Archaistic Objects in Southern Song Tombs and Caches

Abstract

This study examines archaistic objects from Southern Song caches in Sichuan by comparing them with objects from tombs, underground vaults and other archaeological sites, in order to understand the contextual meanings of these objects. Archaistic objects appeared in large number during the Southern Song as a result of the Song antiquarian movement which paid careful attention to the formal elements, among other features, of ancient objects. Although Sichuan caches produced numerous examples of Song archaistic objects, their socio-cultural significance prior to the burials has been overlooked due to a predominant view about these caches which focuses primarily on the materiality of the objects as potential war-time loot in the Mongol invasion of the region during the thirteenth century. This study analyzes Song archaistic objects in three contextual categories related to state rituals, religious rituals, and literati culture. It is concluded that a large number of Song archaistic objects were produced in the context of the state sacrifices and local Confucian rituals which were characterized by their formal features and ritual functionality closely resembling the Shang-Zhou models. On the other hand, many archaistic objects used in Buddhist or Daoist rituals were adopted for their functionality as altar pieces, primarily offering vases and incense burners, which exhibited a wide range of form and decor. The archaistic objects associated with literati life-style were often found with paraphernalia from a scholar's studio. These objects demonstrated the refined taste and aesthetic values indicative of the cultured life-style of Song literati. In addition to the contextual analyses of Song archaistic objects, this study also reveals that Song archaistic objects were defined by both the affinity to antiquity through their formal resemblance and the deviation from antiquity signified with a combination of eclectic motifs from the ancient and contemporary sources.