Since the last decades of the Han dynasty, the top of hunping vessels started to be decorated with miniature sculptures of men, animals, birds, etc. Gradually, sculptural compositions became more elaborate, including images of entire buildings.
National Treasure 国宝
Celadon Granary Jar with Architecture, Figurines and Animals 青釉堆塑楼阁人物鸟兽谷仓罐
Pottery | The Third Year of Yong’an (260), Three Kingdoms Period (222-280) | H: 46.6cm, D: 11.3cm, D (Base): 13.5cm | Excavated from the tombs of the Three Kingdoms in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province | Collection of The Palace Museum, Beijing. 陶器｜三国（吴）永安三年（260年）｜高46.4厘米，口径11.3厘米，底径13.5厘米｜浙江绍兴三国墓出土 (1937)1｜北京故宫博物院藏2
A hun jar 魂瓶, or “soul jar,” used as a burial good to provide a resting place for the deceased’s soul. The jar is heavily decorated with miniature figures and architectural models, including a shrine and various animals. The object is made of celadon-glazed ceramic.
The upper part of the granary is decorated with various sculpted objects: a three-story tower stands in the centre, with a dog guarding the door on each side of the first floor, and birds perched and mice foraging on the eaves. On either side of the tower stands a pavilion, beneath which eight servants, each holding a different musical instrument, are intently playing music. The top of the granary is decorated with five interconnected jars, the largest in the center, from which a mouse crawls out. Four smaller jars are arranged at the four corners of the larger jar, surrounded by birds craning their necks to forage.
A miniature stone stele (obelisk) is mounted on the back of a tortoise, a common motif in East Asian culture symbolising longevity and stability. The stele was carved with 24 characters, “永安三年時富且洋（祥）宜公卿多子孫壽命長千意（億）萬歲未見英（殃）”, indicating the year of the burial, 永安三年 (260 AD). which is the reign title used by Sun Xiu3, the King of Kingdom of Wu between 258 and 264.
This artefact, with its three-dimensional carvings depicting scenes of birds vying for food, celebrating a bountiful harvest, and livestock filling pens, vividly portrays a scene of abundant harvests in a Jiangnan Wu region manor more than 1,700 years ago, exuding a rich sense of daily life. Used as a burial object, it is called a “mingqi” (明器/冥器), intended to ensure the deceased could continue to enjoy the pleasures they had in life.
Around the tortoise are sculpted figures and animals such as deer, pigs, turtles, and fish, interspersed with carved patterns of dogs, fish, and dragons, as well as characters such as “flying,” “deer,” “sentence,” and “five kinds” (“飛”、“鹿”、“句”、“五種4”).
The celadon granary jar with sculpted pavilions, figures, birds, and animals is a unique type of celadon funerary object from the Jiangnan region during the Three Kingdoms to Western Jin periods (220-316 AD).
Celadon Pentad Jar 青瓷五联罐
Pottery | Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) | Unearthed from Qingyangdi Tomb, Suzhou | Collection of Suzhou Museum. 陶器｜东汉（公元25年-220年）｜苏州市青旸地墓出土｜苏州博物馆藏5
It evolved from the pentad jar of the Eastern Han Dynasty and was mainly popular in the Jiangnan area. This object is mostly covered with a bluish-green or yellowish-green glaze. The upper part is decorated with complex sculpted pavilions, towers, musicians, dancers, birds, and animals, while the lower part is the jar body. It symbolises “treating the dead as if they were alive” and serves the dual function of storing the soul and symbolising wealth.6
Green Glazed Granary with Molded Decoration 青釉堆塑谷仓罐
Pottery | Three Kingdoms Period (222-280) | H: 44cm, D (Mouth): 10cm, D (Base): 17cm | Donated by a Japanese organization (2010) | Collection of Shenzhene Museum. 陶器｜三国（220~280年）｜通高44厘米，口径10厘米，底径17厘米｜2010年日本某友好团体捐赠｜深圳博物院藏
The purpose was to pray for divine protection, to help the deceased’s soul find peace, and to allow the dead to continue enjoying their former comforts. Because their image is associated with granaries storing grain, they were often called “granaries” in the Jiangnan region. The use of these funerary objects is likely related to the Han Dynasty tradition of burying grains with the deceased. Some scholars have even suggested that the pavilions on the jar’s top, along with the aquatic creatures and holes in the body, represent the abode of the deceased’s soul and the underworld, respectively.7
Celadon Jar With Modeled Human Figurines Wuzhou Ware 婺州窑青釉堆塑人物罐
Pottery | Wu State of Three Kingdoms (222-280) | Unearthed in Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province | Collection of Shanghai Museum. 陶器｜三国（吴）（公元222-380年）｜浙江省武义县出土｜上海博物馆藏
This celadon five-tube vase with figurines of musicians measures 42.0 cm in height, 22 cm in belly diameter, and 12 cm in base diameter. The main tube is gourd-shaped, with four small jars attached to the upper layer. The five tubes are connected to the body of the vase. The central large tube is depicted as a Central Asian figure with a concave face, high nose, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a full beard, playing the pili (an ancient wind instrument). The two smaller tubes in front are depicted differently: one on the right is playing a panpipe, and the other on the left is clapping along to the rhythm. A child is also seen clapping along the rhythm between the two smaller tubes. The lower layer, around the shoulder, is decorated with sculpted figures of five people and three animals.
