A Comprehensive Archaeological and Experimental Study of the Tea Preparation Artifacts in the Jin Dynasty Tomb of Zhao Li

Yiran  Yin

doi:10.54691/teby8885

Authors

Yiran Yin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/teby8885

Keywords:

Zhao Li's tomb, Tea preparation diagram, Archaeological research on Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties.

Abstract

This comprehensive study undertakes a rigorous typological, iconographic, and spatial analysis of the "Tea Preparation" mural discovered in the Jin dynasty (1115–1234) tomb of Zhao Li, located in the Shijingshan District of Beijing. By integrating traditional tomb archaeology, ceramic typological analysis, and art historical iconography, the research elucidates the material culture and domestic rituals of the early Jin elite, highlighting a profound period of cultural assimilation and the diffusion of the sophisticated Song dynasty Diancha (tea whisking) method among the Jurchen-ruled populace. Furthermore, this study transcends passive antiquarian observation by deploying a dual-methodological framework anchored in experimental archaeology and public archaeology. Through the meticulous physical reconstruction of the two-dimensional artifacts depicted in the mural—including the zhihu ewer, the tuozhan cup stand, and the Dulan tea box—this project generates embodied "maker's knowledge," validating historical functional hypotheses. Concurrently, the activation of these cultural relics through Augmented Reality (AR) systems and performative community engagements effectively democratizes archaeological knowledge.

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References

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