Mysteries of the Tombs of Emperors Throughout Chinese History

Author: Xie Hongbo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Emperors have spent their lives creating various mysteries, but the greatest mystery remains the underground kingdom they meticulously crafted for themselves. Imperial mausoleums are the final resting places of emperors. As a microcosm of a dynasty, they leave behind an abundant yet enigmatic underground world for posterity. Every brick and stone tells a story. Unveiling the mysterious veil of imperial mausoleums and opening their final territory may reveal all the answers—or perhaps leave more questions. After enduring the vicissitudes of time, what do the once magnificent and mysterious imperial mausoleums look like now? What treasures are buried within the vast mausoleums? What secrets lie hidden in the underground palaces? What stories and mysteries are behind them? Have they all been looted? If so, where did those invaluable rare treasures flow to?
Through the fog of history, restoring the truth of history, and unraveling the mysteries shrouding the mausoleums—these are the focal points of this book. After more than 2,400 years of, why is the Chu Gou Yi Mausoleum still intact? How were the Terracotta Army of the First Emperor, hailed as the eighth wonder of the world, fired? Was it true that Cao Cao set up seventy-two false tombs? Where is his real tomb located? Did the calligraphy scroll "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion" in regular script really end up in Zhaoling? What is the meaning behind Wu Zetian's stele without inscriptions? Why do all the stone statues at Qianling lack heads? How many secrets are hidden in the Xixia Imperial Tombs, which have been lost in the desert for millennia? Did the Kangxi Emperor become a monk or was he buried in Xiaoling? To what extent was the Dingdongling mausoleum, meticulously crafted by Empress Dowager Cixi, luxurious?