The brocade inscribed with the Chinese characters wanghou (王侯，royal nobles)unearthed from the Tomb No. M1 at the Gurgyam Cemetery.

In the Xizang Museum of China, there is a brocade on display adorned with the Chinese characters wanghou (王侯，royal nobles). This brocade was unearthed from the Tomb No. M1 at the Gurgyam Cemetery. According to the calculation by the method of Carbon-14 dating, the history of the cemetery dates back to the 2nd or 3rd century, a period during the Han (202 BC–AD 220) to Jin (226–420) dynasties of ancient China.

Some scholars believe that the Kaerdong city ruins, located 1.5 kilometers east of the cemetery, was the capital of the Zhangzhung Kingdom, a tribal nation on the Xizang Plateau that was formed 4,000 years ago and was at its peak in the 7th century, before being conquered by the Tubo Kingdom in 645.

In addition to the brocade with the woven Chinese characters, numerous other artifacts were excavated from the Tomb No. M1 at the Gurgyam, including pottery, ironware, copperware, golden ware, silverware, wooden ware, and silk textiles. Many of these items were luxury goods of high quality, with the quantity and variety surpassing those found in the other three tombs at the site. This suggests that the tomb owner might have been a noble of the Zhangzhung Kingdom.

Unearthed from the ancient tombs of Zhangzhung

The brocade with the Chinese characters wanghou , an artifact used to contain the remains of the deceased, was found wrapping the head of the tomb owner.

This rectangular brocade measures 44 cm in length and 25 cm in width, featuring a dark blue base with yellow-brown patterns. It is composed of three layers of cyclic patterns. The bottom layer shows a continuous wave pattern, the layer above contains a set of paired bird motifs, and in the center, there appears to be a single spreading birdwing with a coin-like design below, with other motifs being indistinct.

A group of columnar patterns evenly divides the brocade's second layer into several compartments, each with a central tree motif flanked by coins at either end. Symmetrically poised on each side of the tree are pairs of mythical creatures—the Vermilion Bird and the White Tiger, while the corners of each compartment feature pairs of Azure Dragons and Black Tortoises, representing the four celestial creatures in traditional Chinese culture that symbolize the four cardinal directions in ancient astral worship. Adjacent to the top of the Vermilion Bird on the left top of the compartment is the clerical-script of Chinese character "wanghou ," and its mirrored inverse scripts on the opposite side.

On the uppermost layer of the brocade, a pair of winged tiger-like mythic beasts stand back to back, with a three-legged cauldron with a lid at the tail end, accompanied by the character yi (宜, suitable) in clerical script.

Crafted from colorful silk threads, brocade represents the most precious type of silk fabric. During the Han Dynasty, brocades were famously produced in Xiangyi of Chenliu Prefecture (today's Suixian, Henan Province) and Tianfu of Shu Prefecture (today's Chengdu, Sichuan Province), as evidenced by the brocades found in Han-era tombs such as Mawangdui in Changsha, Hunan Province and Phoenix Mountain in Jingzhou, Hubei Province, which showcase the advanced techniques of brocade weaving in the Central Plains.

At that time, however, the Ngari region in Xizang lacked the natural conditions and technology for making such brocade. This raises the question—where did this brocade come from?

Where did the brocade come from?

A Han Dynasty brocade arm guard bearing the message "Five Stars Rise in the East, Benefiting Zhongguo (China)" was unearthed at the Niya site in Xinjiang, China. Xinjiang's location on the Silk Road and its dry climate have led to the discovery of numerous well-preserved silk textiles in its tombs. Remarkably similar to those found in the Ngari region are the bird and animal pattern brocades from the Astana cemeteries in Turpan and the wanghou pattern brocade from the Yingpan cemetery in Yuli.

Some scholars, in assessing the decorative art style, posit that the wanghou brocade from the Gurgyam Cemetery shares striking similarities with other silk products of the same period found in Xinjiang, suggesting the possibility of importation from the region. However, such an intricate weaving technique was exclusive to the Central Plains at that time. This indicates that Xinjiang may have been a mere conduit for this brocade's import to the Ngari region, while its true origin lies in the Central Plains.

Some other scholars believe that the fabric might have been made by the official clothing workshops of the Central Plains and presented as a gift to the tribal leaders of the border regions. Archaeological excavations and historical records reveal that there are many valleys and passes amidst the mountains surrounding the Ngari region, allowing passage to other regions. From Ngari, passing through the Shiquanhe Valley, the Qiangtang Plateau Passage, and over the high mountains, one would reach the towns of southern Xinjiang on the Silk Road such as Yecheng, Hetian (Hotan), and Minfeng, and then engage in trade and cultural exchanges with people from all over.

Thus, based on the available evidence, the origin of the wanghou brocade could be traced along such a route: it was made in the official clothing workshop of the Central Plains and bestowed onto the tribal chiefs visiting from the border regions. Setting out from the capital Chang'an, they traveled westward, then through the valleys and passes of Xinjiang, and finally arrived at Kardong City in the Ngari region, where it was used by a noble of the Zhangzhung Kingdom.

In conclusion, the wanghou brocade showcases the wide and complex network of exchanges during China's Han and Jin dynasties and stands as significant archaeological evidence of the early interactions between western Xizang and the Central Plains.

責(zé)編：馮宇軒

一審：馮宇軒

二審：唐煜斯

三審：秦慧英

來源：中國網(wǎng)