Lecture: The Journey after Death with Sandra Hill

A Visual Encounter with Dragons, Spirits & Other Mythical Creatures of Ancient China

Using the beautiful Mawangdui Funeral Banner as a visual guide, we will follow the soul on its journey to paradise, exploring the ancient Chinese concepts of life and death, heaven and earth, change and transformation.

Discovered in 1972, the Mawangdui tombs date from roughly 170-162 BCE; the most well preserved tomb was that of a noble woman, well versed in Daoist practices.

Amongst a treasury of grave goods, draped over the inner coffin, was a funeral banner, which is now considered to be the earliest surviving painting on silk. The banner presents us with a rich visual expression of the beliefs of the early Han dynasty, and provides an invaluable insight into the myths and legends which stretch back to the beginnings of recorded history.

Lecturer Biography:
Sandra Hill studied fine art before living in East Asia for several years. She studied with the French sinologists Claude Larre and Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallée, and co-authored a translation and commentary on Jingshen: the vital spirits, chapter 7 of the Huainanzi. She teaches the module on Daoism for the Temenos Foundation Course in the Perennial Philosophy, and is currently undertaking doctoral study at the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts.