How the ancient Chinese crafted jade coffins

A jade coffin is a burial garment made from several pieces of jade woven together, commonly used by members of the royal family during the Han Dynasty in China (206 BC to 220 AD) as well as the upper class for burial, according to Live Science.

Each coffin was crafted using thousands of uniquely shaped pieces of jade, sewn by artisans with gold thread. The skillfully crafted garments were used as armor to protect the deceased in the afterlife and prevent the body from decomposing, according to UNESCO. It seems that the Han Dynasty royal family also believed that jade coffins could protect the soul by preventing it from leaving the body, thereby giving the deceased immortality, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Researchers also discovered a book called the Book of the Later Han that detailed how coffins were made and the different threads used depending on the social status of the deceased. For example, emperors used only gold thread while lower-status nobles used silver thread. However, this burial practice fell into disuse in the 500s during the reign of Emperor Wen of the Western Wei Dynasty, as valuable coffins were often targeted by grave robbers.

Although ancient texts mention the coffins, it wasn’t until 1968 that archaeologists found real-life evidence when they discovered two sets in China’s northeastern Hebei province. The suits were placed in the tombs of Liu Sheng, the King of Zhongshan, and his wife, Princess Dou.

In addition to the coffins, both bodies contained pieces of jade used to cover their eyes, ears, and other areas. Liu Sheng’s coffin alone contained 2,498 pieces of jade. Researchers estimate that it took craftsmen 10 years to create the set.