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散見簡牘合輯‧廣西貴縣羅泊灣一號漢墓木牘、木簡、封檢

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Text ID
KR2p0138
Date
-200–-150
Dynasty
漢

Sǎn Jiàn Jiǎndú Héjí‧Guǎngxī Guìxiàn Luóbówān Yī Hào Hànmù Mùdú、Mùjiǎn、Fēngjiǎn 散見簡牘合輯‧廣西貴縣羅泊灣一號漢墓木牘、木簡、封檢

Collected Scattered Documents — Wooden Tablets, Wooden Slips, and Sealed Check-Tags from Han Tomb no. 1 at Luóbówān, Guìxiàn, Guangxi

(anonymous; burial inventory of goods and weapons, agricultural estate account)

About the work

A set of wooden tablets (mùdú 木牘), wooden slips (mùjiǎn 木簡), and sealed check-tags (fēngjiǎn 封檢) from Han tomb no. 1 at Luóbówān 羅泊灣, Guìxiàn 貴縣 (modern Guìgǎng 貴港 city), Guangxi. The tomb dates to the early Western Han, ca. 200–150 BCE, and is one of the most important Han-period burial discoveries in the Lingnan 嶺南 region. The documents include a comprehensive inventory of burial goods (the Cóng Qì Zhì 從器志, “Record of Accompanying Vessels”) and an agricultural estate account (the Dōngyáng Tián Qì Zhì 東陽田器志, “Record of Agricultural Equipment at Dongyangfield”). Published in KR2p 散見簡牘合輯 (Sǎn Jiàn Jiǎndú Héjí), Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 1990.

Abstract

The Luóbówān Tomb 1 documents comprise two distinct inventories plus fragmentary additional materials:

I. Burial Goods Record (Cóng Qì Zhì 從器志 “Record of Accompanying Vessels”). The primary document opens with the heading: ”● 從器志” (Cóng Qì Zhì, “Record of Accompanying Vessels”). It lists goods in a systematic format, with many items specifying wrapping or container material (zēng yuán 繒緣, “silk-edged”; zēng qiān 繒卩, “silk-bound”; zēng náng 繒囊, “silk bag”; bù náng 布囊, “cloth bag”). The main categories are:

Textiles and clothing:

  • Robes and garments (yī páo 衣袍): 50 garments in two baskets, both silk-edged (zēng yuán 繒緣卩)
  • Headbands (zhōu 州, two; xiǎo dǎn 小紞, one), one basket, silk-edged
  • Caps (guān, ten) and gold ornament (jīn rù 金籨, one), one basket, silk-edged
  • Combs (bǐ shū 比疎, two) + [items], one basket, silk-edged
  • Silk fabrics (zēng 繒, 63+ bolts/rolls, 3 zhàng, coarse silk 3, one garment), one basket
  • Cloth (bù, 17 rolls), one basket, silk-edged

Armor and weapons:

  • Lacquered armor (□ jiǎ [type] 甲) and lacquered helmet (□ méi 瞀, also written mào), silk-edged
  • Painted and plain shield (dān 盾), one each, silk bag
  • Halberd with thatch-stalks attached (cè jǐ 茦戟, three)
  • Transverse-mounted halberds (héng jǐ 橫戟, three), corner-notched halberds (guā jǐ 栝戟, two)
  • Lǎn (a polearm type, two); all “wound with silk around the shaft” (cǐ jiē yǐ zēng chán jǐn 此皆以繒纏矜)
  • Spear (máo 矛, one), seven-chǐ spear (two), silk bags
  • Gold figures (jīn rén 金人, two), inside [a container]
  • Gold [vessel/object], silk bag
  • Elephant tusks (xiàng chǐ 象齒, four)
  • Large axes (dà fǔ, two) and adzes (jīn 斤, one), shaft-wrapped
  • Incense caps (xūn gài 熏盖, three)

Textiles and other luxury goods:

