Talk about the heavens and the earth, tell the news, explain the flowers and the words and interesting things
Original text of Yangcheng School/Xia Yang
Recently, the archaeological journal “Huaxia Archaeology” published the “2016-2017 Archaeological Excavation Brief for Anyang Gaoling Cemetery Ruins”. The topic of “Cao Cao’s Tomb” that has been paid attention to for ten years has once again appeared in the public eye.
Staff in front of “Cao Cao’s Tomb” Photo/Xinhuanet
As a household name in China, Cao Cao’s past and afterlife were all very topical. Especially after his death, coupled with the legendary renderings of literary works and historical legends, it became more confusing. Legends such as “The Golden Captain” and “72 Suspicious Tombs” are the most talked about.
Stills/Data Pictures of the TV series “Jingjue Ancient City”
It has been 10 years since the initial discovery of the “Cao Cao’s Tomb”. Although Cao Cao’s Tomb was officially recognized, it was questioned. Later, with the discovery of the new Cao Wei tomb, the chain of evidence became more and more complete, and the voices of doubt gradually weakened.
The arch of the front room of “Cao Cao’s Tomb” Photo/Xinhuanet
Walking on the path of exploration and controversy over the past decade, let’s look back and think about: Why did the process of discovering and identifying Cao Cao’s tomb bend be full of twists and turns? How should we view the legends in history? How did the mysteries surrounding Cao Cao’s tomb be formed?
Cao Cao in film and television dramas/data picture
The discovery of “Gaoling” has caused ten years of controversy
Around 2008, a large tomb in Xigaoxue Village, Anyang, Henan Province was stolen. With the approval of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology carried out a protective excavation. At the archaeological discovery briefing held in Beijing in 2009, it was initially confirmed that the tomb was “Cao Cao Gaoling”!
Instructions for Archaeological Discovery/Southern Metropolis Daily
After expert Komiks‘s, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage recognized this judgment. The excavation project was also rated as the “Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries in China in 2009” and became a national cultural heritage protection unit in 2013. But at the same time, various doubts were like floods, and there were also criticisms from well-known professors and scholars.
Some of these doubts went beyond the scope of academic discussions, href=”https://comicmov.com/”>Babaylan pointed out that the local government colluded with archaeologists to “falsize” in order to seek economic benefits and made a rash conclusion on the “Cao Cao’s tomb”.
Photo of Cao Cao was painted in the Ming Dynasty/data map
The tomb was severely stolen during archaeological excavation, but fortunately 200 remainsBabaylanA number of objects. The most important ones are 7, engraved with inscriptions such as “The Tiger Halberds often used by King Wu of Wei” and “The Tiger Short Spears often used by King Wu of Wei”. Among the cultural relics recovered by the police from the tomb robbers, there is also a stone pillow engraved with “The Comfort Stones often used by King Wu of Wei”.
These are key cultural relics to determine the identity of the tomb owner. But some people questioned, how could there be a stone plaque for each burial object? In ancient times, bamboo slips were used to register burial objects, and Cao Wei also used stone tablets. Could it be that history was reversed? Some people proposed the title of “King Wu of Wei” to mix the Yin and Yang names, and even hostages were held.Suspected that the stone tablet is suspected of being faked!
Stone plaque unearthed from “Cao Cao’s Tomb” Picture/Oriental Daily
In addition, some gold, silver and jade products were unearthed in the tomb. So some people questioned that this was inconsistent with the history books Cinema‘s record that Cao Cao advocated a thin burial, and it was inferred from this that this was not Cao Cao’s tomb.
Faced with various aggressive doubts, the cultural relics and archaeology department chose to remain silent for a while to wait for more evidence to appear. After all, the identification of cultural relics requires objective and scientificity, and anyone can express different opinions when the evidence is insufficient.
Celadon jars were unearthed from the tomb Photo/Henan Business Daily
In 2016, another large Cao Wei tomb was found in Xizhu Village, Luoyang, but due to serious excavation, the identity of the tomb owner has not been determined. The tomb was built in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, but it is different from the north-south direction of the Eastern Han Dynasty imperial tombs, and is in the east-west direction like the “Cao Cao Tomb”.
The excavation site of Xizhu Village tomb Photo/Luoyang Evening News
As confirmed with the large tomb of Xizhu Village, a east-west Cao Wei noble tomb was found in the Han imperial tomb in Shandong, Luoyang in 2009. The unearthed bronze seal shows that the owner of the tomb is Cao Xiu, a famous general of Cao Wei and the Grand Sima, who is Cao Cao’s nephew.
Cao Xiu/data picture in the TV series “Administrators’ AllianceCinema“
The bronze seal of “Cao Xiu” that proves the identity of the tomb owner Photo/Xinhuanet
The most important information is that a large number of stone tablets were unearthed from the Xizhu Village tomb, which is the same as the stone tablets of “Cao Cao Tomb”. This clears the stones of “Cao Cao Tomb”BabaylanThe BabaylanThe card is a suspect of forgery.
