Shamanic Symbolism in the Robe Patterns of the Chu State: A Semiotic and Archaeological Study

Summary

Robes from Tomb No. 1 at Mashan, Jingzhou, typical of the ancient Chu state, have been studied mainly for textile technology and stylistic evolution, but their decorative patterns' shamanic symbolism was underexplored. Using a semiotic approach, integrating textual exegesis of the Chu Ci and evidence from excavated bamboo slips, analysis of three motif categories—divine symbols, cosmic imagery, and botanical patterns—reveals a hierarchical symbolic system encoding Chu cosmology, ritual practices, and aspirations for longevity. These findings bridge textual religious records and material cultural relics, laying a foundation for cross-cultural transmission research.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The robes unearthed from Tomb No. 1 at Mashan, Jingzhou, serve as typical representative artifacts of the ancient Chu state. Existing academic research has predominantly focused on the textile technology and stylistic evolution of these robes, yet the shamanic symbolism implied in their decorative patterns has long been insufficiently explored. To fill this research gap, this study adopts a semiotic approach, integrating textual exegesis of the Chu Ci with evidence from excavated bamboo slips. Through a systematic analysis of three core motif categories—divine symbols, cosmic imagery, and botanical patterns—the research reveals a hierarchical symbolic system that encodes the Chu state’s cosmology, ritual practices, and aspirations for longevity. These findings not only bridge the gap between textual religious records and material cultural relics but also lay a solid foundation for further research on the cross-cultural transmission of Chu heritage.

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