A Busca da Imortalidade: Tesouros da Tumba da China Han

A Busca da Imortalidade: Tesouros da Tumba da China Han

Pottery Musician, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Height: 33 cm, Unearthed from Tuolanshan King of Chu tomb 1989, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
The Search for Immortality: Tomb Treasures of Han China
5 maio - 11 novembro, 2012

Jade Coffin, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Length 280 cm; Width: 110 cm; Height: 108 cm, Unearthed at Shizishan 1994-1995, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

Na primeira exposição do gênero, o Museu Fitzwilliam, relata a história da busca da imortalidade e luta pela legitimidade imperial na Dinastia Han da antiga China .

In the first exhibition of its kind, the Fitzwilliam Museum relates the story of the quest for immortality and struggle for imperial legitimacy in ancient China’s Han Dynasty.

Jade Suit, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Length: 175 cm; Width: 68 cm, Unearthed at Shizishan in 1994-1995, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

Tesouros do túmulo da China Han apresentam mais de 300 peças em jade, ouro, prata, bronze e cerâmica na  maior e mais importante exposição dos antigos tesouros reais a viajar para fora da China.

Tomb Treasures of Han China features over 300 treasures in jade, gold, silver, bronze and ceramics in the largest and most important exhibition of ancient royal treasures ever to travel outside China.

Tomb Xuzhou (Beidongshan site 1), Tomb interior from Beidongshan, Photo courtesy of Xuzhou Museum.

A Dinastia Han estabeleceu a base para o governo unificado da China até os dias atuais.

The Han Dynasty established the basis for unified rule of China up to the present day.

Jade Cup, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Height: 17 cm, Unearthed at, Xianggangshan 1983, The Museum of the King of Nanyue, Guangdong Province.

Para manter este império ganho com dificuldade os imperadores Han tiveram de se engajar em uma luta constante pelo poder e pela legitimidade, com lutas que ocorreram tanto nos campos simbólicos de batalhas, tanto quanto nos reais.

To maintain this hard-won empire the Han emperors had to engage in a constant struggle for power and legitimacy, with contests that took place on symbolic battlefields as much as on real ones.

Excavation – Nanyue 2, The Eastern Chamber, Site excavated in 1983, Photo courtesy of The Museum of the King of Nanyue.

Enquanto relatos escritos fornecem um esboço destes eventos, é através das descobertas arqueológicas impressionantes das últimas décadas que o drama completo e espetáculo deste episódio crítico na história chinesa foi trazido à tona.

While written accounts provide an outline of these events, it is through the stunning archaeological discoveries of recent decades that the full drama and spectacle of this critical episode in Chinese history has been brought to life.

Stone Lion Weight, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Length: 23.5 cm; Width: 13 cm; Height: 14.5 cm, Unearthed at Shizishan site in 1994, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

Dr. Timothy Potts, diretor do Museu Fitzwilliam, comentou: "É impossível exagerar a importância da dinastia Han na formação de uma cultura chinesa e identidade nacional.

Dr Timothy Potts, Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, commented: “It is impossible to overstate the importance of the Han Dynasty in the formation of a Chinese national culture and identity.

Excavation – Nanyue 3, The King’s Coffin Chamber, Site excavated in 1983, Photo courtesy of The Museum of the King of Nanyue,

Na época dos antigos romanos, os imperadores Han foram o primeiro a unificar uma grande parte das regiões que hoje conhecemos como China sob um império sustentado, que governaram praticamente sem serem desafiados durante 400 anos.

At the time of the ancient Romans, the Han emperors were the first to unify a large part of the regions we now know as China under a sustained empire, which they ruled virtually unchallenged for 400 years. 

Jade Dragon Pendant, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Length: 18 cm; Width: 11.9 cm, Unearthed at Shizishan site 1994-1995, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

A Dinastia Han deu seu nome à língua chinesa, o seu script e, a grande maioria do povo chinês. Foi sem dúvida o período de definição da história da China e do ponto da gênese para a China de hoje.

