One of the national treasures of the Luoyang Museum: the Eastern Han Dynasty Gilded Bronze Feathered Man!

✅The Eastern Han Dynasty Gilded Bronze Feathered Man was unearthed in 1987 from a mid-to-late Eastern Han tomb in the eastern suburbs of Luoyang at a locomotive factory site. The tomb was covered with a tall earthen mound and yielded a gilded bronze and jade-threaded burial suit. According to the "Book of the Later Han · Rites and Ceremonies," during the Han Dynasty, the jade burial suit system allowed princes and marquises to use burial suits threaded with silver or bronze. The gilded bronze and jade-threaded suit likely indicated a higher status, so it is speculated that the tomb owner was a noble, possibly a prince or a person of high rank.
✔The Feathered Man is entirely gilded and features exquisite inlay work with gold and silver threads. The fine details of feathers, scroll patterns, and cloud motifs are clearly visible, showcasing superb craftsmanship that appears delicate and luxurious. It holds a cylindrical object with a flat front and rounded back, decorated with auspicious cloud and wave patterns. The object is hollow inside and open at the top, possibly a medicine box for holding immortality herbs like lingzhi or a stand for placing other items. Its exact purpose remains undetermined.
✔In the Han Dynasty, feathered men were regarded as divine beings with feathers growing from their bodies or wings on their shoulders, also called immortals or perfected beings. They were believed to ascend to heaven, guide ascension, bestow immortality elixirs, and were closely associated with eternal life.
✔The "Classic of Mountains and Seas" mentions a "Feathered People’s Country," whose inhabitants "have feathers growing from their bodies"; the "Chu Ci · Far Journey" contains the verse "Still the feathered man at Dan Hill, staying in the old immortal homeland," with Han Dynasty scholar Wang Yi annotating it as "people who attain the Way grow feathers and fur."
✔Besides the bronze feathered man, images of feathered men frequently appear in Han tomb murals, engraved bricks and stones, and some jade artifacts. They often appear in celestial realms alongside the Queen Mother of the West and auspicious beasts, engaging in activities such as guiding ascension, offering immortality elixirs, and playing the game of liubo.
A treasure hotel was also discovered in Luoyang—the Yuebo Hotel (Yingtianmen Luoyi Ancient City Branch). The hotel boasts a prime location, very close to the Luoyang Museum, about 5 kilometers away, making taxi rides very convenient. The hotel offers free Hanfu (traditional clothing) experiences and 24-hour coffee service. Facilities are comprehensive, and the service is attentive.

Post by AstroNavigator_901 | Oct 19, 2025