Five fun facts about the Tomb of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui)
This year archaeologists in China are celebrating the 52nd anniversary of the excavation of the Tomb of Xin Zhui (popularly known as “Lady Dai”) discovered at Mawangdui, in Hunan province, China in 1972. Xin Zhui was an aristocratic woman with a rich belief system who lived during the Western Han dynasty (2nd century BCE). Her tomb is one of the most spectacular discoveries in the history of Chinese archaeology. Over the next several months, we’ll be celebrating the excavation of Xin Zhui’s tomb in many different ways, but let’s start with five fun facts!
Who was Lady Dai?
Lady Dai was a woman who lived during the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE). Her birth name was Xin Zhui, but she is known as “Lady Dai” because her husband was the Marquis of Dai.
Lady Dai’s Tomb
Lady Dai’s tomb was excavated in the 1970s. It was perfectly perserved for over 2,000 years, including Lady Dai’s body, which looked like it was mummified!
Melon Seeds
A doctor performed an autopsy on Lady Dai’s body and discovered she ate melon as her last meal. The seeds were still in her stomach!
A Precious Silk
One of China’s earliest silk paintings was discovered on top of Lady Dai’s inner coffin. It may have functioned as a map or a guideway for Lady Dai’s soul to travel from her funeral to her ascension in the celestial realm.
The Moon Goddess
The top of the silk painting features the famous tale of the moon goddess, Chang’e, and the hero Archer Yi, who shot 9 suns down from the sky to save the planet!
Check out the video below or on our video page for more resources on the Han dynasty Tomb of Lady Dai.
Here’s what the video covers:
0:06 Introduction to the Han dynasty tombs at Mawangdui
0:46 The tomb of Xin Zhui
1:00 Why is Xin Zhui called “Lady Dai”?
1:11 Lady Dai’s cherished belongings she took into the afterlife
1:40 What objects were made specifically for burial in Lady Dai’s tomb?
1:55 Introduction to Lady Dai’s silk painting
2:08 What does writing on bamboo strips tell us about Lady Dai’s painting?
2:24 Where was Lady Dai’s painting, or flying cloth/banner, found in the tomb?
3:00 What does Lady Dai’s silk painting depict and how is it organized?
3:20 The underworld and Lady Dai’s funeral scene
4:04 Lady Dai makes her way to the afterlife
4:52 The world of the immortals at the top of the silk painting
5:18 The famous story of Archer Yi and his wife Chang’e
6:46 Nüwa, the goddess of creation
7:07 Wrapping up
