Jiangling

A county seat of the Ch'in dynasty (221-206 BC) in third century BC China. Western Chou, Eastern Zhou, and Han remains as well as burials containing painted lacquers are of interest. Chiang-ling was also a center of a handicraft-textile industry, which was developed on a large scale by the Ch'ing dynasty in the 18th century, Chiang-ling satins being especially famous.

[Chiang-ling]. A city in Hubei province on the north bank of the Yangzi River, China. Scattered Western Zhou finds have been made in the Jiangling district but far more important are extensive Eastern Zhou and Han remains associated with the Chu culture. The walled city of Ji’nan just outside present-day Jiangling is believed to be the site of Ying, the principal Chu capital from 689 BC until its capture by Qin in 278 bc, when the Chu court removed eastward to settle finally at Shou Xian in Anhui. Over 800 Chu burials ranging in date from the 8th to the 2nd century bc were excavated in the Jiangling district between 1961 and 1982, an abundance suggesting that Jiangling was a more important Chu centre, by comparison for instance with Changsha, than was previously supposed. Especially notable are two 4th-century tombs excavated at Wangshan in 1965, which contained painted lacquers of exceptional interest. A number of tombs of the early Han period (2nd century bc) have been found since 1973 at Fenghuangshan within the walls of Ji’nan; the tomb furnishings include lacquers and inscribed bamboo slips.