My dad brought me to see the Jade Suit with Gold Threads from Henan back in 1990 at Empress Place Museum (before it was converted to the Asian Civilisation Museum.) This would be the 4 set I have seen (with only eight to be discovered in China so far).
Jade Clothes Sewn With Golden Threads Belonging To Liu Fei 西汉刘非金缕玉衣
Jadeite, gold thread | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection. 玉、金丝 ｜ 西汉 （公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
Jadeite, gold thread | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
玉、金丝 ｜ 西汉 （公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 大云山汉墓｜南京博物馆藏
Jade suits, also called jade caskets 玉匣, are burial apparel from the Han Dynasty. Making jade suits was not only labour-intensive, resource-intensive, and time-consuming, but also extremely expensive and complex. Therefore they were worn by emperors and nobles after death and came in several types, including those with gold (emperor and empress only)1, silver, copper, and silk threads depending on the social status of the dead.2 Examination of the known suits, such as the two found in Mancheng3, has revealed that these rules were not always followed.
Craftsmen first selected large quantities of jade and processed them into jade pieces. Then, they designed different sizes and shapes for different parts of the body. Next, the jade pieces were ground and polished, and small holes were drilled into each corner, some only one mm in diameter.
The gold and silver threads used to bind the jade pieces were extremely fine and twisted, making them both soft and strong. Finally, the jade pieces were strung together with gold and silver threads and made into a jade burial suit according to the shape of the human body.
Because of the extravagance and the numerous tomb looting as a result, Emperor Wen of Wei (187-226, r. 220-226) banned the ritual of burial with hade suits in 223 AD to reduce tomb looting, which ended the the production of jade suits as well.4
Funeral Jade For The Immortal Soul
(5) Jade coffin flakes 玉棺片一组, (6) Jade Sai (Stopper) 玉塞一组, (7) Glazed Sai (Stopper) 琉璃塞一组
Like many ancient peoples, the majority in Han Dynasty believed in the immortality of the soul: “The soul returns to heaven, while the physical body returns to earth.” They believed that if the body was well-preserved, the soul could one day return to the physical body, thus enabling resurrection. Therefore, they placed great importance on protecting the physical body. They believed that “with gold and jade in the nine orifices5, the dead will be immortal,” and that jade, embodying the essence of heaven and earth, could prevent the body from decaying and signify high status.
Therefore, kings and nobles spared no expense in procuring jade artefacts in hopes of achieving immortality. After death, they wore jade burial suits, rested their heads on jade pillows, held jade pigs in their hands, and plugged the nine orifices with jade. Some even adorned their wooden coffins with jade pieces, leading to a high level of development in jade funerary practices. This practice spread to lower-ranking nobles as well, who often filled their nine orifices with jade.6
Owner of the Mausoleum – Liu Fei
Liu Fei 刘非7 (168 BC – 128 BC), the King of Jiangdu 江都王 (r. 153 BC – 128 BC), was the beloved son of Emperor Jing of Han (Liu Qi). In the second year of Emperor Jing’s reign (155 BC), he was enfeoffed as the King of Runan 汝南王 as a prince. During the Rebellion of the Seven States of Wu and Chu, Liu Fei, then fifteen years old, petitioned the emperor to lead troops to attack Wu. Emperor Jing granted him a general’s seal and ordered him to attack Wu. The following year, after Wu was defeated, he was enfeoffed as the King of Jiangdu, governing the original fiefdom of Wu. For his military achievements, he was awarded the emperor’s banner.
Bronzeware | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
铜器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
After the Wu-Chu Rebellion, all newly established kingdoms were limited to a single commandery, except for the Kingdom of Jiangdu. Liu Fei reigned for 27 years. After Emperor Wu ascended the throne, because Liu Fei was his elder brother and was known for his arrogance and bravery, Emperor Wu appointed the scholar Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒 as the Chancellor of Jiangdu to assist Liu Fei and provide guidance. In the second year of Emperor Wu’s reign (127 BC), Liu Fei died and was posthumously given the title “King Yi of Jiangdu” 江都易王.9
Life After Death
Pottery | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
陶器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
The attitude of the Han Dynasty towards death can be summarised as “treating death as life.” The central idea of the funeral customs at that time was to imitate all aspects of real social life through tomb structures and the placement of numerous burial goods, viewing the afterlife as another real world.
