Preface
In ancient times, when a concubine was buried, the practice of blocking the anus may sound a little unbelievable, but behind it is rich in history, culture and medical wisdom.
This ancient custom and practice not only reflects the importance that ancient people attached to the body and reverence for the afterlife, but also revealed their profound attainments in the concept of life and death and embalming technology.
So, what kind of stories are hidden in these cumbersome funeral systems, and what are the cold facts that are few people know? Let's uncover this history together to understand the souls who have died.
1. The hierarchical funeral world
In ancient societies, people's status was determined by their birth and wealth. This hierarchy is not only reflected in life during life, but even extends to funeral rites after death.
For ordinary people, it is already very difficult to be able to bury their relatives. Some families even have to choose the extreme method of "selling themselves to bury their fathers". In that era of scarcity of materials, it was difficult for ordinary people to even have a full mouthful of food, let alone hold a decent funeral.
They can only bury the bodies of their loved ones in a hurry, or throw their bones into the river and let them drift away. Sometimes even such rudimentary methods are not possible, leaving the bodies of the dead exposed and eaten by wild beasts.
In contrast, the funerals of high-ranking officials and nobles were much richer. Not only can they prepare a large number of burial goods for the deceased, but they can even set up various mechanisms in the tomb to prevent tomb robbers.
These funerary goods include gold and silver jewelry, jade treasures, and even carved wooden dolls of servants and pets. And those mechanisms include quicksand traps, poison gas devices, secret door mechanisms, etc., which are heavily guarded and layered.
In the case of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, archaeologists have found that its underground palace is filled with mercury, a toxic mercury that not only embalms but also prevents tomb robbers from entering. As soon as someone opens the mausoleum, they will immediately be poisoned and die.
In addition, there are some mausoleums with quicksand traps that, once opened, will devour tomb robbers and make it impossible to escape. It can be said that the ancients took great pains to protect the safety of the royal mausoleum, and did whatever it took to protect it.
2. The emperor who pursues immortality
For the emperors of ancient times, it was their greatest wish to rule the country for thousands of generations. To achieve this, they go to great lengths to achieve immortality.
Some emperors would hire special alchemists and let them refine various elixirs. These elixirs often contain a lot of toxins, such as mercury, arsenic, realgar, etc. Although these substances are extremely harmful to the human body, the emperors were convinced that as long as they were taken in moderation, they could prolong their lives.
As a result, they would take these so-called "elixirs" on time every day, and the more they took them, the more they took them, eventually leading to poisoning and death. For example, Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, once ordered Fang Shi to refine the "Immortal Pill", but died shortly after taking it. According to historical records, Li Shimin's whole body ulcerated and he was in great pain before his death.
Another example is Zhu Yuanzhang in the Ming Dynasty, who was also obsessed with taking all kinds of miracle drugs, and eventually died young because of this. It can be said that the ancient emperors' dedication to immortality brought disastrous consequences to themselves.
In addition to taking pills, some emperors would seek other ways of immortality. For example, some emperors would hire Taoist priests to cultivate Neidan in the palace, hoping to gain immortality with the help of Neidan's technique, while others would travel around famous mountains and rivers in search of legendary immortals, hoping to learn the secret of immortality from them. It's a pity that no matter what way you take, you can't escape the fate of birth, old age, sickness and death in the end.
3. The tragic fate of the concubine
In the ancient royal family, although the status of concubines was noble, their fate was often tragic. Some concubines were forced to be buried after the emperor's death if they did not give birth to a prince.
The origins of this practice can be traced back a long time. In ancient times, it was widely believed that there was an afterlife after death, so the deceased's belongings were buried together for use in the other world.
And for the emperor, their status was supreme, so a large number of funerary goods were needed, including beauties, servants, treasures, and so on. As the emperor's wife and concubine, the concubine was naturally listed as one of the funeral goods.
