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Sui Lee And Grave

Posted on:2014-12-24Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:J FuFull Text:PDF
GTID:2265330401458302Subject:Archaeology and Museology
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Sui Dynasty’s tomb of Li He is discovered in1964in Shuangsheng village, Sanyuan County, Shaanxi Province. Although being stolen and destroyed, there still are a considerable number of funerary objects left. Through mainly examining the sarcophagus and epitaph in the tomb, this thesis provides such valuable historical details for reference as the distinction between the Nomadic and Han people, the historical process of national development and evolution and cultural integration during the Northern Dynasties period.The shape of Li He’s sarcophagus, which is like a trapezoid, commonly appears as "higher and wider in the head, lower and narrower in the tail" or "bigger in the head, smaller in the tail". Actually in this thesis it is called as "Xianbei-style sarcophagus". In the early period of Xianbei’s tombs, both coffin and grave are shaped as "bigger in the head, smaller in the tail", consequently the "Xianbei-style funeral objects" can not only be applied on coffins but also the shape of tombs. This particular burial custom initially appears in the northern grassland and extends greatly with Xianbei’s constant migration, conquest and promulgation of a series of political policies. The inscribed designs on the sarcophagus of Li He are arranged independently in different places in accordance with their precise meaning and are unified in the unique shape of the sarcophagus. Li He’s sarcophagus’s designs as a whole appear an image of royalty and nobility which show the owner’s high social status and good cultural taste. Besides, the pictures on the sarcophagus show two expectations of Li He’s descendants:appreciating the current situation and wishing a better future whilst mourning for their deceased ancestor. The design pattern of Li He’s sarcophagus derives from traditional classic text and image. The pictures of driving a dragon and riding a tiger on the left and right plates reflect the particular context depicted in Luoshenfu Poem《洛神赋》as well as the classic drawing named after the poem during the Post-Han period. Also this kind of pictures can be found in frescos of Mo Kao Grotto at Dunhuang. In addition, pearl roundels on the lid have rich connotation of alien culture and can be compared with similar images in the tombs of An Jia(安伽)and Shi Jun(史君)for further study.Li He serves for such four dynasties as the Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou and Sui, and he can be placed in the upper class at that time. Plus he is recorded in Chinese history book, such as Bei Shi《北史》and Sui Shu《隋书》.What’s more, the shape and size of Li He’s tomb likewise reveal his high-level social status. According to the epitaph and historical record, Li He belongs to the Han people. However, Li He’s family live in the northern frontier of China for generations and Li He himself chiefly works in the northern frontier, so he should be familiar with Xianbei language and the lifestyle in the north. In a word, the nomadic influence on Li He cannot be overwhelmed. In the Northern Dynasties period, with specific life and cultural backgrounds, people like Li He assist the government of dealing with complicated ethnic affairs as well as participating in national political designation or specific implementation, and they play an important role in the stability of ruling dynasties and long-term peace of the northern regions.
Keywords/Search Tags:Sui Dynasty’s tomb of Li He, Xianbei, burial system, sarcophagus, cultural integration
PDF Full Text Request
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