A Study of the Funeral Figurines from Tombs of the Northern Zhou Period
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A Study of the Funeral Figurines from Tombs of the Northern Zhou Period Ni Run’an Key words: funeral figurines from tombs of the Northern Zhou period concepts of the Northern Towns Guanzhong–Gansu model Luoyang combination manner evolution of ritual Since the 1950s, tombs of the Northern Zhou period have the “new style,”roughly in the earlier Northern Zhou been discovered in the Shaanxi 陕西 and Ningxia 宁夏 Jiande reign (572–575). regions. With the accumulation of archaeological data, On this basis I sum up the problems calling for dis- scholars’ studies have been increasingly deepened and cussion in three points: 1) The Northern Zhou funeral widened. Based on these accomplishments, I try to re- figurines flew their own colors with strong distinctive veal in depth the evolutionary course of funeral figu- features and formed a unique style in the late Northern rines in the Northern Zhou by investigating the division Dynasties period. What does their formation course look of their types, subtypes and phases. like? 2) In a short period for some 20 years (557–581), The pottery funeral figurines of the Northern Zhou they went through three phases of evolution. How were period are not so rich in variety but rather distinct and the changes brought about? 3) At the final stage of the uniform in character. According to their differences in new style prevailing phase, new changes appeared symbolizing meaning, I divide them into three classes. among the Northern Zhou funeral figurines. Did they The first class comprises figurines of tomb guardians represent the developmental direction of Northern Zhou and evil spirit exorcists, i.e. statuettes of tomb-protect- funeral figurines? ing animals and warriors. The second class represents To research into the formation of the features of North- processional attendants, embracing walkers, horsemen ern Zhou funeral figurines, the first step is investigating and pack animals. The third class is formed of figurines the factions of political forces in the Northern Zhou rul- of household servants, including livestock and poultry ing clique and their strength, and tracing the matter up breeders and models of their implements. to the time of the founding of the Western Wei Dynasty. Through a typological study of the funeral figurines I At that time, the political and military foundations of trace their evolutionary course, divide them into the the Western Wei consisted mainly of three groups. The “old style”and “new style”that prevailed in differ- first group was the officers and soldiers following the ent periods, and reveal the phenomenon that the replace- Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowudi 孝武帝 and fleeing ment of the former by the latter was brought about in from Luoyang 洛阳 into the Guanzhong 关中 region. the way of “sudden change.”Therefore, I divide the The second consisted of personages from the“ Northern Northern Zhou funeral figurines into three phases: the Towns.”They were the backbone for Yuwen’s politi- “old style prevailing phase”before the full development cal power holding its ground in the Guanzhong–Gansu of new style figurines, corresponding to the earlier North- 甘肃 region, and occupied most of the higher-rank po- ern Zhou period (AD 557–571); the “new style pre- sitions of the Western Wei ruling clique. The third em- vailing phase”after the vanish of the main body of old braced those from the Guanzhong–Gansu region, includ- style figurines, corresponding to the later Northern Zhou ing Han nationality local bullies largely from Yongzhou Jiande 建德 reign through the replacement of the Zhou 雍州 and influential figures from the Qiang 羌 and Di by the Sui Dynasty (576–581); and the “transitional 氐 ethnic groups in this region. Although they acted phase”for the rapid replacement of the “old style”by principally as middle- and lower-rank officials, the 186 Chinese Archaeology Yuwen 宇文 power should closely draw them over to Xianbei 鲜卑 dress of the human figurines, but in type its side and rely on them. Of these groups the first was and features, they followed the style prevailing, to trace the weakest in force and was being weakened constantly, to remote periods, during the Han and Jin dynasties in so Yuwen Tai 宇文泰 considered mainly the latter two the Central Plains, and, to speak of later times, across groups’ interests and ideas when he formulated his the territories under the control of the strongly Sinicized policies. This is just the clue for my studying the for- Xiongnu 匈奴, Di and Qiang nationalities in the mation course of Western Wei and, further, Northern Guanzhong–Gansu region. The new traits brought about Zhou funeral figurines, and prompts us to start with the in the Yun-Dai region were the appearance of camel and funeral culture and concept of the regions where the pack donkey figurines and some human statuettes with above-described political groups came from. footboards, but these were not so district. On the whole, At present