Figure with Dragon and Phoenix Silk Painting

One of ‌China’s earliest surviving silk paintings‌, marking a milestone in pre-Qin art and influencing Han Dynasty tomb paintings. Created in the ‌late mid-Warring States period‌ (4th century BCE). This artwork exemplifies the ‌fusion of ritual, mythology, and artistry‌ in Warring States Chu culture, offering insights into early Chinese cosmology and funerary practices.

Central Figure‌: A ‌noblewoman‌ stands in profile, wearing a wide-sleeved robe and high bun, with hands clasped in prayer12.

Above her: A ‌phoenix‌ spreads its wings in flight, its tail feathers curling upward17.

To the left: A sinuous ‌yellow dragon‌ ascends dynamically. Initially misidentified as a one-legged mythical creature (kui) due to damage17.

Beneath the figure: A crescent-shaped object, interpreted as a "dragon boat" or symbolic lunar motif27.