On The Transformation Of The Zhou-Dynasty Elite Burials In The Nanxiang Basin And The Neighboring Area

This dissertation focuses on the Nanxiang basin,which was a geographic zone at a crossroad linking north and south of China in the past.Elite burials,which were the most sensitive to political changes,are featured in this research.The author aims at discussing the correlation between political changes and social transformation during the Zhou period in this region.This dissertation covers six parts.Preface defines the regions,time span and main themes of this research.It summarizes previous research in this field and outlines the significance of this research.Chapter one introduces elite burials and the accompanying bronze sets state by state,which focuses on the Ying,Zeng,E,Deng,Tang,Shen,Yang and Chu states.Chapter two analyzes chronological sequence and date of bronze vessels in different states,and compares those from the Zhou system and the Chu system.This chapter also discusses the origin and formation of the Chu bronze.This dissertation divides the time span from Western Zhou to the middle Spring and Autumn period into seven periods,and that from the middle Spring and Autumn period to the middle Warring States period into six periods.Great similarities can be observed among ritual wares from different sates of the early Western Zhou period.However,preferences can be observed in the Zeng and Ying states.From the middle Western Zhou period,diversities started emerging and prospering,especially among the Zeng bronze.It might be related to the changing political correlations between the Western Zhou court with that in the south land.The formation of the Chu system bronze is very different from the previous one,which might be related to the military expansion of Western Zhou court into the Nanyang basin.It should have been out of deliberate plan,rather than a natural process.The third chapter constructs the concept of mortuary hierarchies,in order to describe all kinds of artifacts correlating to the status of the tomb occupant.It includes passage,scale of the chamber,types of coffin and chamber,as well as the accompanying artifact set.It compares similarities and differences among elite burials in different states,and reveals the transformation process from the Zhou system to that of Chu.The burials of regional elites of the early Western Zhou period have revealed preliminary Zhou ritual institutions,especially regarding ritual artifacts and gender symbols.At the transition from the Western Zhou period to the Eastern Zhou period,great changes occurred in the mortuary system,which revealed significant diversities.Burial chambers of this period enlarged,multiple ritual institutions co-existed.The feature of the south land prospered during this time as well.Elite burials of the Zeng state were the most notable then.The change should have rooted in the decline of the Zhou royal court and the political chaos.It also paved the foundation of the Chu ritual system and culture.From the middle Spring and Autumn period onwards,the regional burials clearly demonstrated impacts from the Chu state.Compared with other affiliated states,the Chu elite burials were of comparatively higher level.It should have related to the rise of the Chu state and its intrusion into this region.This chapter also attempts to reconstruct the ritual institutions of the early Western Zhou.It centered tripod ding,food vessel gui.The high elite burials featured water vessels in set,while the low elite burials each contained less than two tripod and food wares.For the high-level burials of the Ying state,each would have two sets of ritual wares,which include miniature bronze artifacts Mingqi.The Yang state was less impacted by the new regulations.Burials of the Chu state carried on the legacy of the Zeng state as well as that of the Huai River valley.Ritual artifacts in the burial accompanying artifacts of the Chu-state elite varied as well.The elites of the Zeng and Yang states maintained,to some extent,their unique features.It seems ritual institutions were not forced upon elites of different ethnic groups by the Chu state.The fourth chapter compares elite cemeteries in this region and discusses the choices of location and mechanism of the layout,which was also compared with elite burials of the Zhou people in other regions.Well-planned civilian cemetery took place in the Ying and Zeng states during the early Western Zhou period,which reflects the unification of this region by the Zhou royal court.The high-elite burials of the Zeng state clearly shifted the locations from the early Western Zhou period to the middle Warring States,which should correlate with the political turmoil and the Chu-state pressure.Cemeteries of the Chu state elites came into being earlier than the Chu-system bronze.Notable features and diversities can be identified among the Chu elites and their affiliated states.The cemetery institution is comparatively more stable and conservative.Chapter five combines elite burials and textual records,which interprets and enriches the political landscape and power shift from the Zhou royal court to Chu.Chapter six is conclusion,which summarizes this dissertation and points out future work.