Jar with moulded and applied building and figures 青釉堆塑楼阙人物瓷罐
Pottery | Western Jin (265-317) | Collection of Shanghai Museum. 陶器｜西晋（公元265 317年）｜上海博物馆藏
By the Western Jin Dynasty, the art of sculpted jars had matured. Pavilions and courtyards were sculpted on the top of the jars, with images of foreigners or Buddhas attached in between. The jars were decorated with images of birds, animals, foreigners, and fish, creating complex and vivid scenes. This jar exhibits a realistic, complicated scene of the time, with Buddhist and non-Han figures bearing interesting Kushan elements.8
All photos taken at Beijing Palace Museum Nov 2025, unless otherwise noted.
About Chinese Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese 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 :
- https://www.chnmus.net/ch/collection/appraise/details.html?id=512159957279600971, accessed 26 January 2026 ↩︎
- 【青釉堆塑谷仓罐】新00044491
青釉堆塑谷仓罐，三国吴，高46.4厘米，口径11.3厘米，底径13.5厘米。
谷仓上半部堆塑多种饰物：有三层崇楼居中，一层两侧各有一条狗把门，楼檐之上有栖息的鸟和觅食的老鼠。崇楼两侧各立一亭阙，阙下有八位侍仆各执不同的乐器，正聚精会神地演奏乐曲。谷仓顶部堆塑五只相连的罐子，大罐居中，一鼠正从罐口爬出。四小罐分列大罐四角，周围簇拥着引颈觅食的雀鸟。谷仓的下半部为一完整的青瓷罐形，罐肩部其余部位塑贴一龟驮碑，碑上刻“永安三年时富且洋（祥）宜公卿多子孙寿命长千意（亿）万岁未见英（殃）”24字。龟之周围塑贴人物及鹿、猪、龟、鱼等动物，其间还夹杂刻划狗、鱼、龙等纹饰，另有 “飞”、“鹿”、“句”、“五种”等字样。胎体呈灰白色。平底略内凹。通体施青釉，釉面不甚匀净。
此谷仓为20世纪30年代后期浙江绍兴三国墓出土。
该器以百鸟争食、欢庆丰收、牲畜满栏等题材的立体雕饰展现了1700多年前江南吴地庄园五谷丰登的场景，散发着浓郁的生活气息。此器用来随葬，称为“冥器”（又称“明器”），目的是祈望死者仍能保持生前的种种享受。 ↩︎ - 永安（258年十月—264年七月）是三国时期孙吴皇帝吴景帝孙休的年号，共计7年。年号含义为企盼政局稳定。永安七年七月，孙休死；八月，吴末帝孙皓即位，改元元兴元年。 ↩︎
- 即五谷，泛指粮食作物。“五”是吉祥字眼，为众多之意，具体指哪五种谷物，说法不一。《周礼·夏官·职方式》注以黍、稷、菽、麦、稻为五種，《荀子》、《汉书》等典籍则以麻代稻。墓中随葬粮食或谷种是我国古代流行的丧葬习俗，是为了不使鬼魂饥馁。 ↩︎
- Celadon Pentad Jar 青瓷五联罐
Pottery | Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) | Unearthed from Qingyangdi Tomb, Suzhou | Collection of Suzhou Museum. 陶器｜东汉（公元25年-220年）｜苏州市青旸地墓出土｜苏州博物馆藏
此罐由主罐附加五个小罐组成。主罐溜肩，鼓腹，平底。小罐盘口，长颈，下都急收，与主罐相连。通体施釉，有利釉。 ↩︎ - 青釉堆塑楼阁人物鸟兽谷仓罐是三国至西晋时期（220-316年）江南地区特有的青瓷随葬明器，由东汉五联罐演变而来，主要流行于江浙一带。该器物多施青绿或黄绿色釉，上部堆塑复杂的楼阁、阙楼、乐舞人物及鸟兽，下部为罐体，寓意“事死如生”，兼具存放魂灵与象征财富的功用。 ↩︎
- Green Glazed Granary with Molded Decoration 青釉堆塑谷仓罐
Pottery | Three Kingdoms Period (222-280) | H: 44cm, D (Mouth): 10cm, D (Base): 17cm | Donated by a Japanese organization (2010) | Collection of Shenzhene Museum. 陶器｜三国（220~280年）｜通高44厘米，口径10厘米，底径17厘米｜2010年日本某友好团体捐赠｜深圳博物院藏
谷仓罐，又称“魂瓶”“堆塑瓶”，流行于三国（吴）、西晋时期，是江南地区有代表性的随葬明器，有陶、瓷制品，由东汉的五联罐演变而来。其雕塑复杂，楼阁、飞禽、动物、乐舞杂技是其宝要表现内容，着重表现豪门贵族生前居住的城堡式建筑以及奢华的生活场面，目的是为了祈求神灵保佑，超度逝者亡灵，祈望死者仍能保持生前的种种享受。由于其形象与盛储五谷的粮仓有关，故江浙一带多称之为“谷仓”。
这类明器的用途，应与两汉随葬谷物的传统相关；更有学者指出，罐顶楼阁与罐体水生物、孔洞等，分别为墓主灵魂居所与地下黄泉世界的表现。 ↩︎ - Jar with moulded and applied building and figures 青釉堆塑楼阙人物瓷罐
Pottery | Western Jin (265-317) | Collection of Shanghai Museum. 陶器｜西晋（公元265 317年）｜上海博物馆藏
堆塑罐源自东汉素面五联罐。东吴时期堆塑罐上出现楼阁、鸟兽、人物等形象，到西晋时期堆塑罐发展成熟，在罐顶堆塑楼阁院落，其间贴塑胡人或佛像，罐体贴饰鸟兽、胡人、鱼类形象，场景复杂，形象生动。其中的佛像与胡人反映了贵霜文化对中国的影响。 ↩︎
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