Page 553 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

Yuan (the Emperor Gaozu of the Tang dynasty), and the third daughter of Li Yuanying, the king
of Teng. She married Yu Yin, the judicial adjutant (sifa canjun) in Shuzhou, who died in the first
year of the Yongchang era (689 CE). The Princess passed away in the tenth year of the Kaiyuan
era (722 CE), and was buried with her husband in the twelfth year of the era (724 CE). The cou-
ples tomb was situated on the eastern bank of the Ba River, northeast of Xi'an. 7
The single chamber tomb has a passageway with three ceiling funnels and a tunnel lead-
ing to the tomb chamber. A stone coffin was placed on the western side of the square tomb
chamber (which measures 3.5 by 3.4 meters); burial objects were placed on the eastern half.
The walls of the passageway, tunnel, and tomb chamber were originally decorated with painted
murals, but these have peeled off and only traces remain. Although the tomb had been looted,
several well-preserved burial figurines were recovered, the most notable of which are the figures
of hunters on horseback, which exhibit a lively and realistic style.
Tang tombs dating after the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras display simplified plans and modest
burial objects, a phenomenon that likely reflects the division of the territory by the warlords
and the economic decline following An Lushan's rebellion. Once the most prosperous capitals,
Chang'an and Luoyang progressively fell into decline. Tombs associated with local powers, such
as the Five Dynasties tomb of Wang Chuzhi in Quyang, Hebei province, by contrast, evoke the
glamour of prior periods.
The mural paintings at the tomb of Wang Chuzhi retain the high Tang style. They are simi-

lar to depictions of fashionable women in the tomb of Xue Mo (dating to the sixteenth year of
the Kaiyuan era, 728 CE), the tomb of Yang Xuanlue (dating to the fifth year of the Xiantong era,
864 CE), and tomb of Lady Wei, but the figures are altogether unique in their elegance and exe-
cution, likely reflecting the higher status of the tomb's occupant. Polychrome stone reliefs on
the two walls of the rear chamber depict musicians and female attendants. Their floating drap-
ery evokes a sense of rhythmic movement, as if the figures are dancing to their own music. 8
Wang Chuzhi had been military commissioner (jiedushi) of Yi, Ding, and Qi prefectures.
Born in Wannian county in Jingzhao during the Tang dynasty, he resided in Baoyefang at the
capital Chang'an. Several generations of his family had held positions in the Army of Inspired
Strategy (shencejun). His father, Wang Zong, was promoted from the military to Left Guard
(zuoweishi) in Jingzhao, and served as commander supervising the remote prefecture of
Xingyuan. We are told that Wang Zong "specialized in speculation, took opportunities to exe-
cute favorable trades, and as a result was as rich as a king. He amassed great wealth in the
course of his employment, and thus established himself as a noble, dined on luxurious meals,
9
and retained thousands of servants." Wang Chuzhi's elder brother, Wang Chucun, held the
positions of acting Minister of Justice and military commissioner of the army of Yiwu during
the sixth year of the Qianfu era (879 CE); he helped to put down the rebellion of Huangchao
and thus recovered imperial control of the city of Chang'an. Wang Chuzhi was military com-
mander (bingmashi) in Dingzhou. He had close relationships with Li Keyong and Zhu Wen, and

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