CCTV China Central Television Discovery: The Mystery of Yang Guifei's Life and Death

Author: Xue Jijun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: "Journey to Discovery" is the only science exploration documentary program on China Central Television (CCTV). It examines the course of human civilization from a scientific perspective, pursues the truth with a spirit of discovery, and explores the mysteries of nature, history, and the vast world. This book includes episodes from "Journey to Discovery" such as "The Mystery of Yang Guifei's Death," "Lost Traces – Emperor Jianwen," "The Mystery of Luo Binwang's Death," "The Unknown Heroes of the Communist Party's Covert War – Yan Baohang," and "48 Hours of Terror." "Journey to Discovery" is the only science exploration documentary program on China Central Television (CCTV). It examines the course of human civilization from a scientific perspective, pursues the truth with a spirit of discovery, and explores the mysteries of nature, history, and the vast world. This book includes episodes from "Journey to Discovery" such as "The Mystery of Yang Guifei's Death," "Lost Traces – Emperor Jianwen," "The Mystery of Luo Binwang's Death," "The Unknown Heroes of the Communist Party's Covert War – Yan Baohang," and "48 Hours of Terror."
In 756 AD, the "An Lushan Rebellion" broke out. The elderly Emperor Li Longji took Yang Guifei into exile and reached Mawei in Shaanxi the next day. At this time, the accompanying soldiers suddenly rebelled, killed the prime minister Yang Guozhong of the Tang Dynasty, and then demanded the execution of Yang Guifei. Emperor Xuanzong was forced to order Yang Guifei to commit suicide. A year later, Emperor Xuanzong sent eunuchs to rebury Yang Guifei, but the people who went back only brought back the fragrant pouches Yang Guifei had carried with her. From then on, rumors spread among the people that Yang Guifei's remains were missing and that she might have survived; today, the rebuilt mausoleum of Yang Guifei on Mawei is just a symbolic tomb. At the foot of Tianhu Mountain in Sichuan, there is an ancient tomb in the village of Hongmei Village, which has been passed down through generations as Yang Guifei's tomb. After excavation, the facts were far from the villagers' legends. What actually happened on Mawei over a thousand years ago? Is the rumor of Yang Guifei's remains being missing and her possibly surviving true? Yang Guifei was ordered to commit suicide by Emperor Xuanzong. A year later, the people sent by Emperor Xuanzong to rebury her were missing her remains. Japanese actress Yoko Shimizu claimed to the media that she was a descendant of Yang Guifei. Through historical records, it has been found that the idea of Yang Guifei fleeing to Japan has long existed, and there are many tombs and statues of Yang Guifei in Japan. Japanese legends say that Yang Guifei did not die back then but was saved by a Tang envoy to Japan and lived there until her death. Could Yang Guifei have survived over a thousand years ago? Under the primitive conditions of that time, could she have reached Japan?