The Archaeological Study On Bi Discs Unearthed From Chu Tombs

Bi discs,mostly flat,with perforated circular vessels in the middle.The material of the unearthed Bi is mostly jade,with a small amount of glass,glaze,crystal,pottery,wood,bone,copper and other materials.At present,academia generally believes that the Bi Discs in these tombs have two functions: decoration and soul guiding.This paper consults the archaeological reports,briefings and archaeological yearbooks of Chu tombs published up to March 2019,and combs out about 1381 pieces of Bi Discs unearthed from Chu tombs.Based on the overall grasp of the shape,decoration,material and specifications of Bi discs,more than 300 pieces of Bi discs with clear picture decoration are divided into 10 types and 20 subtypes according to their patterns and shapes(mainly the presence or absence of internal and external contours).Combined with the times,it can be divided into I-IV type.On this basis,the archaeological and cultural characteristics of Bi Discs' materials,specifications,shapes and locations are comprehensively analyzed from three aspects: age,grade and region.On the basis of comprehensive archaeological research,this paper attempts to discuss the functions of Bi Discs unearthed from Chu tomb as decoration and soul invitation,as well as the characteristics of the two functions.For decorations,we first found that the Chu people had the custom of wearing ornaments in combination with the literature and archaeological objects.On this basis,this paper attempts to explore the specifications,materials,accompanying,locating and hanging ways of the ornaments,combining with the location of the ornaments and the characteristics of some of the ornaments unearthed from Chu tombs,such as group jade ornaments,brass bells ornaments and wooden figurines with group jade ornaments.The characteristics of the jewelry are sorted out,and the number and use level of the jewelry are summarized.For the souls guiding,we temporarily unified the Bi except Bi discs for decorations as souls guiding.Considering the fact that most of the Chu tombs were buried with funerary lacquer and woodwork as guiding souls to heaven,and taking into account the symbolic significance of the silk painting of Mawangdui Han tomb in Changsha,the article agrees that Bi discs supported by most scholars can be used for guiding the souls to heaven.According to the archaeological and cultural characteristics of Bi discs,this paper further explores the time when Chu people's idea of inviting soul to heaven was born,the popular areas,the ways of dissemination,andthe differences of Chu people's understanding in different times,regions and levels on how to use Bi to guide soul to heaven.