Han painted stones are reliefs found in the tombs of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A. D.), one of the strongest periods in China's history.

It was fashionable at the time to build extravagant mausoleums to show piety toward one's ancestors. Aristocrats and wealthy people had the stone walls and doors of their tombs carved with scenes of the life they had enjoyed and the afterlife they imagined.

Those reliefs covers a variety of subjects including the daily life, historical stories, legends, astronomical phenomena, animals, wars, and more. Each piece is an epitome of an aspect of the culture and life of the Dynasty.

Dance

In many painted stone rubbings, dancers are featured waving long sleeves and having thin waists, an ideal of beauty at the time. Other popular dances include a mask dance and a sword dance where the dancers hold cold weapons like swords, spears, and daggers, and mimic fighting scenes.

Judge a Person by His Cart

In some sociological cases, the car one drives indicates social statues and income. This was especially true in the Han Dynasty when carriages not only boasted the country's military strength but also become a hierachical symbol. In the reign of Emperor Liu Che (156 B.C. - 78 B. C.), the ambitious emperor introduced revolutionized military carts, and enforced regulations on the size and use of carts different people were entitled to.

Liu Bo

A rubbing of a Han painted stone unearthed in Xinijin, Sichuan Province, shows two immortals playing the chess game, Liu Bo.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of text for non-commercial purposes is permitted provided that both the source and author are acknowledged and a notifying email is sent to us.