The Song Dynasty was a prosperous dynasty in Chinese history, and its founding emperor, Zhao Kuangyin, was a legendary hero. Chen Qiao's mutiny enthroned him as emperor, ending the disputes of five dynasties and ten kingdoms, and once again unifying the Central Plains, leaving countless glorious achievements for future generations. But such a great founding emperor, his mausoleum is the most shameful imperial mausoleum in our country, the ticket is free and no one cares, even the experts dislike it, and now it has become farmland, how ironic and sad it is!
Zhao Kuangyin's mausoleum, named Yongchang Mausoleum, is located in Luoyang City, Henan Province, is the first imperial tomb of the Song Dynasty, and it is also the joint tomb of Zhao Kuangyin and his empress Dowager Du. The construction time of Yongchang Mausoleum was very short, only one year, because Zhao Kuangyin did not repair the mausoleum during his lifetime, and he was hurriedly built after his death to prevent it from being destroyed. The scale and funerary goods of Yongchang Mausoleum are not as good as those of other dynasties, because Zhao Kuangyin himself was born as a military general, and he did not have much wealth and luxury, and he did not like to waste money, so his mausoleum was very simple and did not have too many decorations and protective measures.
The exterior of Yongchang Mausoleum is a square mound of earth about 10 meters high and about 300 meters in circumference, surrounded by a moat, and a stone bridge leading to the mausoleum in the river. The entrance of the mausoleum is a stone door, there are three big characters on the door, the handwriting is clear, it is Zhao Kuangyin's handwriting.
The interior of the mausoleum is an underground palace, divided into two halls, the front hall is for sacrifices, and the apse is for coffins. There is a 30-meter-long Yongdao connecting the two halls, and there are 12 stone chambers on both sides of the Yongdao, and 12 stone statues are placed respectively, representing the 12 sons of Zhao Kuangyin. These stone statues are all lifelike, wearing different costumes and holding different **, showing their identity and character.
The ** of the apse is the joint burial coffin of Zhao Kuangyin and the Empress Dowager Du, the coffin is made of sandalwood, and the dragon and phoenix patterns are carved on it, symbolizing the dignity of imperial power. Around the coffin, there are also some stone carvings of mythical beasts and flowers, adding some peaceful atmosphere.
This is the original appearance of the Yongchang Mausoleum, although it is not as magnificent as the imperial tombs of other dynasties, but it also has its own characteristics and style, no matter how it is also the founding emperor's mausoleum, there should be royal prestige! But such an imperial mausoleum with historical and cultural value has been ruthlessly destroyed and destroyed, and has become a barren and desolate ruin.
Tomb robbery is the biggest threat to the Yongchang Mausoleum, because the location of the Yongchang Mausoleum is relatively remote, there are not too many people around, and the protection measures are insufficient, it is easy for tomb thieves to find and enter.
It is said that since the fall of the Song Dynasty, the Yongchang Tomb has been stolen countless times, and each time a large amount of property has been plundered, including gold and silver jewelry, silk fabrics, ceramic vessels, bronze mirrors and iron swords, etc., and even coffins and corpses are not spared, dismembered and burned to obtain metal and pearls. These tomb robbers are not only greedy and shameless, Zhao Kuangyin doesn't have many funeral goods, how can he withstand such repeated tosses? The burial chamber has long been destroyed!
After the discovery of the Yongchang Mausoleum, it aroused the interest of archaeologists and historians, but when they opened the tomb, they found that it had been looted by tomb robbers, leaving only some stone statues and coffins, without any valuable cultural relics and no meaningful historical information.
This made them disappointed, believing that the Yongchang Mausoleum no longer has scientific value and attractiveness, and there is no need for further excavation and protection. As a result, they forgot about the Yongchang Mausoleum, making the Yongchang Mausoleum a lonely cemetery where no one cared about and cared about.
Under the double blow of tomb robbery and archaeology, the Yongchang Mausoleum gradually fell into ruins, occupied by local villagers as crops, and the stone statues were used as toys by children, placed and damaged at will.
It is not until recent years that the tragic experience of Yongchang Mausoleum has attracted people's attention and appeal, and they hope that Yongchang Mausoleum can be valued and protected, restore its original appearance and dignity, and let Zhao Kuangyin and Empress Dowager Du rest in peace. After all, this also records the rise and fall of the Song Dynasty and the merits and demerits of Zhao Kuangyin, which is a part of our country and nation.
It still has a unique value and charm, it reflects the culture and aesthetics of the Song Dynasty, and it is a rare work of art that we should cherish and appreciate.
Today's Yongchang Mausoleum has become a national key cultural relics protection unit, but few people still set foot in it. Compared with the majestic and atmospheric Ming and Qing imperial tombs, it looks very dilapidated, but at least it can be regarded as an explanation.