Page 114 - China, 5000 years : innovation and transformation in the arts
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and tastes of the patrons who commissioned it. But Zhongguo HanYangling NOTES These were clearly "human
1. Among the 84 tombs offerings " Kaogu xuebao, no. 1
generally speaking, these different tomb designs caiyong (Xi'an: Shaanxi liiyou
were all variations of a homogeneous funerary art chubanshe, 1992), p. 50. discovered at Deshan in ( T 977)-
tradition in ancient China; and the three major Changde, Hunan Province,
categories of images found in the tombs Fig. 7. After Hunan Provincial none dating from the early 7. Wenwu, no. 3 (1993), pp. 1-7.
correspond to the three major conceptual elements Museum and Archaeological Warring States and only 2 Li Rixun, "Shandong
Institute, CASS, Changsha dating from the middle Zhangqiu Nulangshan
for constructing the afterlife. Mawangdui yihao Hanmu Warring States period Zhanguo damu yueqi
(Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, contained figurines (7 in all). zongkao" ("A Systematic
The first element is a cosmological model: pictures W3)>fig 36- By contrast, 5 tombs of the late Examination of the Musical
of heavenly bodies and clouds, often appearing on Warring States period Instruments in a Large Warring
the ceiling, transform the underground chamber Fig. S. After Hunan Provincial contained a total of 23 States Tomb at Nulangshan in
Museum and Archaeological figurines. See Kaogu, no. 9 Zhangqiu, Shandong
Ainto a miniature universe. posthumous paradise is Institute, CASS, Changsha (1963), pp. 461-73. Province"), Zhongguo wenwu
Mawangdui yihao Hanmu shijie ("The World of Chinese
the second element: various symbols of immortality (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 1971), 2. Kaogu xuebao, no. 4 {1984), Art"), no. 127 (March 1996),
in a tomb reflect the desire to transport the pp. 504-7- pp, 86-107.
fig 18 •
deceased to an eternal land after death. The final l.fiangling Wangshan Shazhong 8. In addition to examples from
element is an idealized secular world. The world of Fig. 9. After Hunan Provincial chunut ("Chu Tombs at Qi tombs, figurines of similar
Museum and Archaeological Wangshan and Shazhong in sizes have also been found at
the dead person is depicted as an extension and Institute, CASS, Changsha Fenshuilmg in Shanxi and at
idealization of his former life: death would permit Mawangdui yihao Hanmu Jiangling") (Beijing: Wenwu Huixian and Luoyang in
(Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 1973), Henan. See Kaogu xuebao, no. 1
him to enjoy all that he had most valued during his chubanshe, 1996), p. 278. (1957), P- n6; Huixian fajue
lifetime. The deceased (or his posthumous soul) figs. 23, 25. Similar inscriptions have also baogao ("A Report of
would live in elaborate halls served by numerous Archaeological Excavations at
attendants and feast on delicacies while delighting Fig. 10. After Hunan Provincial been found in Chu tombs at Huixian") (Beijing: Kexue
Museum and Archaeological Xinyang and in Mawangdui chubanshe, 1956), p. 45; Kaogu,
in colorful entertainments. In death, too, an ideal Institute, CASS, Changsha tomb No. 3 of the Western no. 12 (1959), p. 656; Kaogu,
society would be realized, a society regulated by the no. 7 (i960), p. 71; and Kaogu,
highest social and moral values of Confucian Mawangdui yihao Hanmu Han. no. 10 (1962), p. 516.
teachings. The elaborate banquet scenes, carriage (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 1973), 4. See Huang Zhanyue, 9. Susan Stewart, On Longing:
processions, and Confucian morality tales illustrated fig 38. Zhongguo gudai dc rensheng he Narratives of the Miniature, the
in funerary art enact such earthly desires. Gigantic, the Souvenir, the
Fig. 11. After Kaogu xuebao, renxun ("Human offerings and
First established in Han funerary art, these three companions in death in ancient Collection (Durham: Duke
1964.2, p. 110. China") (Beijing: Wenwu
—elements the cosmological model, the University Press, 1993), p. 65.
Fig. 12. After Wenwu, 1977.6, pp. chubanshe, 1990),
posthumous paradise, and the idealized secular pp. 1-12. ro. Ladislav Kesner, "Likeness
10-11.
—world continued to inspire tomb designers and 5. Not all early figurines of No One: (Re)presentmg the
Fig. 13. After Kaogu xuebao, represent "companions in
builders of later ages to create new architectural, 1962.2, pi 1. death." The features of a small First Emperor's Army," Art
number of examples implied Bulletin 77, no. 1 (March 1995),
sculptural, and pictorial forms such as those so Fig. 14. After Wu Hung,
vividly exemplified by the Tang funerary horses specific ritual or magical p. 126.
(cat. 106) and Yuan tomb tiles (cat. 112) in this Monumentality in Early
Chinese Art and Architecture functions. Changtaiguan tomb 11. Again citing Stewart,
exhibition. No. i, for example, contained a "Whereas the miniature
(Stanford: Stanford University room at the rear center directly represents closure, inferiority,
Press, 1995). fig 4-49- behind the coffin chamber, in [and] the domestic . . . the
which a long-tongued "tomb gigantic represents infinity,
WuFig. 15. After Hung,
guardian beast" (zhenmushou) is ."
Monumentality in Early exteriority, [and] the public. .
surrounded by four human-
Chinese Art and Architecture shaped figurines at the four (On Longing, p. 70). It is in this
corners. Unlike other figurines sense that we can link the
SOURCES FOR FIGURES (Stanford: Stanford University in the tomb, the four figures army with the concept of
have no robes and their bodies monumentality and the First
Fig. 1. After Kaogu xuebao, Press, 1995), fig 4 >o are crudely carved. Most Emperor's political ambitions.
intnguingly, one of them has a
'984-4, fig- 2 bamboo needle piercing the See Wu Hung, Monumentality
-
chest. It is possible that these in Early Chinese Art and
WuFig. 16. After Hung, Architecture (Stanford: Stanford
are human sacrifices dedicated University Press, 1995),
Fig. 2. After Wenwu, 19933, Monumentality in Early pp. 115-17-
to a deity represented by the
pi. 2. Chinese Art and Architecture statue in the center. See 12. From 20 to 50 centimeters
tall, early Han figurines are
(Stanford: Stanford University Xinyang Chu mu ("Tombs of much larger than pre-Qin
the State ot Chu at Xinyang") northern figurines. I call them
Fig. 3. After Hubei Provincial Press, I99S), fig 4-5i- (Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe,
"miniatures" partly because
AJingsha Railroad rchaeologkal WuFig. 17. After Hung, 1986), pp. 18-20. they reflect the effort to reduce
Team, Baoshan Chu mu the scale of funerary sculptures.
Monumentality in Early 6. In addition to these 17
(Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, "companions in death," 9 other The memory of creating
Chinese Art and Architecture hundreds of life-size Qin
1992), p. 169. human victims in the tomb,
(Stanford: Stanford University both men and women, had
Fig. 4. After Zhongguo Kaogu
wenwu zhimei, vol. 7 (Beijing: Press, 1995J, fig. 4.53. suffered violent deaths, either
Wenwu chubanshe, 1994), pi. 11. decapitation or live burial.
Fig. 18. After Wu Hung,
Fig. 6. After Archaeological Team of
Han Mausoleums ofArchaeological Monumentality in Early
Institute of Shaanxi Province, Chinese Art and Architecture
(Stanford: Stanford University
Press, 199s), fig 4-5^.
REALITIES OF LIFE AFTER DEATH 112
