NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE MAWANGDUI HAN TOMB SILK PAINTING DRAWING OF THE PROCESSION BEFORE THE DEPARTURE OF TAIYI
The Mawangdui Han tomb silk painting entitled Drawing of the Procession before the Departure of Taiyi has been known for nearly 40 years. However, there is still some disagreement in the academic world about the name, nature, and intended use of this silk painting. The composition and interpretation of its images, as well as the analysis of its inscriptions and prayers, have not been thoroughly researched. In particular, there is a lack of in-depth understanding of its relationship to repelling weapon practice in shamanism and Daoism. This paper first analyzes and evaluates the nine names previously given to the silk painting, and concludes that Drawing of the Procession before the Departure of Taiyi is the most appropriate. Regarding the restoration of the silk painting's stitching, this paper summarizes various previous opinions and, in conjunction with the latest academic achievements on stitching, proposes a new stitching scheme that is considered the most appropriate so far. This paper also provides an in-depth analysis of the deities, inscriptions,and prayer texts depicted in the silk painting. It undertakes a meticulous word-by-word examination and closely compares these elements with the existing textual records, thus offering a comprehensive interpretation and leading to several new insights. The final part of the article sheds light on the characteristics of the silk painting, its purpose, and its relationship to the ancient practice of repelling weapons in shamanism. It elaborates on how the painting was used in military contexts, depicting supplicants invoking the high god Taiyi to lead deities in enchantments against enemies in order to protect their own forces from harm. The study also draws parallels between the depictions of these deities and the inscriptions with Daoist scriptures from later periods, revealing a significant continuity from shamanism to Daoism and tracing the deep historical roots of many Daoist spells.
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