A Study On The Tomb Bricks Of Eastern Han Period In Xiajiang Area

Since ancient times, the culture of Xiajiang area has appeared to be sui generis due to its special geographical environment. This uniqueness is particularly embodied on the tomb bricks of Eastern Han, which distinguishthemselves greatly in sizes and decorations with those of other times and areas. As the construction material of tombs, tomb bricks not only carry a large number of historical and cultural messages, but also reflect the funeral awareness of the ancestors, which is an entry point for our understanding on the local funeral customs and ideas. Previous researches, with their focus mainly on decoration patterns, have greatly neglected the study on Eastern Han period tomb bricks of Xiajiang area. Thus, there’s of vital significance to study tomb bricks systematically and comprehensively.Based on current archaeological materials, this work will firstly sort out the specifications, namely shapes and sizesof Eastern Han tomb bricks from various regions of Xiajiang area. After classifying the unearthed bar bricks, wedge bricks, mother-son bricks, box bricks and twin bricks respectively, it can be found out that the specification of bar bricks differs greatly between the east and west of Fengjie. The shape of bar bricks is narrower and thicker in the west whereas it’s thinner and more rectangular in the east. The shape of wedge bricks also shows different features in diverse areas. For example, in Fuling, Zhongxian, Wanzhou and Yunyang, trapezoidal mother-son bricks bricked horizontally is very popular, in Fengdu, Fengjie, bricking with thick wedge mother-son bricks vertically is the mainstream yet in Wushan, Badong and Zigui, thick wedge bricks bricked horizontally is the common way to do. In addition, the tomb walls in Xiajiang areas are mainly constructed horizontallyin staggered joint pattern. Besides,bricking horizontally with tight joints, bricking horizontally and vertically and bricking horizontally among different decorations are also used as supplementary approaches. As for tiling the floor, there are patterns such as tiling with staggered joints, tiling with tight joints, tiling in the shape of herringbone, tiling longitudinally and latitudinally, etc.Next, this work will sort out the decorations of Eastern Han tomb bricks. According to the contents, the tomb bricks can be divided into five categories, which are abstract geometric pattern, animal pattern, plant pattern, money pattern and inscription pattern. Among which, the most frequent and representational wheel pattern will be emphasized in an independent case study, where the sequence of the development and evolution of the Eastern Han wheel pattern bricks will be formed. The wheel pattern brick first appeared in the region of Wushan and Wanzhou during the early Eastern Han period and the development of wheel pattern brick reached its peak during the middle and late Eastern Han period with great quantity and various styles and showed a trend of increasing number of wheels and increasing number of vehicle spokes. This paper believes that the bicyclic knot pattern, which fits with the wheel pattern, symbolizes the reins to control animals, that arcuate pattern is the simplified image of horses and that the pattern in the shape of Chinese character Ji represents the chariot part of Heng. The reason why the wheel pattern brick became popular in Wanzhou area is mostly connected with the local money worship climate.By combing the development of both specification and decoration of tomb bricks, it can be reflected that there are both diversities and similarities between the inside and outside Xiajiang area. Within Xiajiang area, there’s great difference of tomb bricks between east and west Qutang gorge. Due to the geographical and political limits, the style of tomb bricks in the west of Qutang gorge is more simple and primitive whereas the style in the east is more mature and diverse, which is influenced by external elements. Meanwhile, the Daninghe Valley and Xiangxi Valley are also showing a different style in tomb bricks. In the valley of Daninghe, fish pattern, coil snake pattern, vein pattern, tree pattern are broadly discovered while in the valley of Xiangxi, persimmon calyx pattern, animal pattern, the pattern in the Chinese character of Ji, arcuate pattern, bicyclic knot pattern are the most popular. In addition, with the influences of geographical factors and economic development, there are numberous remains of tomb bricks in the downstream area of Shennong River yet the richest patterns and categories of tomb bricks exist in Xiangxi River Basin.Outside Xiajiang area, the differences derive from the cultural interactions with peripheral regions (Northern and eastern Hubei, Hunan and Sichuan province). Therein, Badong and Zigui. situated in the east of Qutang gorge, are affected mostly by northern and eastern Hubei and Hunan region. However, differences coexist with similarities. Compared to the quasi-square bricks in Badong areas, the ones in northern and eastern Hubei are narrower and thicker. In the east region of Qutang gorge, bricking vertically with thick wedge bricks corresponds with the custom in Hunan. In regard of tomb brick patterns, single and double two sides continuous pattern are widely spread both within and outside Xiajiang area and, yet the popular multi-diamond pattern with its interior obliquely shaped of chinese character day and eye in northern and eastern Hubei region and the common symmetrical arcs and triangles as well as the concentric pattern combinations in Hunan region, are hardly found in Xiajiang area. Besides, the means of bricking with bar bricks in the pattern of herringbone to seal the door in northern and eastern Hubei and Hunan region doesn’t exist in Xiajiang area. The tomb brick styles of Fuling and Fengdu, which are situated west of Qutang gorge, resemble a lot he ones of Sichuan region. The sizes of tomb bricks of the two regions are quite close whereas the ones in Sichuan region are thinner and longer. The tomb brick patterns of those two regions also share great similarity in diamond breast nail pattern and multi-diamond pattern, yet the popular Sichuan joint jade pattern, could spirit pattern and curly grass pattern couldn’t be found in Xiajiang area.In conclusion, through the analysis of the specification and decoration of the tomb bricks during Eastern Han period in Xiajiang area, we can summarize the regional diversities and similarities of tomb bricks, which help the study of Han tombs in Xiajiang area and deepen our understanding on the complex and diverse culture of Xiajiang area.