◇ Heritage No. :
◇ Collection Name:Jade coffin
◇ Historical date:Western Han dynasty
◇ Collection Size:Length:280cm Width:110cm Height:108 cm
◇ Collection Source:Excavated at Shzishan in 1994—1995
This coffin has been reconstructed, during the course of serious looting, a total of 1781 jade plagues were scattered along the tomb passages, in the fifish eastern chamber and in the fifth wastern chambers. The plagues were carved inti a variety of shapes(triangular, square, rectangular, rhomboid and arching). The majority have insciptions on the back, position on the coffin. Thes jade plagues wre meant to wncase a lacquer coeffin.
On each side of thd coffin are 5 large rectangular jade plagues that were decorated with a jade disc design. 2 larde uncovered lacquer spaces on the sides of the coffin may symbolize doors, allowing the spirit of the deceased to get in and out. This is like an outer coffin found in the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng.
A total of 2095 jade plagues were removed to recongstruct this coffin and it is the largest jade coffin found to date. Originally it would have contained an inner coffin, Gold, jade amd turquoise nails wrer inserted into the coffin, but only a few survived intact.
Lacquer coffins inlaid with jade discs have also been found in the tombs of the kings and queens of the Guangling kingdom at Gaoyou, Jiangsu provience and of the King of Chu at Beidongshan,Xuzhou. The inner coffin of the consort of the first king of Zhongshan at Mancheng, Heibei province was lilaid with 192 jade tiles on the inside and 26 jade discs on the outside. Imperial famliy members buried in a jade suit were not necessarily buried in a jade coffin, but those buried in a jade coffin always had a jade suit. This implies that those buried in jade coffins had those buried in jade coffins had higher status, regardless o f gender.