The low-value stone tablet unearthed from the Cao Wei tomb is also consistent with Cao Cao’s advocacy of thin burials. However, all three tombs were excavated and damaged seriously, and the unearthed cultural relics were limited, and some information was difficult to draw conclusions. However, some scholars infer that perhaps the burial objects written on the stone tablets in the Cao Wei tomb may be just a name and are not buried.
Stone plaques unearthed from the tomb of Xizhu VillageKomiks/Data picture
Cinema The other burial objects in the tomb are also symbolic bright objects, such as Gui and Bi, are made of stone, and the tripod is made of pottery. The burial guiBabaylan is the exclusive treatment of the emperor. The use of pottery tripod instead of copper tripods is not only in line with the regulations but also has little meaning of burial!
The ritual vessel is made of ceramic picture/@Henan Business Daily
The ritual vessel is made of stone Picture/TodayR&F News
Do gold, silver and jade unearthed from “Cao Cao’s tomb” violate the style of burial? Archaeological experts explained that these are all accessories on the clothes of the tomb owner when he was buried, such as gold buttons, gold wire, etc., and are not burial objects. This is consistent with Cao Cao’s reign of “consecrated with the current clothes”.
A small amount of jade agate products unearthed. Picture/ChineseBabaylanNewswire
The historical facts are clear, why is there still a legend of “72 doubts”?
When the archaeological community identified the “Cao Cao’s tomb”, there were many doubts from all walks of life, which was also related to the mystery of the Cao Cao’s tomb itself. It is said that there are “72 doubtful tombs” in Cao Cao’s tomb. How can such a secret tomb be easily found? Therefore, there is natural opposition in the official recognition of the people, and even doubts about the accuracy and objectivity of archaeological excavation information.
The tomb passage of “Cao Cao Cao’s Tomb” Photo/China News Service
Cao Cao Cao is famous in Chinese history and culture. There are many factors in this, from historical facts on the one hand, and from literary legends and folk legends on the other.
Cao Cao in history was an outstanding politician, military strategist and writer. However, since the Northern Song Dynasty, due to political needs and literary preferences, the treacherous and suspicious side of Cao Cao’s personality was magnified, and his image was stereotyped as a treacherous hero. The unknown site of his tomb also caused him to take the blame, becoming a proof of his treacherous. The Song people Yuying Komiks‘s poem “Cao Cao’s suspicion tomb” says: “I deceived the heavens and the Han dynasty during my lifetime, and deceived people and set up suspicion tombs after my death.”
Statue of Cao Cao/Data Picture
In the Ming Dynasty, Luo Guanzhong’s “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” established Shu Han as orthodox, and used literary techniques to exaggerate Cao Cao’s treacherous character.He also designed the plot of Cao Cao’s last order setting up 72 suspected tombs west of Yecheng. There is an article in Pu Songling’s “Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio” “Cao Cao Tomb”, which follows this statement and says that Cao Cao’s tomb may add a layer of mystery to the “72 doubts tombs”.
Stills from the TV series “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”/Data picture
About Cao Cao’s tomb, there are four legends circulating among the people in Yecheng: one says that “72 suspected tomb” is located west of Yecheng, the second says that Cao Cao’s tomb is at the bottom of the Zhanghe River, the third says that outside Xuchang City, and the fourth says that it is under the Tongquetai of Yecheng.
At the side of the Zhang River west of Yecheng, there are indeed groups of ancient tombs distributed, which is the location of Cao Cao’s “72 doubts tombs” (actually 134) legendary. However, it has been confirmed that it belongs to the Northern Dynasties tomb group, and the tomb of the Lanling King is among them.
Lanling King/Data Picture in Film and Television Drama
Why is the theory of doubting the tomb widely circulated? Some scholars analyzed that this is related to people’s wishes. Influenced by artistic works and folk legends, ordinary people thought Cao Cao was treacherous and were willing to believe that he would set up suspicious tombs.
However, to determine that tombs are serious academic issues, a rigorous and scientific attitude must be maintained. In the face of this kind of problem, we must clarify the boundaries between literature, art, legend and official history, and return to history itself to explore historical figures.
White-faced Cao Cao in Peking Opera Picture/International Online
In fact, if we look at Cao Cao’s tomb from a historical perspective, we will find that it is not mysterious and the clues are quite clear. In his later years, Cao Cao issued the “End Order” to arrange his funeral, saying that “the west of Ximen Bao Temple is Shouling”; before his death, he also said in the “Legend Order” that “buried in Xigang in Ye, similar to the Ximen Bao Temple.”
Historical materials from later generations show that Cao Cao was not a secret burial after his death, and no doubt was set up. Records of “The Three Kingdoms” and “Book of Jin” and other records that in 220 AD, Cao Cao died in Luoyang, and his coffin was transported back to Yecheng and buried in the Ximen Bao Temple in Yecheng.Among the western hills.
