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[8 Aug 2010 | Comments Off on Lacquer Screen with Figure Story Paintings from Sima Jinlong Tomb | 5,182 views]
Lacquer Screen with Figure Story Paintings from Sima Jinlong Tomb

The painting topics at that time could be divided into three categories: one is classic stories, second is folk realistic stories, and the third is mythology stories. Royal and noble families specially emphasize on classic stories in order to educate and civilize people. So most of figure paintings in these families have such content. Screens are also a great platform for such stories. This lacquer painting is a typical example, showing most stories about exemplar women.

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[21 Jul 2010 | Comments Off on Lacquer Plate from Zhu Ran Tomb: A Painting of Noble Life | 3,695 views]
Lacquer Plate from Zhu Ran Tomb: A Painting of Noble Life

Weeks ago in the previous post of this “Forbidden Treasure” series, I introduced a pair of lacquer clogs from Zhu Ran Tomb of Three Kingdom Period. Today, I am going to show you another “Forbidden Treasure” from the same tomb: A lacquer plate with a painting of noble life.

Tomb of Zhu Ran was discovered in Jun, 1984. It has been hidden underground for more than 1,700 years. Although this tomb has been raided before, there are still 140+ pieces of burial objects left, most of which are lacquered wood objects.

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[28 Jun 2010 | Comments Off on Zhu Ran Lacquer Clogs: Friendly Exchanges between China and Japan | 1,569 views]
Zhu Ran Lacquer Clogs: Friendly Exchanges between China and Japan

Before Zhu Ran lacquer clogs were unearthed, the earliest lacquer clogs were generally believed to be invented by Japanese. The discovery of Zhu Ran lacquer clogs suggests that lacquer clogs might be invented in China, spread east to Japan through Tang culture, and gradually adapted by Japanese.

This also indicates that as early as Three Kingdoms Period, there were already close economical and cultural exchanges between China and Japan.

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[12 Jun 2010 | Comments Off on Big Zhuke Ding Tripod of Chu: Mightiest since Zhou Dynasty | 1,760 views]
Big Zhuke Ding Tripod of Chu: Mightiest since Zhou Dynasty

This is a bronzeware cooking vessel made by State of Chu, in Warring States Period. It was unearthed at Tomb of King of Chu in Zhujiaji, Shou, Anhui Province.

Shou, aka Shouchun in ancient times, served as the last capital city of State of Chu for 19 years. There are rich relics buried in this region. This tripod is one of the most precious ones. Zhuke Ding is the top second national treasure bronze ding unearthed in China so far. Its size and weight are only after Simuwu Tetrapod.

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[19 May 2010 | Comments Off on Dragon Rectangular Bronze Mirror: Reflecting on History | 1,139 views]
Dragon Rectangular Bronze Mirror: Reflecting on History

Among the “National Treasure” class collections of Zibo Museum in Shandong, there is a “Rectangular Bronze Mirror with Dragon Patterns” from West Han Dynasty. It was unearthed in 1978 at the Tomb of King of Qi of West Han Dynasty. It is the most precious relic among numerous relics and information discovered in that tomb.