The tomb of Li Shouzhi lies quietly in the fertile soil of Sanyuan County, Shaanxi Province. It has a grand scale, a total length of 44.4 meters, and a unique design. It is a brick walled single chamber tomb with a long sloping tomb passage and a five courtyard structure. There are countless treasures in the tomb, with over 330 burial items such as gold, silver, jade, glassware, and ceramics unearthed, displaying a dazzling array. What is particularly noteworthy is that from the tomb passage to the tomb chamber, murals are scattered along the way, with rich and colorful content covering various aspects of social life such as agriculture, animal husbandry, architecture, travel etiquette, and even temples and Taoist temples, vividly reproducing the social landscape of that time.
What is particularly precious is that a set of exquisite stone burial tools were unearthed from the tomb, including the stone tomb gate, turtle shaped epitaph, and stone coffin currently in the Xi’an Beilin Museum, which can be regarded as an artistic treasure. The stone tomb gate is 2.13 meters high and 1.77 meters wide, with a complex structure that combines relief and line carving art. The painted gold half relief animal head in the center of the gate is majestic and ferocious, blending the Zoroastrian Hu Tian Fire God with the Han Dynasty’s image of warding off evil spirits, symbolizing the drive away evil spirits and guarding the tomb. Inside the door, there is a majestic statue of the Heavenly King engraved with a dazzling backlight, and monsters and mythical birds complement each other, creating a sacred and inviolable atmosphere.
As an important component for protecting coffins, the stone coffin is shaped like a three tiered mountaintop house, with a height of about 2.2 meters, a length of 3.55 meters, and a width of 1.85 meters. It is carefully carved from 28 pieces of bluestone. The outside of the coffin adopts the technique of reducing horizontal relief, with symmetrical layout of patterns. The four gods, martial guards, attendants, and immortals ride on dragons and phoenixes, which are vivid and lifelike. The painted and gilded decorations make it even more magnificent. Inside the coffin, the Yin line depicts a group of characters such as musicians, ladies, and heavenly kings, with various musical instruments and graceful music and dance. The top is also painted with astronomical stars, and the bottom is engraved with the twelve zodiac animals, showcasing ingenuity in every detail.
What is particularly unique is Li Shou’s turtle shaped epitaph, which simulates a spirit turtle in shape, measuring 1.66 meters long, 0.96 meters wide, and 0.64 meters thick. The head is extended forward, and the eyes are wide open, lifelike. The back of the turtle is engraved with words, and the abdomen carries inscriptions. The base is also decorated with exquisite vine patterns, making it a masterpiece in Tang Dynasty tomb inscriptions. The use of turtle shaped epitaphs not only reflects the deep worship of turtles by ancient people, but may also contain a profound expression of Li Shou’s loyalty to the court and the way of courtiers. As recorded in ancient books, turtles are yin objects, symbolizing the way of courtiers after achieving success and retiring.
In summary, the tomb of Li Shou and the unearthed stone burial objects and epitaphs are not only important physical materials for studying the social style, funeral customs, and artistic achievements of the early Tang Dynasty, but also valuable windows for exploring the political culture, religious beliefs, and even personal sentiments of that time.