In this case, the concubines need to empty their bowels a few days in advance and take some Chinese herbs. The effect of these drugs is to prevent the body from decaying rapidly after burial. Then, before burial, their nine orifices (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, anus, etc.) are blocked by "nine orific plugs" made of jade or other materials.
The purpose of this is to prevent the leakage of odors and filth when the body decays, and on the other hand, to maintain the image and face of the concubines. For these concubines, their lives are nothing more than a pawn in the royal power game.
Even after death, they could not rest and could only sleep forever in the dark tombs. It can be said that this cruel funeral system also brought great pain and sorrow to these concubines. They were favored ministers in life, but they became sacrifices after death, and the impermanence of fate is embarrassing.
Fourth, the sustenance of the soul
In the ancient conception, death did not mean the end of life, but the beginning of the soul's entry into another world. Therefore, people attach great importance to the burial of the deceased and believe in nourishing and protecting the soul of the deceased through various means.
For example, in the funerary goods, there are often all kinds of precious jade, gold and silver utensils, and even humanoid puppets. These items are not only to satisfy the needs of the deceased in another world, but also to prevent their souls from wandering in this world.
The ancients believed that if the soul of the deceased was left homeless, it would turn into a lonely ghost and bring disaster to the living. Therefore, they would arrange various household items in the tomb so that the souls of the deceased would have a safe rest.
At the same time, the ancients would also protect the corpse with antiseptic substances such as mercury, and seal the nine orifices with materials such as jade to prevent the soul from being lost. In their view, the human soul is attached to the body, and if the body is damaged, the soul will have nowhere to rest.
So they will do everything to preserve the integrity of the body so that the soul has a place to live. This unique conception of death and the soul is also reflected in some ancient customs. For example, in some places, when the deceased are buried, a small hole is left in the tomb so that the soul can enter and exit.
For example, in some places, people will sew a small pocket on the clothes of the deceased, which contains some rice grain for the soul to eat when it is in another world. It can be said that the unique perception of death and the soul of the ancients deeply influenced their funeral customs, and also reflected the cultural characteristics of the society at that time.
Fifth, the face project of the royal family
In ancient royalty, face and image were very important. This emphasis is not only reflected in the behavior before death, but even extends to the funeral rites after death. For those noble concubines, their death is not only a personal matter, but also a matter of the face of the entire royal family.
Therefore, when they are buried, people will deliberately seal their nine orifices with jade and other materials. This is not only to prevent the leakage of odors and filth when the body is decomposed, but also to protect the image and reputation of the royal family.
In ancient society, the status of the royal family was supreme, and it represented the dignity and glory of the entire country. Therefore, anything that tarnishes the image of the royal family is unacceptable. If a concubine is buried in an unsightly scene, such as a decomposing body, a foul smell, etc., it will cast a shadow on the entire royal family and damage its majesty.
In order to avoid this from happening, people did not hesitate to take various measures to ensure that the bodies of the concubines remained intact. In addition to sealing the nine knots, people would also smear various spices and medicines on the corpses of concubines to prevent decay. Some of the concubines' bodies were even injected with mercury to achieve permanent embalming.
It can be said that this obsession with face has become an indispensable and important part of the ancient funeral system. It not only reflects the hierarchical nature of the society at that time, but also reflects the high importance that the royal family attached to its own status and prestige.
In this context, the lives of the concubines seem insignificant. They are nothing more than a victim of the royal image, a dispensable tool. Even after death, they are not treated with the respect they deserve and are treated like objects. This cruel reality also aggravates their tragic fate.
epilogue
Through the study of the ancient funeral system, we not only see the hierarchical side of the society at that time, but also discover people's unique perception of death and soul.
Perhaps to us modern people, these ancient funeral customs have become very strange and cold. But it was these seemingly cruel practices that gave rise to the unique understanding of life and death in that era. After all, every era has its own unique cultural heritage, and we should not impose modern values on the ancients.
On the contrary, we should learn with an open mind, embrace understanding, and draw wisdom from it. Only in this way can we truly comprehend the spiritual world of the ancients and perceive their unique understanding of life and death.