In a vacant lot in 1972, a large number of archaeologists gathered in Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia. They found a grand Qing Dynasty tomb here, presumably the tomb of a noble member of the Qing royal family. Soon, archaeologists found a coffin in the tomb, but strangely, there were no other burial objects in the tomb other than this coffin. When everyone joined forces to open the coffin, everyone was stunned.
Inside the coffin lies the corpse of a hundred-year-old woman, surrounded by various jewelry pieces of great value. What is even more curious is that this female corpse wears a red gold phoenix crown studded with precious stones and a gold silk dragon robe embellished with pearls.
Archaeologists estimate that the value of this dragon robe alone has reached hundreds of millions of yuan, and even in the Qing Dynasty, it is a national treasure.
However, what is even more striking is that a woman can wear a dragon robe in the Qing Dynasty? Just when everyone had time to think about the true identity of this female corpse, they were surprised to find that this female corpse was not only intact and not decayed, but her skin was as delicate as new, as if it could be blown through in one breath.
The scene is full of poetry and mystery, and everyone is plunged into deep thinking and reverie. The identity of this woman and the hidden story behind her have become a mysterious mystery, waiting for archaeologists to further uncover.
Photo of the mystery of the tomb of a female royal family in the Qing Dynasty
By chance, an old farmer spotted the place where the ground had collapsed, and he quickly reported the situation to the relevant authorities.
Subsequently, after the identification of national surveyors, this place was confirmed as an ancient tomb.
When archaeologists hurried in, they saw that the tomb had been badly damaged and it was likely that the artifacts in it had been lost.
However, the crowd was not discouraged, and they firmly believed that if they could find a clue, it was possible to reveal the identity of the tomb owner, and maybe even touch new discoveries and uncover some historical truths.
After further site investigation, experts were surprised to find that the ancient tomb was originally a huge mausoleum building, covering an area of about 5,000 square meters, with a width of about 45 meters from east to west and a length of about 105 meters from north to south.
This ancient tomb exudes a mysterious and poetic atmosphere, and under the baptism of time, it has witnessed the vicissitudes of history. The hearts of the crowd are surging, hoping that through the exploration of this ancient tomb, the stories that were once hidden in it can be revealed and bring us more treasures and wonders of the past.
On the east and west sides of the ancient tomb, there are solemn side halls. The three houses on the east side are the quarters for the tomb keepers, while the three rooms on the west side are the storage places for the sacrifices and the rest rooms for the worshippers.
The entire cemetery is divided along the central axis into two magnificent halls, front and back, and finally the mausoleum itself.
However, in the center of the cemetery, there is a stele pavilion, and the stone stele in the pavilion has been damaged by the erosion of time, and only the turtle-shaped stone seat remains. Archaeologists carefully piece together the remaining inscriptions and bring them back for restoration and study, hoping to reveal the information engraved on the steles.
The cemetery is huge and grandiose, and everything is in order. This clearly shows the honorable status of the tomb owner, and only members of the ancient royal family have such a solemn tomb.
Soon, a major discovery confirmed what experts had guessed.
The staff opened an empty wall in the deepest part of the tomb, and behind the wall was a secret chamber. The chamber is 8 meters long, 6 meters wide and 4 meters high, and is surrounded by rectangular stones.
And in the center of the secret room, the coffin of the tomb owner is placed.
Fortunately, the tomb robbers did not discover this secret room, leaving archaeologists with this precious treasure. In this mysterious tomb, the story of the departed Venerable will continue to be revealed, telling us ancient and magnificent history.
The woman in the tomb bathed in the yellow satin dragon robe, like a jade fairy. She wears a phoenix crown on her head, and her hair is braided to her waist, smooth and slender like a black cloud. The eight golden dragons embroidered with gold silk on the dragon robe are magnificent and gorgeous, and each scale exudes pearlescence. One of the characters "Shou" is made of pearls, and the auspicious cloud pattern is intertwined with various spiritualized birds and animals. These delicate embroidery patterns, like the bits and pieces of her life, show the process of splendor and sorrow intertwined.
In the long history of the Qing Dynasty, the privilege of wearing dragon robes belonged only to the emperor himself. However, this woman was able to wear a dragon robe, showing her incomparable noble status. Her status and honor transcend ordinary people, and she is a unique existence cherished by history.
