The oldest portrait of Confucius was recently discovered in China, after archaeologists reconstructed a broken mirror dating from the Western Hans dynasty, 2000 years ago… This operation allowed them to identify this oldest portrait of the great Chinese sage having been discovered to date. He was hidden in a tomb that is in the process of being recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In Jiangxi province, lies the tomb of Marquis Haihun, a historic site, a prestigious vestige of the Han dynasty. 11 years ago, Chinese archaeologists began research on this site filled with tens of thousands of ancient artifacts: gold bars, pottery, jade ornaments, and 2 million coins in copper !
But the most fascinating discovery is that of a broken mirror. Of course, do not imagine that it is a glass mirror like today…
From surprise to surprise
In 2015, when archaeologists unearthed fragments of a broken mirror located in the main chamber of the Marquis of Haihun’s mausoleum, no one expected to find anything other than a lacquered portrait. Years of effort devoted to its restoration have only then enabled experts to identify more precisely the nature of this representation.
Indeed, the frame found in the tomb of the Marquis did not carry a lacquered plaque, but rather a bronze mirror that was once rectangular, now broken into several fragments. Now reconstructed, it unveils the oldest portrait of Confucius, interacting with his disciples. The scene is surrounded by 2,000 Chinese characters relating specifically to the life and thought of Confucius.
Who was the owner?
The owner of this work was Liu He, the first Marquess of Haihun, a very wealthy aristocrat with a fief of about 2,000 households in present-day Jiangxi Province, southeast China. This noble of the end of the Western Han dynasty (92 BC – 59 AD), was the faithful servant of the emperor. Famous for his love of luxury and his passion for art and literature, he was also the patron of many Chinese artists.
One more historic site for UNESCO ?
In 2017, an application was filed for the tomb to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In September 2020, the complex of magnificent ruins at the Marquess of Haihun site opened to the public. Covering more than 12 square kilometers and costing nearly 4 billion yuan, or $600 million, the place features spectacular relics unearthed from the burial complex.
