Material Evidence of the Heji (Harmonious Integration) Policy: Integration Mechanism between the Silk Threaded Jade Burial Suit and the Jade Burial System in the Tomb of King Zhao Mo of Nanyue

Abstract

During the transition from the Qin to the Han dynasty, Zhao Tuo established the Nanyue Kingdom in the Lingnan region and implemented the highly innovative Heji (Harmonious Integration) policy, which provided a stable political foundation for the deep integration of Central Plains and Baiyue cultures.

This paper focuses on the jade artifacts unearthed from the tomb of the Nanyue king, especially the most representative silk‑threaded jade burial suit, with the aim of deciphering the cultural codes of integration embedded in these material remains. It argues that the Nanyue jade burial system was not a simple imitation of Central Plains ritual institutions, but rather a bidirectional interaction of “inheritance” and “adaptation” carried out under the framework of the Heji (Harmonious Integration) policy.

Specifically, the silk‑threaded jade burial suit strictly follows the burial‑jade conventions of the Central Plains in both form and structure, thereby signifying its alignment with political orthodoxy. In contrast, its material composition, decorative motifs, and combined functions display distinct Baiyue characteristics, highlighting the agency of local culture. Employing a research methodology that combines micro‑level case study with macro‑level analysis, this paper shows that the silk‑threaded jade suit and the jade burial system it represents function not only as the material embodiment of the successfully implemented Heji (Harmonious Integration) policy but also reveal the resilient wisdom and practical pathways that underlie the emergence of the early Chinese civilization’s pattern of pluralistic unity.