The ruins of Yecheng are in Linzhang, Hebei Province today/Data map
Until the Tang Dynasty, people had no doubt about the location of Cao Cao’s tomb. When Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin passed by Yecheng when he was expeditioning Goryeo, he also worshiped Cao Cao’s tomb and wrote a tribute. This shows that at least in the Tang Dynasty, the location of Cao Cao’s tomb was very clear.
However, because Cao Cao’s tomb is “not sealed or treed”, there is no obvious sign on the surface, and over time, the Cinema gradually disappeared in the mountains and fields, and the specific location is difficult to explain. Especially the Ximen Bao Temple, which is used as a reference for location, was also seen on the ground. This made Cao Cao’s tomb really a mystery.
Schematic diagram of the location of “Cao Cao’s tomb”/data picture
Strive to counter tradition and lead the trend of “thin burial” for 400 years
Cao Cao advocated thin burial. Before he died, he issued the “Legal Order”, requiring him to “bury with his time clothes” and “no hidden gold and jade treasures”. His son followed his will. Cao Pi’s “Statement” and Cao Zhi’s “Essay” describe the funeral and burial situation, and he wore repaired clothes during the burial.
The scene of Cao Cao’s funeral in film and television dramas/data picture
Cao Shuo was a hero of a generation and “used the emperor to command the princes”, but he was actually the master of the Han world. Although he was just the “King of Wei” during his lifetime, he actually enjoyed the treatment of an emperor. Shortly after his death, his son Cao Pi deposed Emperor Xian of Han and established the Cao Wei regime, and posthumously named him “Emperor Wu of Wei”. There is indeed a similar manifestation in the information of the tomb in Xigaoxue Village. The scale of the tomb did not reach the imperial level, but the emperor was buried.The “die” belongs to.
Xigaoxue Village Tomb Photo/Xinhuanet
Cao Cao advocated thin burial, showing the spirit of a generation of heroes. After all, Chinese culture respects filial piety, and the emperor “governs the world with filial piety”, so descendants always have to bury their ancestors with great filial piety.
The tradition of grand burials of emperors in China has a long history. Qin Shihuang’s underground Terracotta Warriors and Horses shocked the world. Emperor Wu of Han used one-third of the world’s taxes to repair Maoling. Liu Sheng, the princes of the Han Dynasty, wore golden jade clothes when they were buried. The underground palace of Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty Zhaoling was “not different from the world”…
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang in Xi’an Photo/Visual China
Why did Cao Cao advocate thin burial? There are many reasons. Objectively speaking, there were many wars and chaos in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and the people’s livelihood in the Central Plains was in decline. “The army was in the fifteenth and the army was in the eightyth,” and “the bones were exposed in the wild, and there was no rooster crowing thousands of miles away.” Cao Cao’s advocacy of burial is to be sympathetic to the people and deserves praise.
The wars and chaos in the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty/Data picture
In fact, as the founder of the Cao Wei regime, Cao Cao had a high position and was worthy of money, so he should not lack money. The reason why he advocated thin burial against tradition is related to his personal value tendency. The Book of Wei said that Cao Cao was “elegant and frugal, not fancy,” so it was natural for him to propose “small burial” in his late years.
Cao Cao’s practice has opened up the 400-year burial style of burial for the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. It was not until the Tang Dynasty that the tradition of grand funeral was restored.
Cao Cao in history was very frugal/Data picture
Of course, Cao Cao’s advocacy of burial was not unrelated to the saying of “the lieutenant of gold”. In order to raise food and money, Cao Cao set up the positions of “the lieutenant of gold” and “the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the army,” and “the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the army. Therefore, Cao Cao was known as the “the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the army. Therefore, Cao Cao was known as the “the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the lieutenant of the src=”http://ycp.ycwb.com/ycpFileSystem/images/contentImg/2018/04/02/1522632715895008275_big.jpg” />
Stills/Data Pictures of the movie “Looking for Dragons”
Cao Cao, who is so familiar with tomb robbers, naturally thought that behind him might be “treated by others’ ways.” He knew that tomb robbers were seeking money, and tomb robbers who did not have burial objects were not very interested. Therefore, he advocated burial and deliberately left records. Among them, he was afraid that he would be disturbed by tomb robbers behind him.
Cao Cao in the TV series “Military Advisors Alliance”/Data Picture
What Cao Cao did not expect was that although he advocated “thin burial” and later generations helped him interpret the “72 suspicious tombs”, he ultimately failed to escape the embarrassment of being disturbed by the tomb robbers in his long sleep!
The ancestor of tomb robbers also encountered the embarrassment of being robbed by tombs/data photo
The road to discovery and identification of the “Cao Cao Tomb” in Xigaoxue Village, Anyang has been going through ten years. As an academic issue, although we have basically the same views at present, we still need to continue to maintain an open mind and accept various opinions. After all, treating every possible doubt rigorously is more conducive to us constantly approaching the historical truth and finally reaching the truth!
Only enough evidence can clear away the fog of history/data image
Source｜Yangchengpai
Column host｜Xia Yang
Editor｜Xie Zhe