Stone Breaking the Sky - Secrets of Major Archaeological Discoveries in a Century

Author: Yu Qiuwei, Zhang Bo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: This is the golden age of Chinese archaeology. The Yinxu in Anyang, Henan, the Erlitou City in Yanshi, the Han Dynasty Yangling collective burial pits, the Ma Wangdui Han Tombs, the Chang'an City of the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Huaqing Pool in Lintong where Yang Guifei bathed, the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, the Famen Temple underground palace, the Dingling Mausoleum and the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty, as well as the Yuling Mausoleum of Emperor Qianlong and the Mausoleum of Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty, all paint a panoramic picture of the Chinese nation from its ancient origins, through periods of rise and fall, with both the brilliance of the Han and Tang dynasties and the humiliation of the late Qing. Among them, the discoveries of major historical events are innumerable and too numerous to list: the Great Wall has long become a symbol of the Chinese nation; the Terracotta Army discovered in Lintong, Shaanxi, is hailed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." The writing of this book focuses on documentation, attempting to recreate the excavation process of archaeologists at the time, discarding dry archaeological reports and monotonous data, striving for vivid and engaging prose. In terms of topic, it selects some fascinating major archaeological discoveries with and interesting excavation processes, reflecting the and legendary experiences of generations of archaeologists in Chinese archaeology.
Excerpt: The Fuhao Tomb
Among the major achievements obtained from the Yinxu excavations after the founding of New China, the most significant must be the 1976 discovery and findings of the Fuhao Tomb. Fuhao was the wife of King Wu Ding of the Shang Dynasty, but her tomb was not located in the royal burial grounds on the northern bank of the Huai River, but about 100 meters southeast of the Shang Dynasty site in Xiaotun Village. The burial chamber was rectangular, measuring 5.6 meters long and 4 meters wide, with no passage, and was much smaller in scale than the Wangling Mausoleums in the northwest. Therefore, when it was first discovered, it did not attract much attention. At that time, it was spring, and the green grass and trees along the banks of the Huai River were tempting the hearts of those who had long stayed in Anyang Yinxu. A tomb of such scale was indeed unable to stir the weary hearts of the exhausted workers, especially since the tens of thousands of Shang Dynasty tombs discovered in Yinxu were either looted or had no or very few funerary objects. Excavating these tombs might have provided some insight into the form and burial customs of Shang tombs, but if they had been looted or damaged, the effort would have been in vain. Under such circumstances, who would have expected a medium-sized tomb outside the royal burial grounds to reveal a miracle?
However, for those engaged in Yinxu archaeology, the spring of 1976 was exceptionally bright and enchanting. A miracle truly appeared that spring! The Fuhao Tomb had not been looted! The good news, mixed with the spring breeze, warmed every hardworking team member. But another concern soon arose in people's minds: even if this relatively small tomb had not been looted, how rich could its burial goods be? However, the subsequent excavation results shocked scholars both at home and abroad who were concerned about Yinxu archaeology. Just the bronze artifacts unearthed from the Fuhao Tomb numbered over 440 pieces, with a total weight of 1.6 tons—truly a remarkable discovery unprecedented in ancient times!
It turned out that although the Fuhao Tomb was of medium size and had no passage, Fuhao was the wife of King Wu Ding of the Shang Dynasty and a famous figure in Shang Dynasty history. In the oracle bone inscriptions left from the Wu Ding period, there were as many as 200 divinations related to Fuhao. One divination record even described Fuhao leading the Shang Dynasty army to conquer the eastern Yi tribes and the western Qiang tribes, achieving great military success for the Shang Dynasty. Fuhao can be considered the first female general recorded in Chinese history, holding the status of both queen and general, her nobility was beyond question. Perhaps for this very reason, she was not buried in the royal burial grounds but interred near the palace, with extremely rich funerary goods, expressing King Wu Ding's longing for her after her death.
There was a rectangular niche on each of the east and west walls of the Fuhao Tomb, where dogs and sacrificial human remains were buried. The burial chamber was filled with layered rammed earth, with each layer about 10 centimeters thick, and sacrificial goods were placed in each layer, gradually increasing in quantity from top to bottom, mainly consisting of pottery, weapons, and jade carvings. Near the coffin and sarcophagus, four sacrificial human remains and five sacrificial dogs were found on the top of the sarcophagus, along with a large number of bronze ritual and musical instruments. There were also two jade baskets. The sarcophagus was covered with a thin layer of silk, which was then wrapped in hemp cloth. Red and black lacquer were painted on the outside of the sarcophagus, indicating exquisite craftsmanship. Bronze artifacts were also placed between the sarcophagus and the coffin. The remains inside the coffin had long decayed, but jade artifacts and 7,000 sea shells were found as funerary goods!
A waist pit was present at the bottom of the tomb, where one sacrificial human and one sacrificial dog were buried, and eight other sacrificial humans were found elsewhere in the tomb. At this point, the 7.5-meter-deep Fuhao Tomb was fully excavated, yielding over 1,600 artifacts of various types, along with about 7,000 sea shells. Among them, there were over 440 bronze artifacts, including more than 110 inscribed bronzes, with inscriptions primarily featuring "Fuhao," "Si Mu Xin," and "Hao." Other inscriptions included "Ya Gong," "Ya Qi," "Ya Qi," and "Shu Quan." Among these bronze artifacts, the large bronzes not only featured finely carved patterns but were also solemn and aesthetically pleasing. Many shapes, such as the paired rectangular urns and triple-tiered steamers, were previously unseen.
Four bronze mirrors were also discovered in the Fuhao Tomb. The Shang Dynasty bronze mirror had already been found by Liang Siyong during the excavation of the No. 1005 large tomb in Houzhuang, but only one example was found, and many scholars doubted its authenticity. This time, the discovery of four mirrors confirmed that the Shang Dynasty had already been casting and using bronze mirrors. The use of bronze mirrors greatly promoted human progress and the development of civilization.
The Fuhao Tomb yielded over 590 jade artifacts, which were not only diverse in type but also exquisitely carved. The Shang Dynasty jade craftsmen, with their skilled techniques, created works of art that were both grand and dignified, while small animal carvings retained a lively and dynamic style. This was truly remarkable in ancient times, given the limited tools and experience available. Additionally, over 7,000 sea shells were unearthed from the Fuhao Tomb. At that time, sea shells were used as currency, and such a large number of shells represented an enormous wealth in the Shang Dynasty.
Due to the extremely rich funerary goods unearthed from the Fuhao Tomb, research on the tomb has flourished, and the ancient Yinxu has been revitalized with renewed vigor! To this day, archaeology in Yinxu has never ceased. Dedicated archaeologists have devoted their youth and even their entire lives to this land. As archaeological work continues to progress, it is believed that the ancient Yinxu will one day stand before people once again, with its majestic palaces, grand royal burial grounds, various workshops, and even the living quarters of commoners and slaves, as well as the history of the Shang Dynasty, all restored to comfort those who once toiled for Yinxu, whether living or dead.