  • Silk floss (sī xù 絲絮, 20 jīn) and silk thread (sī 絲, 2 jīn), one basket, silk-edged
  • Large head-bands (dà dǎn 大紞, two+), one basket, silk-edged
  • Red cups (dān bēi 丹杯, 100), one basket, silk-edged
  • Inkstone (yán 研), brush (bǐ 筆), and two scribing-knives (dāo 刀): two containers, one basket, silk-edged
  • Board-game set (bó jù 博具, one basket), silk-edged
  • Small and large knives, curved scrapers, and [tools], silk-edged basket
  • Three zhù-containers (bags: fine-cloth bag and ordinary cloth bag each one)
  • Loom (mèi jī 梠機, one) and wooden dogs (mù gǒu 木狗, three), silk-bag hat (lì 笠, one silk bag)
  • Seat mat (zuò yīn 坐絪, one bag)
  • Charcoal (four baskets, cloth bags)
  • Grinding stone and draw-rope (mǐ shí yǐn suǒ 攠石引索, one basket, silk-edged)
  • Reed mats and bamboo mats (diǎn xí 簟席, 56, silk-edged), long reed mats (10)
  • Horn crossbows (jiǎo nú 角弩, three), bow (one), tuǒ-crossbow arms (two), cords and sinew (jiǎo 繳, four [items], [sinew], ten shots)
  • Equipment for preparing cords (zhì jiǎo jù 治繳具, one bag)
  • Horn-and-sinew composite bow (jiǎo zēng 角曾, one silk bag), three tuǒ bags (two silk, one cloth-edged)
  • Crossbow arrows (yuè fú shǐ 越服矢, one basket, silk-edged)

Containers and food preparation:

  • Gold jar (jīn hú 金壺), silk-edged handle-basket
  • Pottery bowls (wǎ yú 瓦盂, two, one cloth bag each)
  • Small hats (xiǎo lì 小笠, ten, all silk-edged)
  • Large painted drum (dà huà gǔ 大畫鼓, one, silk bag)
  • Horizontal and vertical zithers (qín 捦, yuè zhú 越筑, one each)
  • Tent poles and nails (zhāng wéi zhù jí dīng 張帷柱及丁, one bag), large canopy (one), tent (one basket), tent-poles-and-nails (one bag)
  • Tái-fish (three [containers] □), kitchen storage jars (chú pǒu 廚瓿, eleven), medium clay storage jars (zhōng tǔ pǒu 中土瓿, thirty), grain storage sacks and rice kitchen items (cāng zhǒng jí mǐ chú wù 倉種及米廚物, 58 bags), medium clay food items (zhōng tǔ shí wù 中土食物, five baskets)
  • Large square basket (dà fāng jiǔ 大方籨, one)
  • Cups and bǐ-sī cups and western-edge baskets (baskets each one)
  • Kitchen wines (chú jiǔ 廚酒, thirteen jars)

Summary: ”● 有實笥卅一” (Basket-goods with contents: thirty-one).

A supplementary list of bronze and gold vessels follows:

  • Granary vessel (cāng qì 倉器, □), two cauldrons (dǐng 鼎, two), gold ladle (jīn dǒu 金斗), gold fù-cauldron (jīn fù 金鍑, one), warm bowl (wēn méi 溫瞀, one), gold fāng-vessel (one), torch-stand (zhú zhēng 燭徵, one); [damaged section].

II. Agricultural Estate Account (Dōngyáng Tián Qì Zhì 東陽田器志 “Record of Agricultural Equipment at Dongyangfield”). A second document records personnel and agricultural tools at an estate called “Dōngyáng” 東陽:

東陽田器志 / 人㮑卅●正月甲申中侍□□

“Record of Agricultural Equipment at Dōngyáng / 30 niǎo [implements] — 1st month, day jiǎshēn, Inner Attendant (zhōng shì 中侍) □□”

The account continues with counts of agricultural tools:

  • □□ (18 items, of which nine □□)
  • [Item] 〼
  • □ implements (jù 具): 12
  • □□ kèng (hoes/pickaxes): 100 [items], in two [containers]
  • Niǎo 㮑 (a type of implement): 53
  • Chú 鉏 (hoe/mattock): 116
  • Niǎo: eight sets (jù) of one □
  • Chú: 120 sets (jù)
  • Kèng (hooks/sickles): 15 sets
  • □□□□ sets [damaged]

Fragmentary entries follow mentioning “guest-rice 〼”, “client rice (kè dào mǐ 客稻米, 1 shí)”, “[length] 7 cùn”, “diǎn xié 典悎 〼”, and an inventory of vessels: “gold basin (jīn yú 金盂), pottery jars (dǐ 䤵) 〼”, ”□-painted bǐ-sī cups (sixty)”, ”□ bamboo shoots (sǔn jū 筍苴)“.

