Murals Qianling Mausoleum

tang court ladies mural in li xianhui s tomb. actual murals in li xianhui s tomb have been replaced replicas originals kept in shaanxi history museum better preserve them.

the tombs far excavated li xian, li chongrun, , li xianhui decorated mural paintings , feature multiple shaft entrances , arched chambers. historian mary h. fong states tomb murals in subterranean halls of li xián s, li chongrun s, , li xianhui s tombs representative of anonymous professional tomb decorators rather renowned court painters of handscrolls. although funerary art, fong asserts these tang tomb murals sorely needed references sparse amount of description offered in tang era documents painting, such tang chao minghua lu ( celebrated painters of tang dynasty ) zhu jingxuan in 840s , lidai minghua ji ( record of famous painters of successive dynasties ) zhang yanyuan in 847. fong asserts painting skill of portraying animation through spirit consonance or qiyun shendong—an art critique associated renowned tang dynasty painters yan liben, zhou fang, , chen hong—was achieved anonymous tang dynasty tomb painters. fong writes:

the palace guard , 2 seated attendants prince zhang huai s tomb outstanding in respect. not relative differences in age achieved, evident robust guard officer stands @ attention displays attitude of respectful self-assurance; , seated pair engrossed in serious conversation.

another important feature in murals of tomb representation of architecture. although there numerous examples of existing tang stone , brick pagoda towers architectural historians examine, there 6 remaining wooden halls have survived 8th , 9th centuries. rammed earth foundations of great palaces of tang capital @ chang have survived. however, of mural scenes of timber architecture in li chongrun s tomb @ qianling have been suggested historians representative of eastern palace, residence of crown prince during tang dynasty. according historian fu xinian, not murals of li chongrun s tomb represent buildings of tang capital, number of underground chambers, ventilation shafts, compartments, , air wells have been seen indications of number of courtyards, main halls, rooms, , corridors in residences of tomb occupants when alive. underground hall of descending ramp approaching li chongrun s tomb chambers, gated entrance front chamber, feature murals of multiple-bodied que gate towers similar foundations surveyed @ chang an.

ann paludan, honorary fellow of durham university, provides captions in chronicle of chinese emperors (1998) following pictures of qianling tomb murals: