Why did ancient Chinese emperors use jade coffins?

Because of their belief in the magical properties of jade, ancient Chinese nobles were often buried in jade coffins sewn with gold or silver thread.

2,000 years ago, during the Han Dynasty, members of the ancient Chinese royal family were buried in hand-sewn jade coffins. The meticulously cut jade blocks were held together with gold and silver threads. It was a custom reserved for the wealthiest and most politically influential of the time, according to IFL Science .

An intact jade coffin. (Photo: Maksim Gulyachik)

Jade occupies a prominent place in ancient Chinese history. This type of jade has been favored for its durability and hardness since the Neolithic period (about 3500 - 2000 BC), when primitive people used it as tools and weapons. Over the centuries, the ancients believed that jade had magical properties and so it became increasingly popular . Therefore, jade appeared in rituals, used as decoration as well as jewelry. During the Han Dynasty (from 202 BC), jade objects were often decorated with animal motifs and were the ornaments of the upper class.

Because of its durability and aesthetic beauty (especially its transparent color), jade became a symbol of purity, integrity, and immortality. For the Han people, humans had a soul and a body. The soul went to the afterlife after death, existing with the immortals. Meanwhile, the body remained in the tomb and could only be united with the soul through ritual. Jade played an important role in this ritual, because its magical properties were believed to help protect the body and soul in the tomb .

Chinese historian Sima Qian (145 - 86 BC) wrote that Emperor Wu of Han (157 - 87 BC) had a jade cup engraved with characters. Emperor Wu of Han also drank an elixir of life made from jade powder mixed with morning dew taken from a bronze plate to prolong his life, but it was ineffective.

Because of the importance of jade to the soul, the Han people would use as much jade as possible to give the deceased a special status. The practice of making jade coffins to protect the immortal body was the next step . Jade coffins were first mentioned in Chinese history books in 320 but remained a mystery until the late 20th century. In 1968, researchers discovered two complete jade coffins made of thousands of small jade blocks sewn with gold thread. The coffins were located in the tomb of King Liu Sheng of Zhongshan and his wife Princess Dou. The tomb had not been disturbed by thieves before.

According to the Book of the Later Han, the type of thread used to sew jade coffins depended on the status of the deceased and not everyone was allowed to use gold thread. Only emperors were allowed to use this thread while princes, princesses, kings and marquises used silver thread. The sons and daughters of the above nobles used bronze thread while the lesser nobles used silk. Those of lower classes were forbidden from burying jade coffins in their tombs.

The practice appears to have ended during the reign of the first emperor of Wei due to fears that such luxurious objects would attract grave robbers who would burn the coffin for its gold and silver threads.