Historical significance. The Luóbówān Tomb 1 is one of the most significant early Han discoveries in the Lingnan 嶺南 region (modern Guangxi and Guangdong). The tomb likely belongs to a high-ranking official or local ruler of the Nán Yuè 南越 kingdom or early Han period, given the exceptional richness of the burial goods: 56 reed mats, 100 lacquered cups, silk-wrapped weapons including elephant tusks, 50 robes, and gold vessels. The tomb dates to the early Western Han (ca. 200–150 BCE) on the basis of the burial goods typology and calendar references.

The Cóng Qì Zhì is noteworthy for several features unusual among Han burial inventories: the systematic specification of wrapping materials (zēng yuán 繒緣, zēng náng 繒囊, bù náng 布囊) for each item; the inventory of actual weapons rather than merely weapon replicas (three types of halberds, spear, crossbow, arrows — all identified as silk-wrapped for burial); the listing of gold human figurines (jīn rén 金人) and a large painted drum (dà huà gǔ), the latter suggestive of a southern (Nán Yuè) cultural tradition; and the itemization of musical instruments including the qín zither and yuè zhú 越筑 (a southern plucked instrument). The presence of a horizontal loom (mèi jī 梠機) with wooden dogs is notable as evidence of textile production equipment placed in the burial.

The Dōngyáng Tián Qì Zhì is the rarest document type in this group: an account of agricultural implements at an estate named Dōngyáng, recording mattocks (niǎo 㮑), hoes (chú 鉏), and hooks (kèng) in large quantities (116 hoes, 120 sets of hoes, etc.). This suggests the tomb occupant administered a substantial agricultural estate, consistent with the high rank implied by the burial goods. The reference to “client rice” (kè dào mǐ 客稻米) may indicate a tenant-farming or guest-household (kè hù 客戶) arrangement at the estate.

The Luóbówān Tomb 1 is the southernmost of the major Han tomb document finds in the Sǎnjian Jiǎndú Héjí and provides important evidence for early Han administrative culture and material life in the Lingnan region, where Han and indigenous Nán Yuè traditions intersected.

Translations and research

  • 中國社會科學院歷史研究所, 《散見簡牘合輯》, 文物出版社, 1990 — editio princeps.
  • 廣西壯族自治區博物館, 《廣西貴縣羅泊灣漢墓》, 文物出版社, 1988 — comprehensive excavation report.
  • Loewe, Michael. Records of Han Administration. 2 vols. Cambridge University Press, 1967 — reference for Han burial document genres.
  • Allard, Francis. “Frontiers and Boundaries: The Han Empire from Its Southern Periphery.” In Archaeology of Asia, ed. Miriam Stark. Oxford: Blackwell, 2006 — context for Lingnan Han tombs and the Nán Yuè cultural sphere.
  • Yates, Robin D.S. “The Changing Status of Slaves during the Qin-Han Transition.” In The State in Early Imperial China, ed. Michael Loewe and Edward L. Shaughnessy. Cambridge University Press, 1999 — broader context for estate management and labor documentation.

Other points of interest

The Luóbówān Tomb 1 is often associated with the broader cultural sphere of the Nán Yuè 南越 kingdom (204–111 BCE), the independent southern state established by Zhào Tuó 趙佗. The tomb’s contents reflect both Han metropolitan culture (the inventory format, the lacquerware, the administrative documents) and southern regional traditions (the painted drum, the yuè zhú instrument, elephant tusks). The presence of 56 reed mats (diǎn xí 簟席) — a characteristically southern luxury — alongside 50 robes and silk-wrapped weapons indicates extraordinary wealth and status. The agricultural estate document (Dōngyáng Tián Qì Zhì) is one of very few surviving Han documents recording agricultural tool inventories for a named estate.

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