The Han Dynasty gave its name to the Chinese language, its script and the vast majority of the Chinese people. It was arguably the defining period of China’s history and the point of genesis for the China of today. 

Pottery Official, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Length: around 54 cm, Unearthed at Yangguishan sacrificial pit 2005, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

Os objetos espetaculares desta exposição trazem para Cambridge os melhores tesouros dos túmulos da família real Han, a ourivesaria soberba, jades e outras oferendas requintadamente fabricadas que os reis escolheram para ser enterrados na sua jornada para a vida após a morte.

The spectacular objects in this exhibition bring to Cambridge the finest treasures from the tombs of the Han royal family, the superb goldwork, jades and other exquisitely crafted offerings the kings chose to be buried with on their journey to the afterlife.

Por seu refinamento, arte e pura beleza  eles rivalizam com qualquer coisa da antiguidade. "

For their artistry, refinement and pure beauty they rival anything from the ancient world.”

Excavation - Xuzhuo (pottery figures), Terracotta warrior pits from Shizishan, Photo courtesy of Xuzhou Museum.

Esta exposição pioneira compara os túmulos espetaculares de duas facções rivais de poder: a Han família imperial do "berço" norte da história chinesa, e a do Reino de Nanyue no sul, cuja capital atual é Guangzhou formaram a porta de entrada para o comércio rico rotas do Mar da China e do Oceano Índico.

This pioneering exhibition compares the spectacular tombs of two rival power factions: the Han imperial family in the northern ‘cradle’ of Chinese history, and the Kingdom of Nanyue in the south, whose capital in modern-day Guangzhou formed the gateway to the rich trade routes of the China Sea and Indian Ocean. 

Jade ornament with an animal mask, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Length: 16.7 cm; Width: 13.8 cm, Unearthed at Xianggangshan 198, Nanyue Wang Museum, Guangdong Province.

Objetos destes túmulos nunca foram exibidos juntos numa única exposição. Através desta exposição revela-se  tanto na vida como, na morte, o Império e Reino fizeram um jogo diplomático de gato e rato, um para afirmar a sua supremacia, o outro para preservar a sua autonomia.

Objects from these tombs have never before been displayed together as a single exhibition. Through the exhibition it is revealed how, in both life and in death, Empire and Kingdom played a diplomatic game of cat and mouse, one to assert its supremacy, the other to preserve its autonomy.

Gold Seal belonging to the Marquis of Wanqu, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Height: 2.1 cm; Length: 2.3 cm, Unearthed from tomb M3 at Bojishan in 1994, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

Protegido por guardiões de barro e cercados por jade e ouro, os túmulos dos monarcas dos palácios eram palacios para acomodar imortais.

Protected by clay guardians and surrounded by jade and gold, the monarchs’ tombs were palaces fit for immortals.

Gold Belt Plaque, 2nd century BC, Western Han Dynasty, Length: 13.3 cm; Width: 6 cm, Excavated from Shizishan, Xuzhou, Xuzhou Museum, Jiangsu Province.

Cada túmulo era um símbolo de poder e majestade, concebido para garantir que o seu proprietário continuasse a desfrutar na vida após a morte os mesmos confortos e privilégios que lhes eram conferidos durante a vida. Ao mostrar esses dois túmulos juntos, A Busca da Imortalidade lança nova luz sobre um período crítico da história primitiva da China. A exposição só pode ser vista em Cambridge.

Each tomb was a symbol of power and majesty, designed to ensure that its owner continued to enjoy in the afterlife the same comforts and privileges afforded to them in life. In showing these two tombs together, The Search for Immortality sheds new light on a critical period of China’s early history. The exhibition can only be seen in Cambridge.

Excavation – Nanyue 1, The Western Chamber, Site excavated in 1983, Photo courtesy of The Museum of the King of Nanyue.



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