Rocks Immortal

Western Han Dynasty is a vital evolutional stage of tombs in ancient China. Princes’cliff tombs of the Western Han Dynasty, whose core area is Huaisi region, represent a newtype of architectural form and concept, leading to a significant impact on later burials. Theplenty of materials of Western Han cliff tombs accumulated in archaeological survey andexcavations, added with some early abandoned and exposed cases, include five princedoms,Chu, Liang, Lu, Zhongshan and Changyi.After discriminating the shapes and structures of underground architecture of WesternHan cliff tombs, this paper intended to analyze their funeral concept and background. Thistype of tombs appeared since Emperor Wen, and reached its peak stage during Emperor Jingto Emperor Wu, then showed an declining trend. Three modes of cliff tombs have beenformed in the Western Han Dynasty and Beidongshan Tomb during the heyday is highlyrepresentative.The main portion of Beidongshan Tomb symbolizes the portal, storerooms as well asthe meeting and sleeping halls from front to back of the otherworld Chu Palace, which ofthis three-stage type is just in line with a general palace system. The unique outbuildings ofthis tomb symbolize another independent palace, namely Annex Palace outside the mainhalls. This pattern is the result from continuous construction of the tomb.The designers of Western Han cliff tombs intended to rebuild a gorgeous palace in theotherworld for the princes and their wifes. In their striving, detailed simulating of groundpalace was expected and an unprecedented visual reality had been reached in the cliff tombs.In the pursuit of protection of immortality of the soul, rock was selected in the constructionof cliff tombs as a new material, and the creation of the overall inside environment in thesetombs reflect a strong desire to seek long-term continuing happiness of the royal.