During the Eastern Zhou through the Western Han periods,decoration on lacquered coffins predominantly featured painted motifs.During the Eastern Zhou period,decorative patterns primarily consisted of abstract geometric designs,consistent with contemporary ornamentation found on bronze artifacts,lacquerware,jade objects,and silk textiles.By the Western Han period,coffin decorations could be categorized into two thematic types:patterns and figural imagery.These decorations exhibited increasing differentiation from contemporary domestic utensils in terms of design.Moreover,patterns emerged that match the form and function of funerary items.Through comparative analysis,this study shows that during the Eastern Zhou period,the production of funerary items might not have yet fully transitioned into an independent craft,whereas during the Han Dynasty,lacquered coffins carried more funerary motifs.The establishment of the Dongyuan Office during the Han period indicates a trend towards specialization in the production of funerary items including lacquered coffins,and thus their funerary function became more explicit.
Eastern Zhou PeriodWestern Han PeriodLacquered Coffin DecorationDongyuan OfficeSpecialization
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