Study On The Terra-cotta Figures Playing Vertical Flute Of Hu People In Sichuan And Chongqing In The Han Dynasty

Bashu area in ancient China mainly contains contemporary three gorges region,centered by Chongqing and west Sichuan plain,represented by Chengdu.Nowadays,Bashu area is mostly called Chuan Yu,namely Sichuan and Chongqing.Adjacent regions,both of them are located in the southwest of China,the upper Yangtze river with vast area.With advantageous geographical condition itself and attention to governance of governors in Qin and Han dynasties,the economics,politics,culture and external exchange in Bashu area reached to summit in Han dynasty.A large number of Han tombs has been found in Sichuan and Chongqing.Among various buried objects,terra-cotta figures playing vertical flute of Hu people is striking.Having collected and classified the terra-cotta figures playing vertical flute of Hu people and their tombs from Sichuan and Chongqing,we can find many thought-provoking clues through relevant rules.The tombs with buried terra-cotta figures playing vertical flute of Hu people founded in Sichuan and Chongqing were concentrated in the East Han Dynasty.Their shape and specifications are similar.The distribution area is mostly in Chongqing and Sichuan has fewer quantity.Although the number of the terra-cotta figures playing vertical flute of Hu people in Sichuan and Chongqing is abundant,they tend to be one kind of formalized production.In addition,no obvious changes can be found in the shape of terra-cotta figures playing vertical flute of Hu people through Han Dynasty of more than 400 years.Some conclusions can be drawn from the investigation of the tombs and the research results of other scholars.Though economics and society was refreshed of Sichuan and Chongqing in Han dynasty,there is still a gap compared with rich and profound Central China.Unable to jump out the shackles of "standardization",craftsman barely made difference in theshape of the terra-cotta figures playing vertical flute of Hu people,since they made it only by hearsay of Hu people's appearance,instead of looking at it,or other reasons,with few Hu people in Bashu area.We can conclude that Hu people came into Sichuan and Chongqing mainly through waterway,according to the distribution of the terra-cotta figures playing vertical flute of Hu people is mainly along Yangzi River,which also explained the its quantity in Chongqing is outnumbered that in Sichuan.Hu people's race cannot be correctly investigated since they came a long way from foreign land,but their social class can be inferred through their role in the tombs in Sichuan and Chongqing.Although the social class of Hu people in ancient times was relatively unified and generally low in status,their careers were not the same: businessmen,servants,Buddhist believers,wizards and so on.The identity of the Hu people should be interpreted according to the specific circumstances of the tombs but not to treat different things as the same.