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The Sarcophagus of Li Jingxun
Li Jingxun (LEE JING-SHYUN) was a young princess, who died when
she was nine years old. She was a descendant of two of the most
important families of the land. Her mother was the eldest daughter
of the Sui Emperor Yang Jian (r. 589–604). Her father was
an imperial advisor at the Sui court and grand son of Li Xian
(502–569), whose
silver ewer, Iranian
glass bowl, and tomb
figures are also in the China: Dawn of a Golden Age (200–750
AD) exhibition. Jingxun grew up in the Nothern Zhou imperial
courts in the care of her grandmother, the Empress Dugu. We know
all this information about her because of the epitaph
—her biography carved in stone—that was placed near
the sarcophagus.
Jingxun died in the fourth year of the Daye reign period in the
sixth month (corresponding to the year 608). Six months later
during winter, she was buried lavishly in a wooden coffin inside
a stone sarcophagus outside the capital city of Xi’an. Approximately
235 items were found in this tomb including a gold
necklace and a gold
goblet.
Pottery figurines of stout armored guards, upright civil officials,
foreign attendants in native costume, ladies in waiting, and a
variety of animals were placed all around the sarcophagus to serve
the young girl in the after life. Useful implements, appropriately
scaled in child size, were buried with the princess
in her tomb. Among these items were iron scissors,
silver plates, a bronze mirror, a small bronze knife, bronze bowls,
silver and bronze incense holders, a jade cup with gold rim, a
gold goblet, a silver incense holder, silver boxes, pottery vessels,
glass containers for perfumes (?), bronze and iron (cooking?)
vessels, and Iranian coins.
The princess was dressed lavishly. She wore a gold, pearl, and
lapis necklace around her neck. She had silver finger caps; hair
ornaments made of jade, gold, and bone; gold and gemstone bracelets;
an embroidered silk belt; and a dress sewn with gold ornaments.
A pavilion tower was built above to hide the tomb. This unusual
measure and the inscription on the top of her stone sarcophagus,
"Those who open this casket shall die," may have kept
her tomb intact until it was
excavated in 1957.
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