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Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
Preface
In a remote mountain village in China, a family has guarded an ancient cemetery for thousands of years, refusing to reveal the identity of its owner, no matter how the wind and rain hit.
What secrets does this cemetery hold that deserve a family's thousand-year-old loyalty? Is it a legendary treasure, or is it a hidden royal secret?
It wasn't until a group of archaeologists stumbled upon that the true face of this mysterious cemetery was revealed – it turned out to be the tomb of a certain emperor! Who is this emperor? Why did he hide his resting place?
Secret Realm in the Mountains: The Mystery of the Ancient Tomb
Deep in the mountains of Zhejiang Province, an ancient village called Nanshan Village sits quietly. Although this village is small, it is different because of a special presence.
In the heart of the village, there is an inconspicuous clearing, shaded by a few ancient pine trees, and a bluestone fence looms in the shade.
Within the walls is the mysterious tomb. The cemetery looks ordinary, without ornate decorations, and even the words on the tombstones have been blurred.
However, it is such an inconspicuous ancient tomb, but it has been guarded by the villagers of Nanshan Village for thousands of years. During the Qingming season, the villagers will spontaneously organize to go to the cemetery to carry out simple cleaning and worship.
Their movements were gentle and respectful, as if they were treating a distinguished elder. However, when outsiders asked about the identity of the tomb owner, the villagers always smiled mysteriously and kept silent.
Even the occasional visitor or archaeology enthusiast will get only a vague answer that "this is a very old and important cemetery". This mystique does not dampen the curiosity of the outside world, but only makes the tomb even more remarkable.
Generational Guardianship: A Family's Millennial Mission
In Nanshan Village, there is a family that has served as the grave keeper for generations. Every generation of the family has made it their life's mission to protect the tomb, keeping it a secret and refusing to reveal any information about the identity of the tomb's owner.
The last grave keeper kept his distance from the outside world for many years, and he rarely participated in the festivals and celebrations in the village. Every day, rain or shine, he sweeps the cemetery on time to check the stability of the fence and make sure that no one trespasses.
In addition to daily maintenance, he is also responsible for organizing worship activities during the annual Qingming Festival. Under his guidance, the villagers presented incense sticks and paper money to the tomb owner in accordance with traditional rituals. The grave keeper's son once revealed in a casual conversation that there was an emperor buried in the tomb.
This information, while shocking, never made it clear who the emperor was. This small clue became an important basis for later historians and archaeologists to study.
The Fog of History: The Mystery of the Tomb Owner's Identity
As time went on, rumors grew about this mysterious tomb. Some say it houses a benevolent monarch, others believe it contains endless treasures. However, the truth seems to be more fuzzy than the rumors.
In 2008, a group of historians and archaeologists finally came to a relatively accurate speculation after many investigations and verifications: the owner of this ancient tomb is likely to be the last king of Wu Yue during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period - Qian Hongyu, the king of Zhongyi.
Their speculation is based on the following points:
1. Geographical location: The location of the ancient tomb was under the jurisdiction of Wu Yue at that time.
2. Tomb specifications: Judging from the size and materials of the cemetery, the identity of the tomb owner is at least the rank of prince and noble.
3. Chronological coincidence: According to the architectural style of the tomb and the unearthed cultural relics, its age is consistent with the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.
4. Historical records: The Biography of Qian Hongli records the life of Qian Hongyue, and the time and circumstances of his death have many similarities with the legend of the ancient tomb.
However, this speculation also raises new questions: if the owner of the tomb was really Qian Hongyu, why was he buried in this remote mountain village, and not in the capital or a more prominent place?
Qian Hong俶 (chù): The fate of a tragic monarch
To understand the secrets of this ancient tomb, we need to go back to the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and understand the life of Qian Hongyu, the tragic monarch.
In 948, Qian Hongyu ascended the throne and became the king of Wu Yueguo. Unlike many power-hungry monarchs, he showed a deep concern for the people.
In the year following his accession to the throne, he implemented a bold policy: exempt all ordinary people from their annual tax arrears and distribute the country's abandoned fields to the people for cultivation. These lands are cultivated at the expense of the state and can be used by the people free of charge, without paying any form of taxes and fees to the state treasury.
This policy was extremely rare in the social environment of the time. It not only greatly reduces the financial burden on ordinary people, but also improves their living conditions.
Farmers have been given land to grow their own food and cash crops, which not only stabilizes the food supply, but also boosts the local economy.
The price of food in the market has decreased due to the increase in supply, making more ordinary people able to access the necessities of life at a lower cost. However, Qian Hongyu's good governance did not last long.
