Curator’s Lecture: Discovering Shizishan – Archaeology in the Chu King’s Mausoleum

The vast mausoleums of the king and consort of Chu in Shizishan (Lion Mountain) span the hills and valleys of Xuzhou and are among the largest mausoleums of feudal lords in the Han dynasty. They include the King of Chu mausoleum on Shizishan and the Consort mausoleum on Yangguishan (Yanggui Mountain), which have burial pits containing terra cotta soldiers and accompanying objects. Several thousand precious artifacts from the mausoleum and relics of temple, garden, and official residential buildings, as well as satellite tombs at Xiuqiushan (Xiuqiu Mountain) and Luotuoshan (Camel Mountain), have been excavated. Li Yinde will share untold behind-the-scenes stories of his personal experiences of the excavation.

 

Li Yinde is a senior researcher who long served as director of the Xuzhou Museum, of which he is now director emeritus. Mr. Li is also vice director of the National Qin-Han Specialty Committee of the Chinese Archaeological Society. His scholarly focus is the archaeology of mausoleums of Han dynasty feudal lords, as well as museum studies. He has organized several internationally significant Han dynasty archaeological and art exhibitions. His publications include Mausoleum of the King of Chu of Western Han in Mount Beidong, Xuzhou and General History of Jade Tools in China: Qin-Han Volume.

 

For questions or to register by phone, please contact 212-744-8181 ext. 117 or by email at galleryassist@chinainstitute.org