Supporting Characters: A ceramic city surrounding the Jade and Gold Burial Suit at the Nelson Atkins

The Nelson Atkins' exhibition Dreams of the Kings: A Jade Suit for Eternity was such an impressive exhibit to experience. The main feature of this exhibit is a very elaborate 2,000 year old jade and gold burial suit with over 4,000 pieces of high quality, polished jade sewn together with gold wire and red silk.

Since jade was so precious and expensive, and caused looting of tombs, these burial suits were only used to encase corpses for about 15 years during the Han Dynasty. This particular suit is the highest quality suit that has ever been found.

When entering this exhibit, you first come upon the Court Ceremony, Feasting, Dance and Ritual portion. This features ceramic figures that are dancing and making music. The dancing figures have dramatic sleeves swinging around them. These figures are very fluid and full of motion. They show us a glimpse of the royal ceremonies, playing not only a role in entertainment, but in rituals guiding their king into the afterlife.

These musicians are posed playing a wind instrument. This probably would have been made from wood, so it did not last through the years.

The second portion of the exhibit is the Ritual; Warfare and Authority area. This features numerous ceramic warriors, once armed with wooden swords, protecting the King. Though fairly small, they are made en-masse, showing their strength and pride in their stoic poses.

Due to these figures' dress, they are representing the eunuchs that guarded the royal women. An opening in their palms may have been a place to put a ceremonial tablet.

The Kingdom of Chu was well known for its fierce cavalry. This ceramic cavalryman was created in multiple parts and joined after firing.