A Glimpse into the Daily Life of the Wealthy from a Millennium Ago

Tomb M5 in the Fenyang Song-Jin Tombs is the tomb of Wang Li. Wang Li was a prominent landowner in the area during the Mingchang period of the Jin Dynasty (1195), and his name is also mentioned in the "Record of the Construction of the Jiaotan Altar at Taifu Temple" from the Cheng'an period of the Jin Dynasty (1200). The murals in Tomb M5 are rich and diverse. The "Incense Kitchen" and "Tea and Wine Area" murals are located on the northwest and northeast walls of the tomb, respectively. The tomb features numerous figures, including the elderly tomb owner and his wife, boys, girls, beautiful singing girls, honest male servants, fierce-looking door gods, and meticulous accountants. These figures have different identities, rich facial expressions, and diverse clothing. In the "Tea and Wine Area" mural, the tea-making scene is particularly striking. The depiction of tea making is unique, highlighting the specific actions of whisking the tea to a boil and frothing it. The male servants on either side of the tomb door in Tomb M5 hold different items: the servant on the east side holds a fan in his left hand, while the servant on the west side carries a money bag on his left shoulder. They face the tomb owner, reflecting the family workshop-style commercial economy of the time. The "Woman Opening the Door" motif in Tomb M5 is a common pattern found on tombs and pagodas since the Han Dynasty. The woman depicted in Tomb M5 is young and beautiful, half-concealed behind the door, as if about to emerge. This aligns with the custom of wealthy families in the Song-Jin period keeping female entertainers and singers. The money exchange scene and the early form of a bank depicted in Tomb M5 are among the most significant discoveries of this excavation. This mural, located in a prominent position within the tomb, features three figures: one woman and two men. Inside a fenced area, a man stands at a window, holding a small slip of paper and conversing with someone outside. Outside the fence, to the left, a man sits at a wooden table, writing. To the right of the wooden table, opposite the man, a woman walks forward, holding a string of copper coins. This scene provides valuable clues about the form of banks and the money exchange process during that time.