Tomb mural

from Xuanhua, Hebei Province In 1971 , villagers leveling ground in Xuanhua, Hebei Province discovered an ancient tomb that contained a mural in basically good condition. Despite a thousand years of exposure to the elements, its colors were still fresh and bright. Inscriptions on the tomb indicated that the deceased was a high offcial of the Liao Dynasty (907-112 5 AD) named Zhang Shiqing (dates of birth and death unknown). The mural depicts a performance by eleven musicians and one dancer. Five people stand in the front row, playing two bili (oboes), sheng (reed pipes), yaogu (waist drum), and large drum. In the back row are six people, playing paiban, pipa (lute), yaogu (waist drum), 12-pipe paixiao (panpipes), and two hengdi (transverse flutes). In the very front, a person of short stature dances to the rhythm of the music. This mural most likely portrays a performance by a popular Xiban troupe primarily presenting instrumental music and dance of the time.

qingquang

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