the Western Wei tombs excavated are still the Tuoba 拓跋 Xianbei tribes created few new things small in number. An exemplifying discovery is Hou except for covering a Han-style or Sinicized undercur- Yi’s 侯义 tomb of the 10th year, Datong 大统 reign, rent with a dazzling Xianbei coat. However, the forces Western Wei (AD 544), at Hujiagou 胡家沟 in Xianyang of Xianbei in the Yun-Dai region were so deep-rooted 咸阳. The funeral figurines from this grave show the that it called for a long time to fulfill an all-round following three features: 1) In type they represent tomb- Sinicization although there was such a tendency, so the protecting animals and warriors, northern tribesmen, Emperor Xiaowendi did not will to wait for this and de- saddled horses, foot soldiers, officers, officials, male and cided to move his capital to Luoyang and open a new female servants, walkers and horsemen in cowl-like hats, world for Sinicization. After his moving capital, he aban- armed horsemen on barded horses, musicians on horse- doned the implementation of Sinicization in the Yun- back, camels, donkeys, dogs, chickens and maids at Dai region and allowed the continuous practice of old work. 2) In appearance and style, the human figurines Xianbei costumes. Meanwhile, in the Luoyang area, are largely fat-bodied, big-bellied, and often in northern the Xianbei-colored coat was rapidly thrown away, and tribesmen’s dress, showing a strong bearing of northern the Han-style one was formally covered on the Sinicized tribesmen. 3) In making technique, they are shaped not frame. The appearance and bearing of funeral figurines in sectional molds but half ones with the body made were sharply changed, their workmanship became much solid and the back straight. The works are made in the more elegant than that of Yun-Dai works, and the divi- same mold for the same type and finished without sion of their varieties was more elaborately on the basis retouch, producing a stereotyped feeling. of the latter. Nevertheless, the emperor“ordered im- A comparison of the funeral figurines from the Hou migrates in Luoyang to bury the dead in Henan and not Yi’s tomb with the Sinicized ones from late Northern to convey them back to the north,”which made the new Wei tombs in the Luoyang area shows that the two groups accomplishments of Sinicization fail to exert effective are fairly close in type, but distinctly different in style influence on the Yun-Dai region. In this circumstance, and technique. By contrast with the luxury and degen- the Yun-Dai burial custom that previously had influenced eration embodied in the Luoyang pottery funeral southward on Hebei and even Luoyang went quickly to figurines, the Hou Yi’s grave can be taken as a simpli- vanish. Moreover, pottery figurines were withdrawn fied burial. Nevertheless, simple burial must have led from late Northern Wei tombs in the Yun-Dai region. to the simply- and coarsely-making of funeral figurines Therefore we believe that there was already no practice rather than to the northern tribesmen bearing of human of burying pottery figurines in late Northern Wei tombs figurines as seen in the Hou Yi’s tomb. This feature of the Yun-Dai region. After their entry into the must have brought about due to other factors. Guanzhong–Gansu region, the Northern Towns person- Thus I turn my research to the traits of Northern Wei ages in the Yuwen Tai government exerted their influ- funeral figurines in the Yun-Dai 云代 region. Among ence in the Xianbeiization of concepts. They requested the dated tombs of the middle Northern Wei so far dis- to embody northern tribes’ customs rather than to intro- covered in the Pingcheng 平城 area are the tomb of Song duce models directly. Shaozu 宋绍祖 of the first year, Taihe 太和 reign (477) Then what a developmental tendency did the and that of Sima Jinlong 司马金龙 and his wife of the Guanzhong–Gansu funeral figurines present? In the Six- eighth year, Taihe (484). The funeral figurines of the teen Kingdoms and Northern Dynasties periods, the cul- two graves are characterized, in appearance, by the tural aspect of tombs in the Guanzhong–Gansu region Volume 6 187 was more complex than that of Luoyang and Yun-Dai tribes’ air of the funeral figurines of the Hou Yi’s tomb, graves. For the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the features of which suggests that the big-bellied body must have been Guanzhong–Gansu funeral figurines can be investigated the common appearance and aesthetic sense of the then by referring to two burials: the first is the tomb at officers from the Northern Towns. During the period of Caochangpo 草场坡 Village, Xi’an, with pottery figu- occupation by the Northern Wei, the local bullies of Han rines in a distinct Han style; and the second, Tomb No.1 nationality and the Di and Qiang tribes after Sinicization at Xinji 新集 in Pengyang 彭阳, which bears no strong suffered mainly military control, but their cultural as- color of Sinization, and the figurines of walkers with pect was rather heterogeneous, and their tombs provide cowl-like hats show heavy northern tribesmen’s manner.