The Burial Figurines In The Mongol And Yuan Dynasties

The Mongol and Yuan Dynasty was an important period of national integration in Chinese history.During this period,with the Mongolian rulers going deep into the hinterland of the Central Plains,the Central Plains culture represented by monks,Confucianism and Taoism began to be gradually accepted.Since the Sui,Tang and Song Dynasties,a continuous line of cultures has continued to develop.The burial figurines unearthed in the tombs of that period were the important carriers of the social and cultural development at that time.At present,the unearthed terracotta figures of the Mongolian and Yuan Dynasties are of great variety and quantity,mainly distributed in Shaanxi,Sichuan,Jiangxi,Fujian and other regions.The burial customs reflected behind them have important reference value for further improving the study of the history of the Yuan Dynasty.This paper systematically summarizes the archaeologicalresearch on the burial figurines in the Mongol and Yuan Dynasties since the founding of New China,and makes an analysis of the regional features and burial customs reflected behind them.The first step is to briefly review the excavation of burial figurines in the Mongolian and Yuan Dynasties,and then divide them into three categories: terracotta warriors(including warriors,singing and dancing figurines,horseback figurines,literati figurines,terracotta warriors),animal figurines(including poultry figurines and livestock figurines),and animal figurines.By sorting out the archaeological excavation reports,it is found that the unearthed tombs of Yuan Dynasty with burial figurines are mainly concentrated in Shaanxi,Henan,Jiangxi and Fujian areas.Secondly,through comparative analysis,the unearthed terracotta figures are divided into Shaanxi area centered on Xi'an,northern Henan area represented by Jiaozuo and Luoyang,Sichuan area centered on Chengdu,Jiangxi area centered on Gao'an County and Fujian area.The third step is to analyze the regional characteristics of the burial figurines in the Mongol and Yuan Dynasties.Itis believed that the great differences in the style of the burial figurines in different regions are caused by the differences in social culture.Finally,combined with historical data,the cultural factors reflected behind the burial figurines are analyzed,and it is found that the types and placement of the burial figurines in this period largely refer to the Book of Burial in the Former Mausoleum of the Great Han Dynasty.The phenomenon of burial figurines in various regions is closely related to the long-term accumulation of local cultural customs and the status of the tomb owner.Especially in Shaanxi Province,where Xi'an is the center,the folk Ming Dynasty wares manufacturing industry,which rose in the Sui and Tang Dynasties,still has some reservations at this time.Kublai Khan appointed Han bureaucrats and Han law to govern the area when he was in charge of the military and political affairs of southern Mooru.Influenced by "Guan xue" and Taoism,the burial figurines are most common in this area.However,the Yuan Dynasty promulgated a decree prohibiting the folk custom of thick burial,encouraging the use of paper artifacts.After years of war,the population of the whole country has declined sharply,and the economic recession is serious.Few people have enough financial resources to buy alarge number of burial appliances.Therefore,the number and types of burial figurines in the Mongol and Yuan Dynasties were significantly less than those in the Tang and Song Dynasties.