Her presence, like a beautiful poem, perfectly blends the brilliance and legend of the Qing Dynasty. She is a royal woman who enjoys noble treatment, carrying the glory and expectations of the dynasty. From the mysterious light emanating from her, we seem to feel her former glory and majesty.
Such a historical story makes us even more fascinated by this ancient and mysterious tomb. It bears witness to the life of a noble woman and the rise and fall of a dynasty. In this poetic history, we seem to be able to travel through time and space and feel the splendor and brilliance of that era.
This robe is the most precious treasure in the tomb, priceless. The value of historical research is self-evident, and the market value of gold wire and pearls is hundreds of millions of yuan.
The treasures of the mausoleum surround the body, wearing a crown of red gold phoenixes, inlaid with onyx, pearls, and turquoise; Seven golden hairpins, all carved with wishful cloud patterns; There are 108 dynasty beads around the neck and a Buddha head carved with lapis lazuli.
In addition, pearl gold chains, gold bracelets, gold rings and other jewelry are dazzling, and each piece is extremely precious.
With such abundant funerary products, coupled with the eight golden dragon robes of the woman, the identity of the tomb owner is full of mysteries. Even with the many archaeologists, it is hard to imagine who in the Qing Dynasty deserved such treatment.
According to the contents of the epitaph, it is speculated that the owner of this mausoleum was Princess Gulun Rongxian, the second daughter of the Kangxi Emperor.
The epitaph carries the princess as the second daughter of Emperor Shengren of the Great Qing Dynasty, who was named Princess Heshuo Rongxian in the 30th year of the Kangxi Reign (1691). Among the princesses, she was praised as magnanimous and the most outstanding, so she received the honor of being crowned princess of Rongxianguo by Jin.
These clearly visible epitaphs provide important clues to the identity of the owner of the mausoleum, and the identity of Princess Gulun Rongxian is even more conclusive.
Princess Gulun Rongxian
The reason why Princess Gulun Rongxian was able to wear a dragon robe can be attributed to the special status and treatment she enjoyed as the daughter of the Kangxi Emperor.
In ancient China, the emperor's daughters were usually royal nobles with privileges and preferential treatment. Their status is higher than that of ordinary people, let alone as the daughter of the emperor. Therefore, Princess Gulun Rongxian, the daughter of the Kangxi Emperor, as a member of the imperial family, she had the opportunity to wear royal costumes such as dragon robes.
Regarding the role of Lan Qi'er, it did appear in the TV series "Kangxi Dynasty" and attracted widespread attention from the audience. However, it should be noted that the plots in the TV series do not exactly correspond to historical facts, and many plots are adapted according to the needs of creation and fiction. Therefore, when understanding history, we should rely on the real historical records and materials.
Indeed, in history, Princess Gulun Rongxian was the daughter of the Kangxi Emperor's favored concubine Concubine Rong, and the preface was the second princess. My previous answer was somewhat inaccurate, apologies for that.
The TV series "Kangxi Dynasty" does adapt and fictionalize some historical characters and plots in its creation, among which the character of Lan Qier is based on Princess Rongxian of Gulun, and Rongxian is her title. This is the artistic treatment carried out in the creation for the needs of dramatic effect and storyline.
The daughters of Qing emperors are often referred to as Gege, which is an honorific title for them. Princess was a title for noble women in the Qing Dynasty, equal to male titles such as Belle, County King and Prince.
According to the epitaph above, Princess Gulun Rongxian was named Princess Heshuo Rongxian in the 30th year of the Kangxi Dynasty.
Concubine Rong was a concubine of the Kangxi Emperor, and the children born to her belonged to the status of concubine, not concubine. Usually, the rank of a princess is Heshuo. Only daughters born to empresses can be made princesses of Gulun, which is a special treatment.
Gulun means "world, country" in Manchu, so the title of Princess Gulun represents the highest level of princess.
The reason why Princess Rongxian was so favored by the Kangxi Emperor was largely because of her mother, Concubine Rong.
