh centuries, are among the earliest large surviving paintings in East Asia, and UNESCO included the tombs in 2004 as part of the capital cities and tombs of the ancient Koguryo kingdom.
Near Ji'an, the giant stepped pyramid known as the General's Tomb and the huge stele of King Gwanggaeto, a stone covered in carved characters that records his conquests, give a sense of the scale of the dynasty. The river is wide and green here, with mist in the morning, and the contrast between the two banks, one busy with new construction and one quiet and farmed, is striking. Autumn brings gold to the hillsides and winters are cold and dry.
This is a sensitive border area, so be realistic: access to the tomb interior is restricted to protect the paintings, and visitors should check what is open and follow local rules. Roads in the area are good and mostly quiet, and Ji'an has fuel, hotels and restaurants serving Korean-style dishes with a Chinese accent. Foreign riders will also need to think about permits and regulations for motorcycles in China, which are strict. Plan well, and the history is worth the effort.