Coffin with painted designs on black lacquer coating

Coffin with painted designs on black lacquer coating

Unearthed from Tomb No.1 at Mawangdui in Changsha in 1972
This is the coffin of the second layer in the Tomb No. 1 at Mawangdui. Its inside is coated with vermilion lacquer. At the middle part of the inner side on the right plank, there are running horses and figures, represented in fast strokes. Its outside, coated with black lacquer, is painted with patterns of dynamic flowing cloud scrolls. There are also various gods, spirits, birds and beasts in vivid forms.