However, hundreds of tombs were stolen seriously, which raised a new question for archaeologists: where did the legendary rare treasures go? Is it a natural disaster or a man-made disaster? Who is the mastermind behind it?
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2 1 Century Xixia Mausoleum Archaeology ushered in a surprise discovery. During the excavation of No.3 Mausoleum, a statue of a bird man with a complete shape was unearthed, which shocked the archaeological community again. This statue is the sacred bird in Buddhist scriptures-Jialing Pingga. Jialing Pingjia, which means Miao Yin bird, is a lucky bird in Buddhism. Xixia people used it as a backbone to decorate buildings.
Besides, Mausoleum No.3 has a special design. In the corner of the No.3 Mausoleum, there are five cylinders connected together, which is a typical western modeling. Why does Xixia Mausoleum have both Buddhist style and western characteristics?
This is directly related to the special geographical location of Xixia. Xixia is located at the junction of farming culture and nomadic culture, and it is the hub of communication between western culture and Central Plains culture. In this land, various cultural exchanges collide with each other. It is the unique cultural temperament of Xixia that creates the unique aesthetic characteristics of Xixia Mausoleum.
The platform in the No.3 mausoleum is also similar in shape to the pagoda in Buddhism, and scholars also call it the mausoleum pagoda. Song Ling's mausoleum is square, while the mausoleum in Tang Dynasty is based on mountains. Why did Xixia people adopt the design of the tower? In the early days of the founding of Xixia, Sinology and Buddhism prevailed. Yuan Hao sent a special mission to DaSong to get Buddhist scriptures. There is also a Wutai Mountain Temple built in the middle of Helan Mountain.
In the late Xixia period, Tibetan Buddhism gradually became popular, and some even called Buddhism the state religion. The influence of Buddhism on Xixia can be seen. Xixia people not only absorbed the essence of the Central Plains civilization, but also retained the cultural feelings of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The construction of No.3 Mausoleum is the most direct embodiment.
Magnificent mausoleum tower, wonderful birdsong and snow-white pavilion. What a shocking scene it was. The more we understand the majestic momentum of the Xixia Mausoleum, the more archaeologists are full of questions: Who destroyed the Xixia Mausoleum to such an extent and for what reason?
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Although many achievements have been made in the study of Xixia Mausoleum, there is no conclusion yet. The most important reason is that the Xixia Mausoleum was seriously damaged. Since ancient times, the Central Plains Dynasty has always regarded death as a matter of life. There are a lot of jewels in the imperial tomb, but archaeologists have not found any treasures on the surface or in the tomb of Xixia mausoleum.
Some people put forward a view that it is possible for the Tangut people to practice thin burial, which is different from the thick burial custom in the Central Plains. Therefore, in the process of archaeology, experts and scholars have not found priceless treasures. Is that really the case?
The gilded bronze ox is the treasure of Ningxia Museum. 1977 A tomb of Xixia Mausoleum was unearthed. The bronze ox weighs 188 kg, with smooth lines, bright eyes and gold plating all over. It embodies the superb smelting process and metal heat treatment process of Xixia.
The Tangut nobles still have such valuable funerary objects, and the emperor's tomb must be without treasures. The view that Xixia royal family carried out thin burial seems untenable. It seems that the treasures in the imperial tomb are more likely to be stolen. Since ancient times, many tombs of generals and emperors have been destroyed by grave robbers. Could it be that the tomb-robbing activities that have been rampant for many years have destroyed the Xixia Mausoleum?
Xixia mausoleum is a sandy structure, especially hard. To dig more than ten meters, several people can't do it. Judging from the pit in front of the tomb, this is no longer the theft of three or five people. But a large-scale organized grave excavation. So who organized this grave robbery?
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At the eastern foot of Helan Mountain, Guansai of Ming Dynasty is only 5 kilometers away from Xixia Mausoleum. At that time, a large number of Ming troops were stationed here for a hundred years. Could it be that the Ming army excavated the Xixia Mausoleum? Such a large-scale destruction, the stone tablet was smashed into pieces, unlike the style of the Ming Dynasty.
If there is no deep hatred, how can this happen? The view that the Ming army destroyed the Xixia Mausoleum is not convincing. Who is the mastermind of the grave robbery?
In A.D. 1225, 64-year-old Genghis Khan went to Xixia. He didn't expect that this time he would never return to the grassland he loved. He died in the battle with Xixia people, which is absolutely unacceptable to Mongolia. Out of hatred, the Mongolian army retaliated against Xixia, massacred a large number of Tangut people and pointed the finger at Xixia Mausoleum.
They frantically retaliated against Xixia. Digging the Xixia mausoleum from the ground to the tomb in a big way. This is a speculation made by scholars according to history. However, the evidence that the Mongols destroyed the Xixia Mausoleum has never been found.
Who destroyed the Xixia Mausoleum? Only the majestic Helan Mountain knows the truth of that year. After the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, it compiled history for the Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties, but there was no Xixia. This country is gradually forgotten by history. The Xixia Mausoleum has also been neglected for many years and has become a mysterious site in the eyes of the world. Only these tall loess plateaus tell the dusty legend.
The tragedy will not happen again. 20 1 1 Xixia mausoleum application project officially started. This is another project in China that will soon be listed as a world cultural heritage. From the 1970s to the present, the study of Xixia Mausoleum has gone through half a century, and countless people have devoted themselves to it. As ordinary people, we should respect the hard-won cultural heritage.
Xixia civilization did not disappear, but merged into the vast Chinese civilization. The study of Xixia Mausoleum inherits and prospers the civilization history of China and even the world, which is the significance of the study of Xixia Mausoleum and the basis of multi-ethnic culture in China.
The study of Xixia Mausoleum will not stop there. In the next issue, we will continue to unveil the mystery of Xixia Mausoleum layer by layer. Stay tuned ~ ~
Image: screenshot of mobile phone