Chinese aristocrat remains intact after 1,000 years

Chinese construction workers were surprised to find the coffin more than 1,000 years old containing the intact body of a man.

The coffins and bodies were excavated in Zhizhu village in An Hoa district, Hunan province, China. The man was allowed to die under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) or Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), Mirror reported on September 1.

Chinese noble mummy.

The body wore a garment made from fine fabrics, placed next to the favorite paper fan. The coffin of the man is made from premium limestone and wood, helping to preserve the corpse.

The Chinese Cultural Heritage Agency said the man could be a noble or have a rich background. The mountain found the coffin owned by a Wang family.

According to the authorities, the grave was discovered by chance by the excavator. Experts believe that this is the first intact corpse during the Ming or Qing period found in the town. The coffin and the corpse of the man were transferred to study.

Construction work in the excavation area has been halted. Authorities have not disclosed whether they are looking for the surviving descendant of the man, although they can determine their names as well as the burial place of the dead.