Local archaeologists have unearthed a well-preserved mummy
dating back more than 280 years in the Shijingshan District of the
national capital Beijing.?
The mummy, identified as a male, is 1.73 meters long and
flesh-colored. Curiously, the man has six toes on the left
foot.
Archaeologists with the Shijingshan cultural relics department
said that, judging from the relics unearthed inside the tomb, it
had been built during the reign of Qing Dynasty Emperor
Kangxi(1662-1722). The size of the tomb was not
mentioned.?
The man wore a court dress decorated with a Kylin design, an
auspicious legendary animal with a horn and scaled body, which
indicates that he would have been a top-ranking military official
of the Qing Dynasty. However, the characters carved on the coffin
indicate that he was a civilian official of the fourth rank.
Further researches are needed to identify the status of the
official, an archaeologist was quoted as saying by Monday's
Beijing Youth Daily.
During the Qing Dynasty, the dresses of government and military
officials were embroidered with the images of beasts including the
Kylin, lion, leopard, tiger, bear and young tiger, while the
designs for civilian officials' dresses included the crane, golden
pheasant, peacock, swan goose and egret to indicate the rank of
their status.
Archaeologists sorted out 31 pieces of relics from the tomb
including an official's cap, a long string of beads, as worn by
senior officials of the Qing Dynasty, a ceremonial gown, a
ceremonial robe and a sachet.
Currently, the 31 pieces of relics are all housed at the Capital
Museum.
(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2006)