Just Randomly

XI'AN, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists have unearthed four colored tomb figures in a tomb in northwest China's Shaanxi Province dating back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).

The four colored wooden tomb figures, about 80 centimeters tall, are believed to be at least 500 years older than that of the terracotta warriors and horses of Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), said Yin Shenping, a researcher with the provincial archeological institute.

They were standing at the four corners of the tomb when they were discovered in a tomb numbered "M502" in Liangdai village, Hancheng City, Yin said.

The wooden tomb figures have rotted and become clay tomb figures. Experts are now considering to recast them with plaster and reagent.

Tomb figures, usually in the shape of human beings, were made of wood, earth, terra cotta or stone and buried with the dead in ancient times. Before they were created, people were buried alive with the dead as sacrifices.

The research and excavation work started in April 2005 on the tombs in the Liangdai village. Experts from the Shaanxi Archeological Institute have unearthed many precious cultural relics, including gold, copper and jade and iron wares prior to the tomb figures.

The Hancheng City, where the ancient tombs are located, is close to the Yellow River and famous for its long history and culture.

Thanks to Xinhuanet for that one; when it's not the mouthpiece of the party, the stories can be factual and interesting. Every time someone mentions the terra-cotta tomb guards, it reminds me of the time some German art student disguised himself and hid among them.

If you read that whole long quote, you'll notice that this marks the earliest point we know of when figurines were used instead of actual people. While captured enemies could be used as human sacrifices, and there is evidence of people lined up and ritually killed right before the tombs were enclosed (see "Cambridge Illustrated History of China" on the shelf in my room in Nanaimo), a lot of the people that went along for the ride were musicians, concubines, and servants, buried alive. Sorry guys, no pension for you.

Also, sometimes blogger or blogspot (the entire site) gets blocked for me here, so don't expect many posts. That's life behind the Great Firewall of China, barring using proxies, which get the job done--but the free ones are frustratingly slow and ad-laden.

I decided to start reading a Chinese book today. Well, I got a short Taiwanese novel (a little above Babysitter's club level, maybe grade 6~9?) but as it is published in China it's all simplified characters. While I am getting decent at recognizing them, I still dislike the things. There was also a humongous fire today (Chinese buildings are concrete but all the plastic stuff inside can burn) and I got some pictures before the smoke became too toxic for my eyes, though I was breathing through my shirt the whole time to filter a bit. More on that later.