The news that Cao Cao's tomb was discovered was released by the media a few days ago, which aroused great concern from all walks of life. Some scholars said that the evidence is still difficult to support the "new theory", and some experts cheered for this discovery, saying that the cemetery must belong to Cao Cao. Hong Kong media published an article pointing out that Cao Cao Mausoleum is recognized as a great event of Chinese culture. In fact, the statement about his "72 suspected tomb" has long been broken.
After the news that "Cao Cao's tomb is in Anyang" was announced, some scholars said that this statement still lacked strong evidence. Yuan Jixi, deputy dean of the Institute of Chinese Studies of Renmin University of China, who specializes in the literature of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, said that the evidence of Cao Cao's tomb in Anyang published by relevant parties is not first-hand material or strong proof. Publishing relevant news without direct evidence goes against the serious spirit of academic research.
Yi Zhongtian, a professor at Xiamen University, Fang Beichen, a professor at the School of History and Culture of Sichuan University, and Song Jian, director of the Archaeological Department of Shanghai Museum, and other well-known cultural scholars and archaeologists in the three countries are calm about the answer to the eternal mystery of Cao Cao's tomb, and think that this "new theory" needs to be further proved without more convincing unearthed cultural relics.
Zhang Jingwei, an article published in Hong Wen Wei Po, pointed out that a relatively strict logical chain has been formed in terms of epitaph form, unearthed cultural relics and bones in the tomb. There is no doubt that Cao Cao Gaoling was discovered this time.
The author thinks that the discovery of Gaoling has solved an eternal mystery in the history of China. And this discovery is surprising. The absurdity of historical legends is in sharp contrast with the rigor of official records. For more than a thousand years, the folk legend about Cao Cao's tomb has been seventy-two suspected graves. Some of the tombs are located outside Xudu (Xuchang), some are located in Lingzhi Village near Tongquetai (see Zhang De Fu Zhi), and some are located at the bottom of Zhanghe River (refer to the ancient poem "Dust of Tongquetai Palace Committee, Wei Zhiyuan and Zhang Lingbin"). ), it is also said that it is in Qiao County, Cao Cao's hometown, "Caojiadui" (Qiaoling).
The article points out that according to official records, the location of Cao Cao's tomb is not so foggy. First, in the twenty-third year of Jian 'an, that is, 2 18 years, that is, two years before Cao Cao's death, he said in his final order that "ancient tombs must live in barren land. According to its regulations, the west of Ximen Bao Temple was originally a mausoleum. Because of its height, it was not sealed or planted. " Before I died, there was a decree: "I was buried in Xigang, Ye Zhi, very close to Ximen Bao Temple, and there was no treasure." These two orders are found in the official history, which illustrates two historical facts: one is to show Cao Cao's ambition of thin burial; Second, it is clear that his burial place is "Xigang, Ye Zhi" next to "Ximen Bao Temple". With these two points, it not only shows that Cao Cao has made no secret of his mausoleum, but even told future generations the location of his mausoleum aboveboard. This just shows that Cao Cao's character has always been heroic and generous. What's more, because of his pursuit of thin burial, it seems that he is not afraid of others knowing where his tomb is, nor of grave robbers.
In the author's opinion, history played a big joke on Cao Cao. He was completely different from other kings, but he was misunderstood and even vilified by later scholars. Corrupt literati or based on feudal orthodoxy built 72 "suspicious graves" for him. From Romance of the Three Kingdoms to the stage of drama, Cao Cao became a suspicious and treacherous historical figure. Ironically, later archaeologists also seemed to be blinded by the history in drama and romance, and accepted the view that Cao Cao's tomb was a "suspected tomb". Otherwise, why not carry out archaeology on Cao Cao's tomb recorded in the official history?
In fact, as early as 1988, an article in People's Daily, The Mystery of 72 Suspected Tombs of Cao Cao, proved that the so-called "Suspected Tombs" were unreliable-"The world-famous ancient tombs in Cixian County, Hebei Province were recently listed as the third batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council. This ancient tomb, once considered as the' seventy-two suspected tombs' in folklore, has been found to be actually a large group of ancient tombs in the Northern Dynasties. The exact number is not 72, but 134. "
From 1988 to 2 1 year now, Cao Cao's theory of "suspected burial" is still popular. Especially in the "Three Kingdoms fever" triggered by CCTV's Lecture Room, Cao Cao's theory of "doubt burial" was accepted by more ordinary people. In fact, the "Ximen Bao Temple" mentioned in the official history is located in Anfeng Township, Anyang County. If archaeologists believed the official statement and excavated it as early as possible, Cao Cao's tomb would not have been stolen so seriously, and the mystery of "suspected tomb" of Cao Cao's tomb would have been revealed to the world long ago.
Moreover, when Cao Cao Gaoling was confirmed, some scholars still doubted it. For example, Ni, a scholar of Historical Records of Grave Robbery and History of Grave Robbery in China, thinks that archaeology emphasizes "black or white" and says that it is an "archaeological injury" to find an epitaph in a tomb. In addition, he also stressed that judging from the specifications of Cao Cao's tomb, the thin burial advocated by Cao Cao was not strictly implemented.
Regarding the above statement, Zhang Jingwei pointed out that the cultural relics unearthed from the tomb are enough to prove that it is all the logical elements of Gaoling and can be considered as "black and white". Moreover, although most of the tomb cultural relics were stolen, from the unearthed cultural relics such as Shi Gui and stone tablets, the cultural relics in the tomb are quite simple and should be regarded as a thin burial. As for the shape and specifications of the mausoleum, it is Cao Pi's masterpiece and has nothing to do with Naifu. It should be very simple common sense that whether to have a thick burial mainly depends on funerary objects.
At the end of the article, the author lamented that Cao Cao's Gaoling confirmed that the solution of the eternal mystery was a great event of China culture and gave a "perfect" explanation to history and Cao Cao. However, it also makes the academic circles and people in China reflect on themselves: the truth of history may not be complicated at all, but what is complicated is the interpretation and distortion of future generations.