The Kangxi Emperor was very fond of Concubine Rong. Concubine Rong gave birth to five sons and a daughter to the Kangxi Emperor, especially between the tenth and sixteenth years of the Kangxi Dynasty, giving birth to five children in just seven years. The top ten of the five sons were all born to Concubine Rong.
There is no doubt that being able to get the favor of the emperor and give birth to a prince is from the special favor of the Son of Heaven. For other concubines, it was already a very lucky thing to be pampered.
"Kangxi Dynasty" Lan Qier stills
History does record Kangxi's special preference and conferral of Princess Rongxian. Princess Rongxian was indeed regarded by Kangxi as a tool for political marriage and was sent to Mongolia to marry. This marriage was intended to maintain Manchu-Mongolian relations and stabilize the frontier.
Historically, royalty has often been used in diplomatic marriages to cement the country's relations with other peoples. As one of the favorite daughters of the Kangxi Emperor, Princess Rongxian was forced to marry Mongolia far away as a sacrifice. Although she possessed the title of princess and rich wealth, she also lost her happiness in the family and the right to freely choose the partner of her marriage.
There are many such stories throughout history that show the influence of power and politics on the fate of individuals. From a personal perspective, this kind of marriage can bring challenges and misfortunes. However, from the perspective of the state and the dynasty, this political marriage can achieve the purpose of stabilizing the frontier and safeguarding the interests of the state.
The excavation of Princess Rongxian's mausoleum in Inner Mongolia allows us to better understand her life and historical background. Although her fate was dictated by politics and power, she still left her own traces and stories as the daughter and princess of the Kangxi Emperor.
The urns of her husband Urgun and son Linbu were found in the tomb of Princess Rongxian, indicating that they chose to be buried with Princess Rongxian. This situation really makes people feel the warmth of a family of three who are still together after death.
In fact, although Princess Rongxian's marriage was originally for political purposes, according to historical records, her married life was unexpectedly sweet and happy. She and her husband Urgon developed a beautiful relationship that went beyond the initial political marriage. They lived together for many years, established their own family in the desert steppe, and had a son, Linbu. This happy life proves that love and happiness can be found even in the context of a political marriage.
3. Political marriage
As the founder of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchus originated from the Jurchens in the northeast, which is well known.
As the founder of the Manchu Qing dynasty, Nurhachi established the Houjin regime in the northeast and bordered Mongolia. Although Mongolia was not as powerful as under Genghis Khan at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Mongol tribes on the steppe still maintained the huge power of the "Northern Yuan".
In order to strengthen his own strength, Nurhachi took the initiative to woo the Mongol tribes and establish alliances with them to gain their support. And the surest way to do this is through political marriage.
Therefore, after the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, in order to consolidate his control over the Mongol region, Emperor Taiji strengthened the strategy of political marriage in addition to rewarding Mongol chiefs to strengthen their prestige. This marriage is not only a political cooperation, but also a symbol of mutual friendship and respect.
(Portrait of the Kangxi Emperor)
During the Qing dynasty, it became an important unwritten rule that emperors marry Mongol princesses. Among them, the Kangxi Emperor's grandmother Empress Xiaozhuang, as the daughter of the leader of the Mongolian Horqin tribe, became a famous example.
Similarly, the Qing royal family would marry princesses to Mongolia, and Princess Rongxian was one of them.
This national policy lasted for more than two hundred years during the Qing Dynasty and became an important means of maintaining the stability of the northern territory.
Faced with the country's righteousness, the Kangxi Emperor endured the pain of marrying his favorite daughter to Urgon.
Fortunately, Princess Rongxian was not wronged on the steppe, and Urgon loved her as deeply as Goldan in the TV series.
Urgon was young and handsome, and one of the bravest warriors in the tribe.
He succeeded to the throne at a young age, and Princess Rongxian married him and became the princess of the Bahrain ministry.
They had a son and a daughter, the daughter married to the prince of the Qing Dynasty, and the son Lin Bu lived a life of idleness and addiction to alcohol and gambling.
Although Urgon's bravery outside the world impressed the warriors of the entire tribe, he was a loving father at home and doted on his son, which caused Rinbu to be spoiled.
Urgon's doting on children stemmed from his deep love for Princess Rongxian, just as the Kangxi Emperor favored Princess Rongxian.