Bronzeware | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
铜器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
This is particularly evident in the selection of burial goods. Items and utensils used by the living were placed in the tomb as much as possible. Although Han Dynasty society is more than two thousand years old, the abundant material evidence unearthed through archaeological excavations allows us to understand all aspects of that society and reconstruct the prosperity and bustle of the Western Han Dynasty.
Liu Fei’s mausoleum 大云山江都王陵 has been located in present-day Xuyi County, Jiangsu province. The site has been excavated by archaeologists from the Nanjing Museum from 2009 to 2011, and unearthed more than ten thousand artefacts: gold, bronze vessels, weapons, a zither with jade pegs, lamps of various shapes, a silver basin inscribed with the name of the Kingdom of Jiangdu, and a kitchen with food.
Wood, jadeite, gold | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
木、玉、金 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
Other findings include a treasury holding more than 100,000 banliang coins, and dozens of model chariots and several life-sized ones, and the only jade coffin to have survived intact in Chinese archaeology.9
Bronzeware | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
铜器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
The burial goods in the lower level of the corridor of Tomb No. 1 were placed according to functional areas. The western part of the lower level of the southern corridor was the bathing supplies area, where silver bath basins, bath jars, and stone rubbing tools were unearthed. The middle and southern parts of the lower level of the western corridor were the musical instrument area, where a set of practical chime bells and chime stones, as well as musical instruments such as qin, se, and bells were unearthed. The northern part of the lower level of the eastern corridor was the treasury area, where about 1 ton of “banliang” copper coins were unearthed. The central and southern parts were the kitchen area, with cooking utensils placed in the middle and various foods placed in pottery, bronzeware, and lacquerware in the south.12
Bronzeware | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
铜器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
Six silver discs, used to decorate the ends and centre of the gilded bronze frames with dragon patterns on bianzhong (chime bells) and bianqing (chime stones) were unearthed. Originally, all six discs could rotate freely within their frames. Both sides of the discs are engraved with patterns, primarily featuring cloud and mythical beast motifs. The discs are 13.3 cm in diameter, with a 5 cm aperture and a thickness of 0.25 cm.
The se (瑟) is an extremely ancient stringed instrument with a similar origin to the qin (琴), and is one of the earliest plucked string instruments in China. After the Qin and Han dynasties, the yu (竽) and se gradually replaced the bells and chimes in the orchestra. The yu and se can play melodies with strong rhythms and relatively fast tempos, unlike the bells and chimes which are better suited to creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Jadeite | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
玉器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
The tenon secures the strings and is usually made of wood. The jade se tenons with openwork dragon patterns unearthed at Dayunshan are exquisitely crafted and extremely rare.13
Jadeite, gold thread | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
玉、金丝 ｜ 西汉 （公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 大云山汉墓｜南京博物馆藏
Jadeite, silver thread | Eastern Han (25-220 AD) | Unearthed from Tushan, Xuzhou City | Nanjing Museum collection
玉、银丝 ｜ 东汉 （公元25年-220年）｜1970年徐州土山东汉彭城王刘恭后裔墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
Nanjing Museum has two sets of jade suits in its collection, the gold threaded one (left) and the silver threaded one (right). Unfortunately the silver threaded jade suit was not on display, as it is more precious because it is the only fully intact silver threaded jade suit to be discovered.
All photos taken at Nanjing Museum Nov 2025, unless otherwise noted.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
Footnotes :
- According to the Book of Later Han, the type of wire used was dependent on the status of the person buried. The jade burial suits of emperors used gold thread; princes, princesses, dukes, and marquises, silver thread; sons or daughters of those given silver thread, copper thread; and lesser aristocrats, silk thread, with all others being forbidden to be buried in jade burial suits.
↩︎ - 弩机保存完好，郭、望山、牙、钩心、悬刀均可自如转动，唯有瞄准具未设。弩机露于木拊之外均施错金银装饰，望山上五组：分别为蛇形龙纹、凤纹、金蛇纹、奔兽纹、飞鹤纹；双牙上两组：外侧面为一对奔鹿，正面为一对灵鹤牙下转轮上为两只飞雁；键两端两组：一为白虎和朱雀，另一为奔鹿和奔兽。比较复杂的是郭台及箭槽内的图案，郭台后部为白虎啮野猪图，前部则为两组对称的奔鹿图；斗山和牙槽边上则用金丝装饰了13组复合菱形小图案。箭槽中画有利剑和大雁图案：一支金色利箭脱弦而出，前方两只大雁仓皇而逃。方寸之间，大雁的表情和形态刻画得栩栩如生，似乎可听到两只大雁的哀鸣。https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/571415469
↩︎ - For many years, many archaeologists were unaware of the existence of jade burial suits. Texts referenced jade boxes or coverings related to a corpse, but it was not understood that the texts were describing full-body, fitted suits or shrouds, made of jade plaques. The discovery in 1968 of two complete jade suits in the tombs of Liu Sheng and Dou Wan in Mancheng, Hebei, finally proved their existence.
