ON STUDIES OF SHISANLING - FUNERAL-MEMORIAL COMPLEX OF THE LATE MEDIEVAL EPOCH IN CHINA

Abstract

The article gives brief characteristics of planigraphy, constructive peculiarities and, to some extent, semantics of one of the most famous monuments of the Late Medieval epoch in China, namely, Shisanling, a funeral-memorial complex consisting of thirteen tombs of Ming emperors. The necropolis is situated in Changping, the suburb region of Beijing, 42 km from the city centre. Built according to all rules of so-called feng-shui (geomancy), its plan resembles the scheme of construction of the Ming Empire’s capital (Beijing). The tombs were isolated from the outer world with high walls around them, and by these means, the realm of corpses was fenced off from the realm of the living. These universal patterns were used in funeral practices of many Eurasian peoples, as well as round grave mounds enclosed into square (or rectangular) stone fences. It is quite possible that the structure of elite tombs was formed in Ancient China in close contact with neighboring peoples (most probably, they were nomads from the North, but could have also been peasants from the East). In favor of such a hypothesis one can look through several stone sculptures of fantastic beasts in the row of different creatures flanking the «spirit path». For example, «chimera» ( bixie ) the image of which was based on the pattern of the feline predator had originated from Iranian or Middle Eastern mythology. In a later period this image was absorbed by another species of «divine» animals, such as lions ( shizi ) and unicorns ( qilin and xiezhi ). Interaction between Chinese civilization and neighboring peoples was working like a «cultural pendulum», different cultures exchanged with each other. One of these thirteen tombs, Dingling of Emperor Shen-zong, was excavated in 1956-1958, but the results of the excavation were considered to be very unsuccessful. Though many gold ornaments, silk clothes and other precious things were found, a large part of them was lost because of poor restoration. As for scholars, Shisanling remains a very valuable historical source, representing the results of development of funeral architecture during the course of over 1000 years. Due to certain conservatism and high traditionalism of Chinese society, funeral and commemoration rituals retained many ancient features. Taking into account very rich historical records about this period, specialists have a rare opportunity to reconstruct customs and beliefs of the lost «barbarian» communities, to understand and estimate ancient and medieval «multi-culturalism».