Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, was another emperor known as the "Emperor of the Ages" after Qin Shi Huang was called the "Emperor of the Ages". The two emperors of the Tang Dynasty, who immediately fought the world and ruled the world under the horse, reigned for just over 20 years, creating a rare prosperity in ancient China. His "rule of chastity" has been highly praised by the world. However, he died of illness in Zhongnan Mountain, and Li Shimin, the 52-year-old King of Tang, was buried in the largest and most domineering Zhaoling Tomb in history. Unfortunately, his tomb was stolen by the biggest tomb robber in the history of our country. How many rare treasures did the tomb robbers steal? What happened to the grave robbers? It's still controversial, even a mystery!
Portrait of Tang Taizong Li Shimin!
Li Shimin's "rule of Zhenguan" and the rapid increase in the economic and military strength of the Tang Dynasty made the country rich and the people strong. In 636, Empress Eldest Sun was critically ill. Before dying, he left a last word: I hope to be buried thinly, buried by the mountain, and cannot afford a grave...
Li Shimin had a deep affection for Empress Changsun and decided to build a mausoleum on the mountain and decided to bury it with her in the future. Therefore, from the death of Empress Eldest Sun in 636 to her own death in 649, it took 13 years to build the Zhaoling Tomb.
Zhaoling is the first batch of national cultural relics protection units!
Zhaoling is located on the main peak of Dongjiu mountain in Liquan County, Shaanxi, with an altitude of 1888 meters. Covering an area of 200 square kilometers, there are more than 180 funerary tombs in total, with a total circumference of more than 60 kilometers. It was followed by 100 years of continued construction. Therefore, it has become the largest and most domineering mausoleum in the history of our country.
In order to prevent his tomb from being stolen, Li Shimin wrote a monument to the world before his death: do not hide gold and jade, people and horses, utensils, and use civil and wooden tools... He wanted to use this to quench the hearts of the grave robbers.
Exterior view of Zhaoling!
Although Li Shimin erected a monument before his death, since ancient times, the emperor's mausoleum has almost been difficult to escape "no disaster without excavation".
Less than 300 years after Li Shimin's death, liang guo in the five generations and ten kingdoms produced the largest tomb robber in history, Wen Tao. Wen Tao, formerly known as Li Yantao. This great thief, who has no culture, he simply cannot understand the "inscription summons" of Tang King Li Shimin, and he believes even more that the Tang Dynasty emperor who "ruled by Zhenguan" will definitely have more treasures to accompany him. This warlord, who had been an official for seven years, took advantage of the war at that time and stole 17 of the 18 tombs of The Tang Emperors in one fell swoop.
Close-up view of Zhaoling!
According to historical records, the Zhaoling Tomb could not be dug open, and Wen Tao led a group of thieves to enter the tomb from the sewers in the mausoleum. But seeing the magnificence of the tomb, it is not like the human world is better than the human world.
In the Tomb of the Tang Emperor, the only Wu Zetian Qianling Tomb was not stolen by him, for a reason. Legend has it that when Wen Tao stole Qianling, he suddenly encountered wind and rain, thunder and lightning several times, and he gave up because he was afraid. Therefore, the Qianling Tomb has been preserved to this day and has not been destroyed.
Portrait of Wen Tao, the tomb robber!
Wen Tao's thief, what treasure did he steal? How many treasures? From the various canonical and wild histories, there are two answers:
First, there is really no gold and silver jewelry in the tomb, only one cultural relic can be called "the first in the world". After the tomb robber Wen Tao entered the Zhaoling Tomb, he was surprised to find that there was really no gold and silver treasure inside. As Li Shimin said when he erected a monument in front of the mausoleum before his death, there is no gold and silver treasure to accompany the funeral, but a real "thin burial".
However, there is a document in it that can be called "the first in the world". This object is: the authentic handwriting of Wang Xizhi, the "Sage of Books" of the Jin Dynasty, and the "Orchid Pavilion Collection Sequence" known as the first line of books in the world. Before his death, Li Shimin loved Wang Xizhi's calligraphy works, and painstakingly collected the authentic works of Shusheng and brought them into the mausoleum after his death. It is recorded in the Zizhi Tongjian.
Second, there is a large amount of gold and silver treasure in the tomb. Exactly how much gold and silver treasure there is, many of the information found is unknown. Only the "New Five Dynasties Wen Tao Biography" has a slight record: there are jewelry, especially the most precious treasures of calligraphy and painting.
The First Book of the World", "Orchid Pavilion Collection"
It is also worth mentioning: this Wen Tao is a "real villain". He did not even spare Li Shimin's bones and sold them for money. Zhao Pu, the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, saw a bone of Li Shimin on Chang'an Avenue and felt pity. Therefore, the bones of the Tang King were collected everywhere, and later buried back in Zhaoling.
The Chinese people have a saying: Good is rewarded with good, evil is rewarded with evil, it is not that it is not reported, it is time that it has not arrived... The implication is that there will be a "return" when the time comes!
Wen Tao stole 17 tombs of the Tang Dynasty, and he was already notorious and guilty. He was good at seeing the wind and steering the rudder, and often bribed his superiors with treasures stolen from tomb robbers, including royal nobles. When he met Li Si of Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang, the "reward" came.
A cave dug by stolen tomb thieves!
Later Tang Mingzong believed that Wen Tao was a capricious villain, betraying Hou Liang today, and may betray Hou Tang tomorrow; in the past, tomb robbery was notorious, and perhaps he would steal the Later Tang Emperor's mausoleum in the future.
"What is the use of such a grave robber to keep?" Weeds must be cut and roots removed! Soon, Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang ordered that Wen Tao be exterminated!
This is the fate of Wen Tao, the biggest tomb robber in history! He didn't even think of it himself, right?