↩︎ - 汉玉多出自今天的新疆和田，不仅运料困难，而且玉石的切割、磨光、钻孔、编缀等一系列工序也极为费工，只有经济上的发展和社会上的稳定才能提供保证。两汉时期，由于社会稳定，国力强盛，玉器得到很大的发展。到了魏晋时期，战争频繁，经济遭到破坏，反对厚葬、注重社会实际的思想开始流行，曹操和曹丕父子成为薄葬之风的先行者。魏文帝曹丕之所以禁止玉衣的使用，一方面是提倡薄葬，反对劳民伤财，还有一个原因就是当时猖獗的盗墓之风。曹丕在《终制》中说道：“丧乱以来，汉氏诸陵，无不发掘。”汉玉曾是国家富足的标志，墓主身份地位的彰显，但是在汉末动乱之时，美玉却成了祸源。墓室的珍宝引来了盗墓者的垂涎，原本期待用玉衣来保护尸体不朽的墓主，结果却骸骨无存，尊崇美玉盼来生梦碎，就这样随着曹魏风气的转变，汉代玉衣和葬玉文化从此尘封。所谓物极必反，正是因为玉衣的珍贵与难得，让它的命运走向了终结。
https://www.chnmus.net/ch/collection/appraise/details.html?id=512154034823486264
↩︎ - The nine orifices, or openings in the human body, are eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth and the urinary hole and anus. Yes, the sai is for the anus.
↩︎ - 汉代人与许多古代民族一样认为灵魂不死，“魂气归于天，形魄归于地”，如果尸体保存完好，有朝一日魂重归于魄，则可复生，所以非常重视形魄的保护。“金玉在九窍，则死者为之不朽”，他们相信玉凝聚天地精华，可使尸体不腐，且能彰显高贵身份。王侯因此不惜倾国之力，精心备置玉器，以期永生。他们死后身着玉衣，头枕玉枕，手握玉猪，以玉塞九窍，有的还以玉片贴饰木棺，使丧葬用玉得到高度发展。流风所及，中小贵族也多以玉石填塞九窍。Museum information, Nov 2025 ↩︎
- 刘非, 景帝前元四年—武帝元朔元年（前153年～前128年/计26年）
↩︎ - Bronze ding (food vessel) with partitions 分格鼎
Bronzeware | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
铜器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
鼎带盖，盖为圆顶，两者以子母口相合。腹下三蹄足，器口两侧有两个稍外撇之耳。汉
代铜鼎中礼器功用逐渐下降，大多作为食器使用。本件分格鼎为国内首次出土，推测与文献
中的“濡鼎”有关。
分格鼎出土于一号墓东回廊下层中部。
↩︎ - 長毋相忘 讀盱眙大雲山江都王陵. 書籍番号 72290, 南京博物院編, 2013 年 12 月. https://www.chugoku-shoten.com/mokuji/cmokuji/72290/72290.pdf
江都王刘非是景帝刘启的爱子，景帝前元二年以皇子的身份受封为汝南王，吴、楚七国
反叛时，刘非十五岁，上书天子，志愿领兵攻打吴国。景帝赐给他将军印，令其攻打吴国，
吴国被击败后的第二年，改封为江都王，治理吴国原有的封地，因军功受赐天子的旌旗。
吴楚之乱以后，所置王国皆一郡之地，唯江都国例外。江都王刘非在位27年。武帝即
位后，因刘非是帝兄，素骄好勇，因此武帝派遣文学士董仲舒做江都相，辅助江都王刘非，
时加匡正。武帝元朔二年（公元前127年），江都王刘非薨，死后谥号“易王”。