However, Princess Rongxian is a strict mother, who constantly educates Linbu harshly, and sometimes even teaches lessons from her.
At this time, Urgon would stand up and intercede with the princess, so that the punishment would not be solved.
"Kangxi Dynasty Stills, Kangxi and Lan Qi'er"
The Kangxi Emperor's thoughts of Princess Rongxian surged like a tide. With Princess Rongxian leaving Beijing, Kangxi traveled thousands of miles to Mongolia's Balin Department in order to visit his daughter in person, looking for various reasons to make inspections. These four visits were the embodiment of his deep love for his daughter.
Kangxi knew that he would not be able to see Princess Rongxian often because of her special status. In order to make up for this regret, Kangxi tried to use any opportunity to visit his daughter. It is a well-known fact that he favors Princess Rongxian more than the other children.
The depth of Kangxi's fatherly love also prompted him to appreciate Princess Rongxian's contribution to the Qing dynasty. In the 48th year of the Kangxi Dynasty, for the reason that "Kecheng Kexiao tried her best to serve her relatives, and the most lenient among the princesses", Kangxi promoted her to Princess Heshuo Rongxian and held a grand canonization ceremony.
Through political marriage, Urgon served the Qing dynasty with loyalty. Princess Rongxian's epitaph records that in the 50th year of the Kangxi Dynasty, Tsewang Arabtan invaded Qinghai and plundered Hami in an attempt to abuse the Hui kingdom and prevent him from surrendering to the Qing dynasty. Kangxi personally dispatched troops and prepared to personally conquer Tsewang Arabtan. As a colt of the Qing Dynasty, Urgon volunteered to lead his troops to participate in the Xinjiang campaign as a deputy general. He took the lead on the battlefield and made many miraculous achievements, winning Kangxi's trust.
The tomb of Princess Gulun Rongxian
In the long river of years, Princess Rongxian's life is as gorgeous and moving as a legend. The sad fate destined her to stay with the horse Urgon, but Urgon's "unrewarded enemy's heart" died in the army, leaving people with endless regret and sadness.
After Yongzheng ascended the throne, Linbu took the throne, and Princess Rongxian died in the seventh year of Yongzheng. Lin Bu, who loved his parents deeply, built a mausoleum in the territory of Bahrain's Right Banner, and moved Urgon's ashes here to be buried with his mother, extending their long-term reunion on the other side.
According to the system of the Qing Dynasty, the colt and the princess could not be buried together, but the Yongzheng Emperor remembered Urgon's military merits by heart and specially allowed Princess Rongxian to be buried in the dragon robe given by Kangxi. In this way, the couple can sleep together forever until their death.
Time flies, and years pass, and the cloth also returns to dust. He instructed his descendants to bury his ashes with their parents and return to the embrace of the family again. The tomb is filled with the atmosphere of family affection, passed down from generation to generation, continuing the legendary life of Princess Rongxian.
However, an inexplicable mystery still haunts people today - why can the body of Princess Rongxian not decompose for 240 years? Perhaps this is the gift of time, the blessing of the earth, like an eternal flower, blooming with strange brilliance in the long river of time. Although her body has passed away for many years, she still exudes a mysterious vitality, like a poem that will never be forgotten, allowing us to savor the mystery and beauty of it.
4. Explanation of the mystery of the incorruptibility of corpses
In fact, there are many controversies and questions about the well-preserved legend of Empress Dowager Cixi's body. Sun Dianying's statement that his mouth contains the pearl of the night lacks scientific basis.
However, we cannot deny that in ancient times, people's exploration and practice of embalming of corpses did exist. During the Qing Dynasty, embalming techniques for corpses were already quite developed, and there were various methods used to protect the remains. In addition to some common methods such as lacquered corpses, hair corpses, etc., there are also the practice of embalming herbs, lime, spices and other materials.
Describing this ancient embalming technique as a night pearl in Empress Dowager Cixi's mouth may be more of a poetic expression. It means that the corpse is extremely well preserved, as if it possesses indescribable mysterious powers. Such depictions satisfy people's imagination and desire for exploration of history.
