Hunan Provincial Museum

The Hunan Provincial Museum holds one of the most remarkable archaeological finds of the twentieth century: the intact body of Lady Dai (formally Xin Zhui, the Marquise of Dai), who died around 160 BC and was interred under conditions so ideal that when her tomb was excavated in 1972 her skin was still pliable and pathologists could conduct a full autopsy. The preservation is the result of an airtight wooden coffin system sealed within layers of white clay and charcoal, combined with a location above the water table that prevented bacterial growth. No one has fully replicated the method.

The grave goods are, if possible, even more remarkable than the body. The Mawangdui tomb contained complete lacquerware still showing its original colours after two thousand years, painted silk garments, a T-shaped silk funeral banner of extraordinary beauty, a complete set of musical instruments, a silk map of the Han empire, and hundreds of food offerings sealed in ceramic vessels. The museum's permanent exhibition presents all of this across several floors with good English labelling. Allow two to three hours. Entry is free but timed-entry tickets are required and fill up early on weekends — book online the day before. The museum is in the northern part of the city, about 20 minutes by metro from Wuyi Square.

things to do museum
A story
When pathologists examined Lady Dai's body after the 1972 excavation, they found her skin still pliable, her joints still flexible, and her internal organs intact enough for a complete autopsy. They determined she had died around age 50 from heart disease, probably brought on by obesity, a rich diet, and physical inactivity. Her gut still contained 138 melon seeds — she had apparently eaten melon shortly before death. She was the best-preserved ancient human body ever found, and remains so.