↩︎ - 大云山江都王陵位于江苏省盱眙县马坝镇云山村大云山山顶，海拔高73.6米，西南与青敦山，小云山汉代贵族墓地相邻。是一处保存比较完整的西汉诸侯王陵园，一号墓墓主为西汉第一代江都王刘非。2009年发生严重盗墓事件后，南京博物院在2009年9月至2011年12月期间进行了抢救性发掘，在陵园内发现主墓3座、陪葬墓11座、车马陪葬坑2座、兵器陪葬坑2座及陵园建筑设施等遗迹，在陵园外发现陪葬墓1座和东司马道，一、二号墓出土包括玉棺、金缕玉衣等在内的陶器、铜器、玉器、金银器、漆器等各类文物一万余件（套），许多文物均为首次发现。学者认为，大云山江都王陵的考古发现对西汉诸侯王陵制度的研究有重要价值，使考古界对西汉诸侯王陵的整体布局和结构首次有了清晰的认识，出土文物为汉代历史和文化研究提供了非常珍贵的实物资料。https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/大云山江都王陵
↩︎ - Five-branched copper lamp with toad-shaped base 蟾蜍座铜五枝灯
Bronzeware | Western Han (202 BC-9 AD) | Excavated from Dayunshan Han Tombs | Nanjing Museum collection
铜器 ｜ 西汉（公元前202年-公元9年）｜ 盱眙大云山汉墓出土｜南京博物馆藏
五枝灯一组两件，两件大小相同，唯蟾蜍底座造型似有一雄一雌之分。灯通高60.8厘米，
最宽处97厘米，由灯盏、灯柱、灯座三部分组成。灯盏呈碗形，直径9.8厘米，深2.7厘米，
盏底有一方锥形支钉，插入灯柱的接口中。灯柱主干两侧各伸出两条枝干，上饰竹节纹。每
支顶端托一灯盏，下层枝干与底座处于同一水平面，增加了灯的平衡性和稳定性。蟾蜍底座
为趴伏状，长18.7厘米，最宽处18.7厘米，背部向上伸出高6.8厘米的銎，上接灯柱。
整灯造型简洁，错落有致，古朴美观，是一件罕见的灯具珍品。西汉时期蟾蜍一直被人
们视为神物，当时人们相信蟾蜍是辟五兵、镇凶邪、助长生、主富贵的吉祥之物。
五枝灯出土于一号墓南回廊下层西部。
↩︎ - 長毋相忘 讀盱眙大雲山江都王陵. 書籍番号 72290, 南京博物院編, 2013 年 12 月. https://www.chugoku-shoten.com/mokuji/cmokuji/72290/72290.pdf
汉代人对待死亡的态度,可以用“视死如生”来概括，即当时丧葬礼俗的中心思想在于通过墓
葬结构、放置大量随葬品等来模仿现实社会生活的方方面面，将死后的世界看成另一个现实
世界。
这一点，在随葬品的选择上体现的尤为明显。凡是生人使用的物品、器具，尽可能的放
入墓中。尽管汉代社会距今已经两千多年，但通过考古发掘出土的大量实物资料，我们得以
了解当时社会的方方面面，重现西汉时期社会的繁荣和喧嚣。
一号墓回廊下层随葬品按功能分区放置，南回廊下层西部为沐浴用品区，出土银沐盘、沐
缶、搓石等；西回廊下层中部和南部为乐器区，出土实用编钟、编磬各一套及琴、瑟、铃等
乐器；东回廊下层北部为钱库区，出土“半两”铜钱约1吨；中南部为庖厨区，中部放置炊具，
南部用陶器、铜器、漆器放置各类食物。
↩︎ - 長毋相忘 讀盱眙大雲山江都王陵. 書籍番号 72290, 南京博物院編, 2013 年 12 月. https://www.chugoku-shoten.com/mokuji/cmokuji/72290/72290.pdf
磬在乐队中的重要地位逐渐为竽瑟代替。竽瑟可以演奏旋律性强和比较快速的乐曲，与擅长
烘托庄严肃穆气氛的钟磬不同。
西汉出土的实物瑟表明，瑟通常为二十五弦，由三个尾岳分成三组，计内九弦、中七弦、
外九弦。内外九弦的柱位排列较为规则，定弦的音高相同；中七弦的柱位较为紊乱，当为内
九弦做音阶级进的连接。
瑟柱为拱弦之柱，通常为木质，玉质的瑟柱极其罕见。
瑟枘为固定弦之榫头，通常为木质。大云山出土鎏金龙纹透雕铜瑟枘较少见，而透雕龙
纹玉瑟枘则工艺精美复杂，极其罕见。
↩︎
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