All in all, whether it is Princess Rongxian or Empress Dowager Cixi, the legend that the bodies are well preserved is a fascinating story. To some extent, they represent human yearning for life and the pursuit of eternity, and also reflect the technology and wisdom of embalming of corpses in ancient cultures. While appreciating these legends, let us also maintain rational thinking and respect historical facts and scientific evidence.
The ancient Chinese embalming technique for corpses is indeed very exquisite. The case of Mrs. Xinchai's body being well preserved is a good example. There are many specific measures related to ancient embalming.
First of all, the location of the tomb is very important. In the pre-Qin period, people began to build mausoleums on high ground to avoid the infiltration and dampness of groundwater. In addition, some tombs will also choose to be built deeper underground, using soil as a protective layer, isolating air and slowing down the process of body decay.
Secondly, the body undergoes a series of treatments and embalming treatments before burial. This includes wrapping, smearing or soaking the body with materials such as herbs, plant resins, lime, spices, etc. to prevent decay and prevent insects. At the same time, internal organs are taken out, dried and other treatments are carried out to make the body more perishable.
In addition, some special techniques will be added in some cases. For example, the corpse of Qianlong's pet concubine Xiangniang has a strong fragrance, which may be through a special treatment method, adding substances that can emit aroma during the preservation of the corpse.
The embalming techniques of corpses in ancient China were indeed very diverse and unique. The choice of tomb location, body disposal, coffin wood quality, and special additives are all used in the embalming process. Among them, it is a common practice to make coffins from trees with aromatic insect repellent effects, such as camphor, pine, cypress, and paulownia wood.
The ancients also believed that gold and jade could produce cold, so some wealthy families added gold and silver jewelry to the coffin, both to show the honorable status of the tomb owner and to hope that gold and silver could play a role in embalming. Similarly, Empress Dowager Cixi's statement that she had the Pearl of the Night in her mouth was based on the same idea.
During the embalming process, there are records that during the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, some monarchs would surround the corpses with ice cubes to lower the temperature after their deaths for worshippers. This is a direct and effective cooling method.
In addition, disinfecting the body before burial is also a common step. Bathing the corpse with soup made from tulips and wiping the body with wine made from black millet are thought to have a disinfecting effect.
There are many reasons why Mrs. Xin Chai was able to reach two thousand years of corpse incorruptibility. First, her chamber was filled with charcoal and white plaster, which prevented the influx of bacteria, moisture and air, leaving the tomb completely enclosed. Secondly, in addition to containing a large amount of traditional Chinese medicines such as musk, ice chips, silk grass, etc., the red liquid in the coffin is also added with mercury and arsenic, and this combination plays a role in sterilization.
Princess Rongxian, the flower that slept for a thousand years, her corpse, reversed the tide of time. Hiding in a secret room made of stone slabs, it protects against the invasion of air and maintains a permanent gathering.
In the silent tomb, she lay peacefully on the face of a mummy, quietly watching. The wisdom of the ancients, skillfully applied, isolated the air and delayed the passage of time.
The fragrance of vanilla in the coffin pervaded all around, Musk, ice flakes, silk grass, blessed her from withering. Mercury and arsenic, the magic of sterilization, Mrs. Xinchai, like her, has retained her beauty for a long time.
Princess Rongxian, you are a witness of the years, the crystallization of ancient wisdom, let us be awe-inspiring. Your body is incorruptible, it is a miracle of your ancestors, and your story will be passed down through the ages.
【Summary】
Princess Gulun Rongxian, a sleeping treasure trove of culture, ancient Chinese history, the rainbow bend of stories. The light of archaeology illuminates the secrets of the court, and the ties of kinship, burial, and culture are close.
The excavation of the tomb shows us miracles, treasures of the Qing Dynasty, and deep memories of history. From the cultural relics to touch the demeanor of Princess Rongxian, her life story is picturesque and timeless.
The wisdom of the ancients, shining in the mausoleum, ingenious construction technology, is unique. The secret recipe of embalming, passed down to this day, is still appreciated, the miracle of mummies, the treasure of ancient times.
Princess Gulun Rongxian, you are a witness of history and a treasure of Chinese civilization, which makes us feel very emotional. Precious heritage, blooming in time, always remember your existence, the legend of Princess Rongxian.