Because Wu Yue was located in a strategic location, its independence and security were always coveted by the surrounding powers. In particular, the emerging Song Dynasty in the north has always been eyeing the southern states.
In 976, Zhao Kuangyin, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, summoned Qian Hongyu to Song Jing in the name of "Audience". Ostensibly a friendly visit, in reality it is house arrest. Qian Hongyu lost his freedom and lost his de facto control over Wu Yueguo.
In order to avoid senseless killings and protect the peace of the people of Wu Yue, Qian Hongyu, who was in a desperate situation, made a painful decision in 978: he offered the entire territory of Wu Yue to the Song Dynasty, and he stepped down from the throne of the king and surrendered himself to the title of "king".
Although this act preserved the people and cultural heritage of Wu Yue, it also marked the actual demise of the Wu Yue Kingdom.
The final mystery: the mysterious death of a monarch
Qian Hongyu's story could have ended there, but history has arranged a more dramatic ending for him. In 988, the night of Qian Hongyu's sixtieth birthday, a profound banquet was held in the palace.
Invited was a birthday messenger from the Great Song Dynasty, and it was supposed to be a night full of laughter and blessings, however, things unexpectedly went to a tragic end.
At the banquet, Qian Hongyu drank with the envoys of the Song Dynasty until late at night. During the banquet, the literati and military generals of the two countries chanted poems against each other, and the atmosphere seemed to be harmonious. However, in this celebratory atmosphere, things changed abruptly.
It is said that the next morning, people found that Qian Hongyu had collapsed in his bedroom unexpectedly, and his life was forever fixed on his sixtieth birthday. Regarding the reason for Qian Hongyu's sudden death, there are various theories circulating in history.
One theory is that he was given poisoned wine by Zhao Kuangyin, the envoy of the Great Song Dynasty, as a means of forcing him to abdicate. It is said that in order to completely unify China, Zhao Kuangyin did not hesitate to use such extreme methods to eliminate potential threats.
There is also a view that in exchange for the safety of the people of Wu Yue, Qian Hongyu deliberately drank too much at the banquet and used his life in exchange for his life to ensure that the people of Wu Yue were not persecuted under the rule of the Song Dynasty.
In addition, there are also historical records mentioning that Qian Hongyu was already a poor drinker, and this time he may have suffered serious health problems due to excessive drinking, which eventually led to death.
Regardless of the truth, Qian Hongyu's sudden death has become an unsolved mystery, leaving endless speculation and reverie for future generations. His death not only marked the official end of Wu Yueguo, but also heralded the passing of an era.
What's even more strange is that there are also contradictions in historical records about Qian Hongyu's final burial place. Official historical records show that Qian Hongyu was buried in Luoyang, Henan Province, and his epitaph is still preserved in the Luoyang Museum in Henan Province.
However, the existence of the mysterious ancient tomb in Nanshan Village offers a completely different possibility. Some scholars speculate that the tomb in Luoyang may just be a well-dressed mound, and the real Qian Hongyu Mausoleum is likely to be this mysterious ancient tomb that has been guarded by the villagers of Nanshan Village for generations.
Although this speculation has not been widely accepted in academic circles, it has become a firm belief in Nanshan Village and the surrounding area. Why, then, is the real mausoleum located in such a remote location?
An important reason may be to protect the cemetery from outside interference, especially to avoid falling prey to political struggles or tomb robbers.
Qian Hongyu was deeply loved by the people during his lifetime, and if his cemetery was known to the world, it might attract attention and disputes from all sides, thus affecting the tranquility of the cemetery.
In Nanshan Village, the preservation of the cemetery has become a legacy. Grave keepers pass on this duty from generation to generation, and each grave keeper is taught from an early age to protect this secret. This is not only the protection of a place, but also the preservation of the memory of an era.
As time passed, the story about Qian Hongyu and this mysterious tomb gradually became a legend. Although there are many archaeologists and historians who have tried to unravel this mystery, the local villagers have always adhered to the tradition of preserving the ancient tombs and rejected any form of archaeological excavation or scientific exploration.
Their attitude is both admirable and regrettable. On the one hand, their adherence to the wishes of their ancestors shows the unique cultural inheritance spirit of the Chinese; On the other hand, it also means that we may never know the truth about this tomb.
epilogue
Thousands of years have passed, and this mysterious ancient tomb in Nanshan Village still stands quietly among the mountains, guarding its secrets.
It is not only a historical puzzle, but also a vivid portrayal of Chinese cultural heritage. Whether the owner of the tomb is really Qian Hongyu or not, this story allows us to see the complexity of history and the multifaceted nature of human nature.
Perhaps, it is these unsolved mysteries that make history so fascinating, and let us keep exploring and thinking.