Abstract: Among the tomb brick drawings dating back to the Wei and Jin Dynasties and the 16-State period (220-439) several depict wells and drawing water from the wells. In two of them we can see that the wells are located in the courtyard for convenient water drawing. This layout was similar to that of heartland China. In another two, the wells are located outside the courtyard, requiring people to go out to get water. The wells usually have square openings rising above the ground. Above the openings are headframes with pulley tackles. Besides wooden barrels (possibly), vessels used to draw water from the well include wicker baskets or perhaps animal hide bags, which had already come into use by that time. Vessels used to transport water include ribbands and vases, similar to kitchen drawings unearthed in Liaoning and Shandong provinces dating back to the Han dynasties (202 B.C.E – 220 A.D.). To carry water back required two people. The ones bearing water were female cooks. There is still another drawing in which water is carried on the back of a Qiang woman.

Key words: Han and Wei dynasties, well, water drawing and transporting method