Body of Xin Zhui: The Best Preserved Human Mummy in History

Body of Xin Zhui: The Best Preserved Human Mummy in History
(Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Gary Todd)

Xin Zhui's body has remained well-preserved even after over 2,000 years since her death, as evident in her hair, soft skin, and flexible ligaments.

The Body of Xin Zhui -- The Best Preserved Mummy

The remains of Xin Zhui, also known as Lady Dai, surprised the world after it was discovered. She died 2,000 years ago, but the mummified woman from China's Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) has remained intact. The state of her body prompted many to dub her the "best preserved human mummy in history."

Xin Zhui's body was placed inside the smallest of four pine box coffins and wrapped in 20 layers of silk fabric. The remains were kept unusually well in a 21-gallon of unidentified fluid within the casket. The "unknown liquid" was tested, and researchers learned it was slightly acidic and contained traces of magnesium.

A thick layer of paste-like soil lined the floor. The entire thing was packed with moisture-absorbing charcoal and sealed with clay, keeping both oxygen and decay-causing bacteria out of her eternal chamber. The top was then sealed with an additional three feet of clay, preventing water from penetrating the structure.

Her muscles still permitted her arms and legs to flex at the joints, and her skin was wet and supple. Xin Zhui had modest levels of Type A blood in her veins, but all of her organs and blood vessels were still intact. According to the researchers, her official cause of death was a heart attack based on the blockages in the veins.

Her head was covered in hair, and a wig was secured to the back of her head using a hair clasp. Her nose, hair, and eyelashes were still there, and her face was still covered in flesh. Her left tympanic membrane remained unbroken, and her toe and fingerprints were visible.

On Dec. 14, 1972, medical professionals at Hunan Provincial Medical Institute conducted an autopsy of the preservation. This and subsequent analyses provided much information about Xin Zhui's way of life.

Due to the antibacterial qualities of wine and aromatic water, she would have received a body wash fit for a noblewoman. The acidic liquid covering Xin Zhui's corpse may have prevented bacteria from developing and preserved it. However, many experts argued that the fluid was not liquid poured into the coffin but bodily water.

The remains were found in 1971 when laborers virtually stumbled onto her enormous tomb while excavating next to an air raid bunker near Changsha. The corpse started to deteriorate as soon as the oxygen in the air hit her body, compromising her instantly. Thus, the images today don't do justice to the initial discovery.

Researchers credit the airtight and elaborate tomb in which Lady Dai was buried for preserving her body.

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Who Is Xin Zhui?

Xin Zhui was a Chinese marquise who lived during the Han era (226 BC-220 CE). Her social status can be considered mid-tier royalty, someone behind a king or duke.

More than a thousand priceless items were hidden in her funnel-shaped mausoleum, including cosmetics, toiletries, hundreds of lacquerware, and 162 carved wooden figures that symbolized her entourage of servants. Even a dinner was prepared for Xin Zhui to eat in the hereafter.

Lady Dai, the wife of Li Cang, the Marquis of Dai, a prominent Han official, passed away at 50. She was thought to have died from a heart attack caused by a lifetime of obesity, inactivity, and an extravagant and overindulgent diet.

Xin Zhui's body and belongings are currently under the care of the Hunan Museum. Artifacts from her tomb were displayed in Santa Barbara and New York City in 2009.