A Comprehensive Archaeological Study On Five-linked Jar And Hun Ping In Lower Reaches Of Yangtze River From Han To Jin Period

Five-linked jar and Hun Ping, found in the lower reaches of the Yangzi River, are unique funerary objects in the tomes of the East Han (25—220 A.D), Wu (222—280 A.D) and West Jin(265—316 A.D) dynasties. Hun Ping (spirit-jar) is also called "figured jar", "granary jar" and so on. They are founded as one part of grave goods in the south, primarily in Zhejiang and later in the neighboring provinces as Jiangsu, Anhui and so on. They developed out of an earlier type, the so-called "five-linked jar" of the Latter Han and early Wu, both of which are characterized as shouldering five linked jars, with four smaller center one bigger. On these jars abundant figures are attached, which reflect every aspects of the history and culture of that periods. Such would include architectural details, religious beliefs and burial rituals. It creates mystery as well as certain hardships for specialists to deal with their evolution.The development and evolution of them is an involved and complicated one. The earliest of those that can be so identified are already quite distant from their supposed predecessors. The paper collected about 200 five-linked jars and Hun Pings, especially including more than 20 pieces with exact datings. Through the careful analyses the chronological series of Hun Ping is founded. Five-linked jars are grouped into two regions: the ancient Kuaiji and ancient Danyang region. In the former region Five-linked jars appeared first and developed completely and naturally, concentrating on the north part of Zhejiang, namely Kuaiji county in Han period; In the latter region which centered as ancient Danyang county, it is complex and far-fetched. Comparing with Five-linked jars, Hun Ping are much more complicated.