MAWANGDUI ARCHIVE

Mawangdui Han Dynasty Tombs

CHANGSHA
MAWANGDUI
HAN DYNASTY
TOMBS
EXHIBITION

马王堆

汉墓陈列

01

MAWANGDUI

A world preserved for more than 2,000 years.

Discovered in Changsha between 1972 and 1974, the Mawangdui Han Tombs revealed an extraordinarily complete picture of life during the Western Han Dynasty.

02

THE THREE TOMBS

Three tombs, three stories preserved beneath the earth.

Mawangdui Tomb 01

1972 — TOMB 01

XIN ZHUI / 辛追

The discovery of an extraordinarily preserved body and burial.

Mawangdui Tomb 02

1973 — TOMB 02

LI CANG / 利苍

The tomb that revealed the identity and status of the Marquis of Dai.

Mawangdui Tomb 03

1974 — TOMB 03

THE SON OF LI CANG / 利苍之子

A remarkable archive of manuscripts, diagrams and knowledge from the Han dynasty.

03

WHAT REMAINS

What remains is a record of a life once lived.

TOMB 01 / XIN ZHUI

辛追墓

Phoenix-in-Cloud Embroidery — Phoenix-in-Cloud Embroidery on Diamond-patterned Silk 对鸟菱纹绮地乘云绣

Jun Xing Shi Lacquer Dining Set — “Jun Xing Shi” Lacquer Dining Set 君幸食云纹漆案及食具

Plain Gauze Robe — Plain Gauze Robe 素纱襌衣

TOMB 02 / LI CANG

利苍墓

Jade Seal of Li Cang

Seal of Chancellor of Changsha

Bronze Seal of Marquis Dai

Bronze Seal of Marquis Dai

TOMB 03 / THE SON OF LI CANG

利苍之子墓

Lacquer Plate with Dragon Cloud Pattern — Lacquer Plate with Dragon-Cloud Patterns, Marked “Household of Marquis Dai” 漆盘 / 轪侯家器

Mawangdui Manuscript — Mawangdui Manuscript 马王堆帛书

Mawangdui Silk Texts — Mawangdui Silk Texts 马王堆帛书

Written records from the Han dynasty — Written records from the Han dynasty 西汉文献

04

A LIFE, PRESERVED

What can objects tell us about life 2,000 years ago?

衣

WEAR

Silk, embroidery and garments reveal the clothing and aesthetics of Han society.

Han Dynasty clothing and textiles

食

EAT

Vessels and written records allow us to imagine ancient food and dining practices.

Han Dynasty food and dining vessels

居

LIVE

Lacquerware and household objects preserve traces of everyday domestic life.

Han Dynasty household objects

乐

PLAY

Games and musical instruments reveal entertainment and aesthetic life.

Han Dynasty music and entertainment

医

HEAL

Medical manuscripts preserve ancient knowledge of the body and illness.

Han Dynasty medical manuscripts

05

BEYOND THE ARCHIVE

See Mawangdui from a new perspective.

Mawangdui is no longer limited to the museum gallery.

Mawangdui lacquer box

Digital figure reconstruction

Digital vessel reconstruction

Digital clothing reconstruction

Through digital preservation, 3D reconstruction and interactive archives, objects once buried beneath the earth can be viewed, explored and understood in new ways.