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Update: 2009/07/14 20:48
Mainland News Center / Comprehensive Report
In 1972, a Western Han Dynasty tomb chamber was accidentally unearthed in Changsha, Hunan. The artifacts inside were intact, including miraculously preserved fruits and food ingredients from 2,000 years ago that had not decayed. Inside the coffin lay Lady Xin Zhui, the wife of Li Cang, the chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty, who had been "asleep" for 2,000 years. In fact, when archaeologists finally opened the coffin, they were astonished to find that Lady Xin Zhui's skin still retained elasticity, and her joints remained flexible enough to bend. This discovery, hailed as one of the most significant archaeological finds in Chinese history, left many unsolved mysteries at the time. Now, Chinese scientists have found the answers.
In 1972, a construction site in the suburbs of Changsha yielded an unexpected discovery—the tombs of Li Cang, the chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty, and his wife, Lady Xin Zhui. This became one of the world's most important archaeological finds.
Hou Liang, former director of the Hunan Provincial Museum, recalled, "When we opened the coffin, wow—there were three layers of boards on the outer coffin. After removing them, we saw four compartments filled with artifacts, especially lacquerware that gleamed brilliantly. There was a lot of food inside—vegetables, ginger, lotus root slices, as well as fruits like pears, dates, and bayberries."
Not only were the buried foods remarkably preserved, but the moment the coffin was opened, archaeologists were stunned. Lady Xin Zhui, who had been "sleeping" for over 2,000 years, was covered in exquisite silk, her hair still intact, her skin and muscles retaining elasticity, and her joints still flexible.
The mystery of her preservation remained a focal point of scientific research for 30 years after the discovery. Hou Liang noted, "She held two small bags in her hands, each containing seven or eight types of medicine. Why? It meant that if you fell ill in the afterlife, you could conveniently take them. But these weren’t for preservation—they were too small to have any effect."
Dismissing rumors that Chinese herbs were used for preservation, experts now generally agree that the burial method played a crucial role. The six-layered coffin provided excellent protection for the body, 5,000 kilograms of charcoal kept the tomb dry, white clay paste ensured airtight sealing, completely isolating the tomb from the outside world. Additionally, the burial depth of over 20 meters not only protected the tomb from grave robbers but also maintained a constant temperature and humidity.
Peng Longxiang, a medical professor at Central South University, explained, "Opening the inner coffin took a long time—11 hours of painstaking effort. After opening it, we analyzed the coffin fluid microbiologically and found no bacteria or mold growth—it was completely sterile."
Yet, this is only part of the answer to the tomb's mysteries. The Mawangdui site is considered an encyclopedia of Western Han history. From Lady Xin Zhui's condition upon rediscovery to the historical exploration of the unearthed artifacts, the Mawangdui tombs still hold countless unsolved riddles waiting to be unraveled.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 090714/ 17/ 1n25y. html
Wow! 2,000-Year-Old Western Han Lady Found with Intact, Elastic Body
Mainland News Center / Comprehensive Report
In 1972, a Western Han Dynasty tomb chamber was accidentally unearthed in Changsha, Hunan. The artifacts inside were intact, including miraculously preserved fruits and food ingredients from 2,000 years ago that had not decayed. Inside the coffin lay Lady Xin Zhui, the wife of Li Cang, the chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty, who had been "asleep" for 2,000 years. In fact, when archaeologists finally opened the coffin, they were astonished to find that Lady Xin Zhui's skin still retained elasticity, and her joints remained flexible enough to bend. This discovery, hailed as one of the most significant archaeological finds in Chinese history, left many unsolved mysteries at the time. Now, Chinese scientists have found the answers.
In 1972, a construction site in the suburbs of Changsha yielded an unexpected discovery—the tombs of Li Cang, the chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty, and his wife, Lady Xin Zhui. This became one of the world's most important archaeological finds.
Hou Liang, former director of the Hunan Provincial Museum, recalled, "When we opened the coffin, wow—there were three layers of boards on the outer coffin. After removing them, we saw four compartments filled with artifacts, especially lacquerware that gleamed brilliantly. There was a lot of food inside—vegetables, ginger, lotus root slices, as well as fruits like pears, dates, and bayberries."
Not only were the buried foods remarkably preserved, but the moment the coffin was opened, archaeologists were stunned. Lady Xin Zhui, who had been "sleeping" for over 2,000 years, was covered in exquisite silk, her hair still intact, her skin and muscles retaining elasticity, and her joints still flexible.
The mystery of her preservation remained a focal point of scientific research for 30 years after the discovery. Hou Liang noted, "She held two small bags in her hands, each containing seven or eight types of medicine. Why? It meant that if you fell ill in the afterlife, you could conveniently take them. But these weren’t for preservation—they were too small to have any effect."
Dismissing rumors that Chinese herbs were used for preservation, experts now generally agree that the burial method played a crucial role. The six-layered coffin provided excellent protection for the body, 5,000 kilograms of charcoal kept the tomb dry, white clay paste ensured airtight sealing, completely isolating the tomb from the outside world. Additionally, the burial depth of over 20 meters not only protected the tomb from grave robbers but also maintained a constant temperature and humidity.
Peng Longxiang, a medical professor at Central South University, explained, "Opening the inner coffin took a long time—11 hours of painstaking effort. After opening it, we analyzed the coffin fluid microbiologically and found no bacteria or mold growth—it was completely sterile."
Yet, this is only part of the answer to the tomb's mysteries. The Mawangdui site is considered an encyclopedia of Western Han history. From Lady Xin Zhui's condition upon rediscovery to the historical exploration of the unearthed artifacts, the Mawangdui tombs still hold countless unsolved riddles waiting to be unraveled.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 090714/ 17/ 1n25y. html