20km northeast of Jiayuguan, in a barren section on the outer limits of the Gobi desert, lies the Xincheng prefecture, within which is contained the Xincheng Wei-Jin Art Gallery (Xincheng weijin mu). The Gallery is actually two tombs that, although known about for quite a while, were not infiltrated until 1972. Within this area, a large stretch between Jiayuguan and Jiuquan, there is over 1,400 tombs built between 220 AD and 419 AD, during the Wei and Jin Dynasties. This area is not overly tourist-filled and as such makes for one of the nicer trips from the town. 

Renowned as the largest subterranean art gallery in the world, housing a great deal of colorful murals, the gallery has attracted tourists from both home and abroad since 1972 when it was excavated. Most tombs are of families, housing bodies of three or four generations, and now only Grave 6 and Grave 7 are open for tourism.

Entering the cold stone tomb, you will marvel at the vivid murals and special layout inside. Each Wei-Jin tomb generally has two or three chambers which are connected by corridors paved with tiles in various flower patterns. The gate was decorated with delicate patterns and easy lines symbolizing clouds, water, fire, gods and weird animals. The exquisite murals on the inner chamber walls tell the master and mistress's contemporary carefree life, and servant's hard working one. Most reflect the political, cultural, military, and scientific developments of the Wei and Jin Dynasty age...an insight into this ancient Chinese feudal society. Mainly painted realistically and earlier than Mogao Grottoes, Wei-Jin Art Gallery provides an example of unmixed Chinese realism art - filling in gaps in the fields of painting between the Wei and Jin periods, and so considered highly valuable for historic research.