Shang says the burial assemblage of this kind reflects a funerary tradition rooted in the ritual system of the Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-256 BC), typically reserved for tombs of high-ranking officials or members of the royal family, rather than ordinary people. This suggests that the tomb owner must be someone of a high social status.
The wooden couch, which features a desk, a wooden plate, a pen-holder, and a ceramic inkstone, closely resembles the wooden couch depicted in an ancient painting from the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577) and shows scenes from the tomb occupants' life, says Shang.
On the base of the wooden coffin are paintings of 12 auspicious beasts, including a winged lion and a celestial horse, which differ from each other but share a similar style featuring wings, wide-open mouths, elongated tongues, and four sharp claws.
"The animals appear to be flying. The lines and colors were painted with such fluid precision — possibly in a single pass — that some experts believe they could have been the work of skilled court painters from the Tang period," says Shang, who adds that the patterns may symbolize blessings for the dead to ascend to immortality.
Scholars say the celestial horse may be traced to the Byzantine Empire (4th-15th centuries), and the winged lion also came from the West. But Shang points out they all show a mighty, dynamic style, complying with the aesthetic value of China's Central Plains, possibly indicating mutual influence and learning in ancient times.
"Ritual traditions from China's Central Plains, Xiyu's local spiritual images and exotic cultural elements can all be found in this set of wooden facilities, vividly demonstrating the pluralistic and inclusive features of Chinese civilization," says Shen Ruiwen, an archaeology professor at Peking University.
Since the deceased was buried with his head facing west, a burial custom commonly associated with non-Han groups, Shang says they believe the owner may be someone of high social status from an ethnic group that might have been honored by Tang rulers for his contributions. Therefore, the tomb embodies a blend of cultural elements from both China's Central Plains and local ethnic traditions.
Traces of cultural exchanges can also be found throughout other tombs. For example, people have found many coins from the cemetery, including the Kaiyuan Tongbao, a popular Tang Dynasty coin from China's Central Plains; Persian silver coins; Byzantine gold coins; and others from Central Asia, indicating the flourishing trade that once took place in Turpan.
Historically, Turpan was an important intersection on the ancient Silk Road. These discoveries are a testimony to the prosperous trade and cultural exchanges in the area during the Tang Dynasty, says Shang.
