During the feudal era, it often took several months or even years for many Chinese emperors to be buried. Therefore, ancient people had methods to prevent the corpse from decaying.
The Chinese emperor was the supreme ruler of the country, holding ultimate power. The life of a monarch has always been a topic of curiosity for future generations. Among these, the burial customs of emperors attract public interest. Researchers have uncovered a significant secret: after passing away, emperors were not buried immediately like ordinary people.
The funeral of an emperor typically occurred several months, or even years, after the time of death. This delay was due to the elaborate preparations required for the burial process, which included the tomb, coffin, and various burial items, all adhering to complex funeral customs. To preserve the emperor’s body and prevent it from decomposing and emitting unpleasant odors, ancient people employed a special procedure.
First, those responsible for the funeral would wash the emperor’s body with sandalwood perfume to ensure cleanliness after death.
Next, they applied white liquor all over the emperor’s corpse to ward off bacterial infection. Afterward, the attendants would dress the emperor and place him in the coffin. Surrounding the corpse, they placed many cold stones and small pieces of ice. These would be continuously replaced to help keep the body at a low temperature.
The room housing the emperor’s coffin contained plant ashes to help reduce humidity in the air. (Illustration).
Additionally, the ancients would place various fragrances and charcoal to slow down the decomposition process and reduce unpleasant odors. Inside the room where the emperor’s coffin was placed, several types of plant ashes were arranged to help reduce humidity in the air.
With these methods, the emperor’s body would not decay before being buried in a grand mausoleum, even if it had been several months to years since his death.
