TY  - BOOK
AU  - Davis,Timothy M.
TI  - Entombed epigraphy and commemorative culture in early medieval China: a brief history of early muzhiming 
T2  - Studies in the history of Chinese texts,
SN  - 9789004306424
AV  - PL2447 .D38 2015
U1  - 895.18/02 23
PY  - 2015///
CY  - Leiden
PB  - Brill
KW  - Inscriptions, Chinese
KW  - History and criticism
KW  - Epitaphs
KW  - China
KW  - History
KW  - To 1500
KW  - Tombs
KW  - Burial
KW  - Memorials
KW  - Antiquities
KW  - 220-589
KW  - Sources
KW  - Social life and customs
KW  - 221 B.C.-960 A.D
N1  - Includes bibliographical references and index; Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- 1 The Social Functions of Early Medieval Muzhiming  -- 2 The Religious Functions of Entombed Epigraphy -- 3 Mortuary Epigraphy Moves Underground -- 4 Entombed Epigraphy in an Era of Political Instability -- 5 Historiographical Biography and Commemorative Biography -- 6 The Rise of Muzhiming as a Literary Genre -- Conclusion -- Appendix A: Entombed Epitaphs from the Western Jin and Eastern Jin Dynasties -- Appendix B: Northern Wei Entombed Epitaphs Prior to 494 CE -- Works Cited -- Index; Available to subscribing member institutions only
N2  - In Entombed Epigraphy and Commemorative Culture Timothy M. Davis presents a history of early muzhiming —the most versatile and persistent commemorative form employed in the elite burials of pre-modern China. While previous scholars have largely overlooked the contemporary religious, social, and cultural functions of these epigraphic objects, this study directly addresses these areas of concern, answering such basic questions as: Why were muzhiming buried in tombs? What distinguishes commemorative biography from dynastic history biography? And why did muzhiming develop into an essential commemorative genre esteemed by the upper classes? Furthermore, this study reveals how aspiring families used muzhiming to satisfy their obligations to deceased ancestors, establish a multi-generational sense of corporate identity, and strengthen their claims to elite status
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/9789004306424
ER  -