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Ancient Chinese Burial Rituals

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AHIS190 Assessment 2 – Research essay
Name: Abbey Lakajev, Student ID: 44828306
Topic 2: does the treatment of the dead provide a useful reflection of the lives of the living?
The way that the people of ancient China treated their deceased, from the Xia Dynasty (2070–1600 BC) to the Jin Dynasty (265 - 420), provides an excellent insight into the lives of the living. Through the analysis of various archaeological evidence gathered on Ancient Chinese burial rituals and techniques, we are able to form an idea of the way in which many different people of varied social status viewed death: and the afterlife: and the value that they, and others, placed on their human lives. We are also able to observe the changing of attitudes and beliefs over this …show more content…

Burial was always extravagant and thoroughly planned, and, like most funerary rituals, was directly connected to the religious beliefs of the individual. The Xia dynasty, which marked a change from the originally primitive society to a slave society, would often see wealthy and politically important individuals having anywhere from several to hundreds of slaves buried in their tombs with them. This is also seen during the Shang (16th-11th century B.C.), and the Western Zhou (11th century-770 B.C.) Dynasties. It was believed that by sacrificing these servants and putting them in their tombs, the deceased would be taking them into the afterlife for their own protection, entertainment and comfort. The Ancient Chinese believed that life after death was extremely similar to the world of the living. In order to enjoy themselves and be content in the afterlife, the powerful, rich, imperial and politically important people of society would, depending on the dynasty period that they were alive during, recreate all of the comforts of their current life in order for their next one to be comfortable and enjoyable . It was not until the Han dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) that sacrificial human servants had been replaced with representative figurines. These were small handmade human substitutes, such as the terracotta warriors, seen in the tomb of ‘the first emperor’ from the …show more content…

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