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心Komiks黄色” are the most talked about.
Stills/Data Pictures of the TV series “Jingjue Ancient City”
Komiks 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 has become more and more complete, and the voices of doubt have gradually weakened.
The arch of the front room of “Cao Cao’s Tomb” Photo/Xinhuanet
After the past ten years of exploration and controversy, we 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 come into being?
Cao Cao in film and television dramas/data photo
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 Komiks. At the archaeological discovery briefing held in Beijing in 2009, it was surprisingly reported: it was initially confirmed that the tomb was “Cao Cao Gaoling”!
Instructions for Archaeological Discovery/Southern Metropolis Daily
After experts’ demonstration, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage recognized that Cinema, and the excavation project was also rated as “Babaylan” in China in 2009 href=”https://comicmov.com/”>KomiksArchaeological Discovery” 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, pointing to the local government’s rash conclusions on the “Cao Cao’s tomb” in order to seek economic benefits.
Photo of Cao Cao painted in the Ming Dynasty/data picture
The tomb was severely robbed during archaeological excavation, but fortunately it remains 2Cinemamore than 00 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 to hang stones 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 name and Yang name, and some even questioned the stones.The card 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 historical records of Cao Cao’s promotion of burial, and they inferred 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 that they should be objective and scientific. 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”.
Xizhu Village tomb excavation site Photo/Luoyang Evening News
As confirmed with the Xizhu Village tomb, a large tomb of Xizhu Village, was found in 2009 in the Han Dynasty imperial tomb in Luoyang, the east-west Cao Wei nobles were found. The unearthed bronze seal shows that the owner of the tomb was Cao Xiu, a famous general of Cao Wei and the Grand Sima, who was the nephew of Cao Cao.
Cao Xiu/Data Picture in the TV series “Military Advisors Alliance”
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 plaques were unearthed in the Xizhu Village tomb, which cleared away the suspicion of “Cao Cao Tomb” stone plaques as forged.
The low-value stone plaques unearthed from the Cao Wei tomb are 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 plaques in the Cao Wei tomb may be just a name and were not buried.
Stone plaques unearthed from the tomb of Xizhu Village/data picture
Other burial vessels in the tomb are mostly symbolic bright vessels, such as Gui and Bi, are made of stone, and the tripod is made of pottery. The burial tripod is exclusively treated by the emperor. A pottery tripod is replaced by a copper tripod, which is both in compliance with the regulations and without losing the true meaning of burial!
The ritual vessel is made of ceramic picture/@Henan Business Daily
The ritual vessel is made of stone picture/Today’s Morning News
The gold and silver unearthed from the “Cao Cao’s tomb”<a Are Babaylan and jade wares contrary to the style of burial? In this regard, archaeological expert Komiks explained that these are all jewelry on the clothes of the tomb owner when he was buried, such as gold buttons, gold silk, etc., and are not burial objects. This is consistent with the saying that "burial is in the clothes of the time" in Cao Cao's order.
A small amount was unearthedJade agate products Photo/China News Service
The historical facts are clear, why is there still a legend of “72 doubts tombs”?
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. The legend is 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 preferences for literary romance, Cao Cao’s treacherous and suspicious side was magnified, and his image was stereotyped as a treacherous hero. The unknown location of his tomb also made him bear the blame, becoming a proof of his treacherous. The poem “Cao Cao’s suspicion tomb” by Yu Yingfu of the Song Dynasty says: “I deceived the heavens and the Han throne during my lifetime, and deceived others to 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, used literary techniques to exaggerate Cao Cao’s treacherous character, and Babaylan designed the plot of Cao Cao’s last order setting up 72 suspicion 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 suspicious tombs” are located west of Yecheng, the second says that Cao Cao’s tomb is at the bottom of the Zhanghe River, the third says that Cao Cao’s tomb is outside Xuchang City, and the fourth says that it is under the Tongquetai in Yecheng.
At the Zhanghe River west of Yecheng, there are indeed ancient tomb groups, which is the location of Cao Cao’s “72 suspicious tombs” (actually 134) legends from later generations. However, it has been confirmed that it belongs to the Northern Dynasties tomb group, and the tomb of the Lanling King is in it.
