A Study On The Tomb Heritage Of Xishui River Basin In The Ming And Qing Dynasties

There are a large number of burial architectural heritages with stone-like imitation wood structures during period of the Ming and Qing dynasties in the Xishui River basin.Most of them are family tombs with huge volumes,unique shapes,complex structures and beautiful carvings,which are an important demonstration of the social life,economic activities and characteristic local culture of the region.In this thesis,it is mainly based on the field surveys of tomb architecture in the Ming and Qing dynasties in Xishui area,supplemented by historical documents and local historical materials,combined with the cultural exchange and interactive background among this area and other regions,taking the engraving images,epitaphs,family tree and family rules attached to the tomb building as research objects,and explore their rich tomb heritage value.According to the research,the Xishui River basin has always been deeply affected by the Han culture in the Central China.During the Ming and Qing Dynasties,its funeral rituals and customs were quite the same as those in the Central Plain Area,the custom of lavish burial also prevailing in Xishui River basin.At this time,under the influence of the traditional Chinese concepts of "imitating houses to build tombs" and "taking death like being born",people in this area have paid more and more attention to the construction of tombs,and worked hard to create grand and delicate tomb architecture as the ideal home of the world behind the deceased,embodying the "filial piety" of the living towards the deceased and hoping that the deceased can live and work in another world as well as in real life.This is also the embodiment of traditional beliefs and secular concepts such as ancestor worship and immortal soul.As a typical representative of the folk tombs in the Xishui River basin,the burial buildings of the three big families of the Yuan clans,He clans and He clans,are large in number and diverse in style.These tomb buildings all show spectacular,peculiar and exquisite visual effects,and are also a symbol of their families’ wealth and status.The carving patterns,presented by the three families’ tomb buildings,are quite rich in content and various in subject matter,including human figures,animals and plants images,Chinese character patterns.These carving and decoration contents show profound cultural connotations and are actual proof of thetomb heritage researches in the region.Through systematic investigation,research and analysis of burial ground architecture heritage in the Xishui River Basin,the current status and characteristics of the tomb heritage in this area are objectively showed.It also has important theoretical value of academic research and practical meaning of realistic application to make comprehensive and all-around protection,research,development and utilization of cultural heritage in the Xishui River Basin,and also to establish the cultural heritage system of Xishui river basin in the new era,fully promoting the study of cultural ideas and spiritual civilization in the area,and vigorously enhancing cultural self-confidence.