Maidiquan — Tomb Land-Purchase Contracts
Overview
Section titled “Overview”Canonical entry drawn from a single source layer in 17_AGGRESSIVE_ARCHIVE_SWEEP_II_v2_5.md.
Research layers
Section titled “Research layers”Layer 1: Maidiquan — Tomb Land-Purchase Contracts
Section titled “Layer 1: Maidiquan — Tomb Land-Purchase Contracts”Source file:
17_AGGRESSIVE_ARCHIVE_SWEEP_II_v2_5.md
Chinese: 買地券 / 地券 / 墓券 / 幽券
Class: FUNERARY LEGAL MAGIC
Land-purchase contracts were deposited in Chinese tombs for centuries and could be made from:
- stone;
- brick;
- metal;
- jade;
- bamboo/wood and other media.
Three major functions identified in scholarship
Section titled “Three major functions identified in scholarship”- purchase/legitimation of tomb land;
- tomb protection;
- release/severance from harmful postmortem claims.
Ritual logic
Section titled “Ritual logic”The deceased’s occupation of underground land is transformed into a legal transaction recognized by underworld authorities.
Typical documentary structure
Section titled “Typical documentary structure”- identify deceased;
- date transaction;
- identify land/location;
- identify seller/underworld authority;
- specify price or symbolic payment;
- define boundaries;
- invoke witnesses/officials;
- prohibit interference;
- establish perpetual right;
- deposit contract in tomb.
Research importance
Section titled “Research importance”This is bureaucratic magic in literal contract form.