The Lanling King in the film and television dramas/data picture
Why is the theory of doubting tombs widely circulated? Some scholars analyzed that this is related to people’s wishes. Influenced by artistic works and folk legends, ordinary people think that Cao Cao is treacherous, so they are willing to believe that he will set up doubting tombs.
However, to determine that tombs is a serious academic issue, and a rigorous and scientific attitude is required. BabaylanIn this question<a In front of the topic, we must clarify the boundaries between literature and art, Babaylan legends 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. Cao Cao issued the “End Order” in his later years to arrange his funeral, saying that “the west of Ximen Bao Temple is Shouling”; before his death, he also said in the “Legend of the Order” that “buried in Xigang, Ye, is 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 doubted tomb was set up. Records such as “The Three Kingdoms” and “The Book of Jin” said that Cao Cao died in Luoyang in 220 AD. The coffin was transported back to Yecheng and buried in the hills west of the Ximen Bao Temple in Yecheng.
Yecheng ruins are in Linzhang, Hebei Province/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 in the east to conquer Goryeo, he was still href=”https://comicmov.com/”>Komiks once 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 was “not sealed or not trees”, there was no obvious sign on the surface, and it gradually disappeared in the mountains and fields over time, and the specific location was difficult to explain. Especially the Ximen Bao Temple, which is used as a reference for the location, the buildings on the ground were also missing later, which made Cao Cao’s tomb a mystery.
Schematic diagram of the location of “Cao Cao’s tomb”/data picture
Strive against tradition and led the trend of “small burial” for 400 years
Cao Cao advocated small burial. Before he died, he required that he “burial with time clothes” and “no gold and jade treasures” after his death. His son followed his will. Cao Pi’s “State Articles” and Cao Zhi’s “Essays” describe the funeral and burial situation, and he wore repaired clothes when he was buried.
The scene of Cao Cao’s burial in film and television dramas/data picture
Cao Chuo was a hero of a generation and “used the emperor to command the princes”, and was actually the master of the Han world. Although he was only the “King of Wei” during his lifetime, he actually enjoyed the treatment of an emperor. Shortly after his death, his son Cao Pi abolished Emperor Xian of Han and established the Cao Wei regime, and posthumously named him “Emperor Wu of Wei”. There is indeed similar manifestation in the information of the tomb in Xigaoxue Village. The scale of the tomb did not reach the imperial level, but he buried the “die” exclusive to the emperor.
Xigaoxue VillageTomb Photo/Xinhuanet
Cao Cao advocated a thin burial, showing the courage of a generation of heroes. After all, Chinese culture respects filial piety, and emperors “govern the world with filial piety”, so descendants always have to bury their ancestors to show their filial piety.
The tradition of grand burials of emperors in China has a long historyCinema. 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 to be 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 in Cinema and should not be short of 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 is very frugal/Data picture
Of course, Cao Cao’s advocacy of burial is not unrelated to the saying of “the lieutenant of gold”. In order to raise food and money, Cao Cao set up the positions of “Golden Crown Captain” and “Faqiu General” in the army, and specialized in digging graves and searching for graves.Scrape gold and silver to serve military pay. Therefore, Cao Cao was known as the “ancestor of the Mojin School” in later generations. This statement is mentioned in the famous article “Expression to Yuan Shao for Yuzhou” by Chen Lin, one of the “Seven Sons of Jian’an”.
Stills/Data Pictures of the movie “Looking for Dragons”
For example, Cao Cao, who is familiar with tomb robbers, would naturally think that behind him may be “treated by the way he is to treat others.” He knew that tomb robbers were seeking money, and tomb robbers who did not have burial objects were not very interested. Therefore, it is recommended to bury the little burial and deliberately leave records. Among them, there is inevitably the consideration of being 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 saying “72 doubts tombs”, he ultimately failed to escape the embarrassment of being disturbed by the tomb robbers of his long sleep!
The ancestor of tomb robbers also encountered the embarrassment of being robbed by tombs/data photo
The road to discovering and identifying 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 views. After all, taking every possible doubt rigorously will help us to keep getting closer to the historical truth and finally reach the truth!
Only enough evidence can clear away the fog of history/data image
Source｜Yangchengpai
Column host｜Xia Yang
Komiks Editor｜Xie Zhe