Northern Qi Tomb Murals Unearthed Intact in N. China

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, November 05, 2002

Northern Qi Tomb Murals Unearthed Intact in N. China

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After a month's hard work, archaeologists proved that the color mural paintings in Wangjiafeng tomb in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province are the best-preserved large-size murals of Northern Qi Dynasty (A.D.550-577) ever founded in China, being an important discovery in recent ten years.

Now the extraction work has been called to an end and related departments are considering setting up a museum on the site to protect these paintings.

The tomb, though suffered many robberies with stones and coffin planks scattered all around, has most of its paintings remain untouched, archaeologists said. The well-preserved 150-square meter murals, in central place, show a scene of wine and dine of the tomb owner, surrounded by scenes of going out for a journey. The paintings display many figures as maids, musical bands, waiters, horses and insignias, all with their own characters, and of vivid expressions, proper proportions and brilliant colors.

The ancient city of Jinyang was once in a key position in regard of politics and military operations, and was also quite developed in economy and culture, which has been again proved by these paintings found, expert said.

Judging from the tomb inscriptions, expert said the tomb owner was a high official during Northern Qi times under the name of Xu Xiaoxiu, whose activities were found in historical documents and a further study is now under way.

By PD Online Staff Li Heng

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