chinese grave goods 1
TRANSCRIPT
Grave Goods: Grave goods are items buried along with the body of a dead person. They are usually personal possessions and/or supplies to smooth the deceased's journey into the a;erlife or offerings to the gods. While o;en real objects of daily use were supplied to the deceased, smaller models of objects (like a house or even a servant) could be subsCtuted.
Tomb of Lady Fu Hao, Ca. 1200 BCE
• In ancient Cmes, slaves, servants, animals and family members might also be killed to join the deceased.
Beifudi Neolithic Burial Site, Ca. 6000 BCE
Chu His's Family Rituals
Master Cheng (1033 -‐ 1107) said, 'Divining a tomb site is aimed at discovering the excellence of the land….When the land is excellent, the spirits will be comfortable and the descendants will flourish; the principle is the same as the branches and leaves of a plant flourishing when earth is banked around the roots. When the land is bad the contrary occurs. But what is meant by excellence of land? It is land that is bright and moist; a flourishing growth of plants and trees is the evidence…. 'Nevertheless there are five problems one must give aOenPon in picking a burial site. One must see that the spot will never be made into a road, a city wall, or a ditch; that it will not be seized by the high-‐ranking or powerful; and that it will never be culPvated.
• "Carve wood to make carts and horses, male and female servants, and all the things needed to care of the deceased. The objects should resemble those used in real life but be smaller. According to the law, those with rank five or six offices can have thirty objects; those with rank seven or eight offices, twenty objects; and those who have not reached court posts, fiXeen objects.
• Prepare the lower-‐world furnishings. This refers to the bed curtains, cushions, armrests, tables and the like. These should also resemble those used in life but be smaller.
Early Chinese burial practices • StarCng in Neolithic Cmes (ca. 5000 BC) to about the end of the Ming dynasty in 1644, Chinese people buried grave goods with bodies.
Ritual object, Neolithic period, 2700 – 2500 BCE Placed above head, below feet and on chest of Deceased.
Bronze Wine Jar, Tomb of Fu Hao
Horse and Rider, Han
Dynasty, ca. 180 BCE
• While o;en real objects of daily use were supplied to the deceased, smaller models of objects (like a house or even a servant) could be subsCtuted.
The Terracotta Army • NOTHING compares to the burial
tomb of the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang
• Ca. 250 – 290 BCE (Qin Dynasty) • Discovered 1974 by farmer digging
a well • Major necropolis containing >
8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, plus other figures
• Tomb itself is the size of a soccer field, remains unopened due to concerns about preservaCon.