A Investigation Of Tombs Of The Sui Dynasty In Middle China

Sui Dynasty is an extremely special period which not only inherits the benefits of national amalgamation but also makes marked contributions to prosperity of Tang Dynasty. Sui Dynasty began in AD 581 and ended in AD 618 which only lasted 38 years. Even it is a relative transient period, its institutions, measures and culture have an extraordinary influence on later generations amazedly. As a result, in order to have an in-depth analysis on the society and effects of Sui Dynasty, it is imperative to have a research on the funerary objects and structure of tombs.With the purpose of getting a profound research on China Proper’ tombs, this thesis is based on historical archaeology and text, which used methods of Archaeological Typology and cultural factors analysis as well. Moreover, with the studies on 58 tombs of Sui Dynasty, they could be classified into two categories: brick-chambered tomb and earth-caved tomb. To begin with, the brick-chambered tombs include funeral pathway, paved path to main tomb and burial chamber which share similar shape and structure with each others. In addition, the paved path usually leading to the main tomb and the burial chamber’s shape is rectangle with arch walls. Secondly, there are two types of earth-caved tomb which classified by the amount of earth –caved: single earth-caved tomb and double earth-caved tomb. The double earth-caved tomb is infrequent and particular, so the single earth-caved tomb which also contains of spade-shape tomb and blade-shape tomb became the main category of earth-caved tomb. The studies mainly concentrate on pottery figurines and porcelains which have three types: warrior figure, sacrificial vessel and porcelain of attendants. Moreover, in the region of China Proper in Sui Dynasty, there was a great amount of porcelains with lots of various types which most of them were celadon. Even though with a transitory period, Sui Dynasty had a glary and prosperous culture which was a connecting link between the preceding and the following.