Page 334 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

behind the bird-over-dragon scheme on the Bao- 68). The exchange of designs between different artistic
shan coffin. The rising value of textiles, particularly media was first explored by Rawson 1989, 84-89.
7 The excavation report on the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng
embroidery, during the Eastern Zhou period re- mentions a gold-yellow as one of the colors used in the
sulted in the transfer of aspects of their design to lacquers. Gold-colored pigment reportedly decorates the
both bronze and lacquerware. In this case, it is even scales of a dragon on a lacquered dou (E 159, Hubei 1989,
i, 369), and appears on a small lacquered cup (Hubei 1989,
possible that the design was intended to echo the 1:372). Yellow and silver gray are used on some of the
textiles that were originally draped over the coffin. 6 zithers (C 32, Hubei 1989,1:156). A golden yellow pigment
The coffin and other lacquers from Baoshan is used for details of birds and snakes on the lacquered
wood screen from Wangshan Tomb i (Hubei 1996, color pi.
Tomb 2 are remarkable for the brilliance of their 2). Gilt and silvery gray pigment is used extensively on the
palette. In addition to the red, black, and yellow lacquered coffins from the late fourth-century BCE Chu
that figure in the decoration of these objects, gilt tombs at Xinyang Changtaiguan. See Henan 1986,18 and
82, and color pi. i.
and silver pigments are used extensively to enliven 8 Familiarity with gold and silver as lacquer pigments may
the scales of the dragon's body. Although this have inspired the use of gilding on metal. Although early
examples of gilding have been reported from the fifth
palette can be traced to the tomb of Marquis Yi
century BCE, it is only in the late fourth century that it
(c. 433), it was apparently only during the fourth begins to appear regularly, coincident with the extensive
century BCE that these pigments became common use of gold as a lacquer pigment. Two knives from Xinyang
Changtaiguan Tomb i, datable to the late fourth century
7
in lacquer painting. No scientific analysis of these
BCE, are described as gilded, as are the coffin handles
pigments has been published, but it seems proba- (Henan 1986, 65-66, fig. 45, pi. 73; and 93-94, fig. 66,
ble that they contain gold and silver filings sus- pi. 89:1).
pended in the lacquer. This palette was part of a
wider use of precious metals that encompassed
8
silver and gold inlays, appliques and gilding. CM

1 Excavated in 1987; reported: Hubei 1991,1:61-68, figs. 43-
65, and 2: color pi. 4 and pis. 19, 20:3-4. The large outer
coffin was constructed of flat planks joined by mortises
and tenons; the middle coffin had rounded sides and a lid
conforming roughly to the contours of the log from which
each section was formed, and was coated in plain black
lacquer on both the inside and outside. The space be-
tween the middle and the inner coffins was packed with
peppercorns (Hubei, 1991,1:469), probably in order to
repel insects.
2 For a discussion of the regulations regarding coffins, see
the report on Tianxingguan Tomb i at Jiangling (Hubei
1982, in). The Tianxingguan tomb also contained three
nested coffins and on this basis was designated the tomb
of a minister by the excavators. On the other hand, Mar-
quis Yi of Zeng, a satellite of Chu, was buried in only two
coffins.
3 See Hubei 1991, 2: pi. 20:3.
4 Hubei 1996, color pi. 2
5 A similar pairing of birds and dragons appears on a lac-
quered double-cup from this tomb. (Hubei 1991,1:138-
139, fig. 853-b). The authors of the excavation report
identify the dragons and birds on the coffin with the feiyi
mentioned in the Shan hai jing (Classic of mountains and
seas) as taking both bird and serpent form (Hubei 1991,
i:493)-
6 The middle coffin was enveloped in nine layers of bro-
caded and embroidered silk drapes (see Hubei 1991,1:67-

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