Where the Soul Belongs: The Search for a Meaningful Life Through Han Funerary Art — With a Focus on the Mawangdui T-Shaped Painting and Jinqueshan Han Tomb Silk Painting

Perceptions of life and death are deeply embedded in the artistic expressions of a society, shaped by its cultural, philosophical and social environment. This study explores how funerary paintings from the early Han dynasty - the Mawangdui T-shaped painting and the Jinqueshan Han tomb silk painting - reflect evolving views of life and the afterlife under changing social conditions. While both paintings derive from the funerary traditions of Chu culture and Daoist beliefs in immortality, their differences highlight a significant shift: the Mawangdui T-Shaped Painting emphasizes ascent to the heavenly world through nature worship and ancestral connections, while the Jinqueshan Painting focuses on the continuation of earthly pleasures, in line with Confucian ideals of social order and personal fulfillment. By analyzing these changes in artistic representation, this study reveals how Han dynasty society moved from collective, mythical conceptions of the afterlife to a more individual-centered perspective influenced by Confucianism. This shift reflects broader societal changes - from valuing ancestral heritage to recognizing individual lives as meaningful in the present world. Building on this historical study, the findings also inform the accompanying visual thesis, which draws inspiration from Han funerary paintings to reimagine the search for meaning in life. Through a contemporary artistic approach, the project explores how ancient beliefs about the afterlife can still inspire reflections on personal fulfillment and self-identity today.