Data Map: Photo by Tang Zhaorong Shangguan's Epitaph Covered by Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology
China News Service Client, Beijing, April 29 (Reporter Xing Rui) On the 28th, the Shaanxi Archaeological Museum, the first archaeological museum in the country, was opened to the public on a trial basis, and a large number of precious cultural relics in the museum were available to the public.
Among them, the epitaph of Shangguan Wan'er, known as the "Women Prime Minister", will also be exhibited for the first time, and the related content will soon occupy the hot search list on social media.
Many people's understanding of Shangguan Wan'er comes from film and television dramas, and some young people know this legendary woman through game characters.
But looking back on the real and heavy history, what kind of person is Shangguan Wan'er?
What are the ups and downs of her life?
As early as 2013, archaeologists discovered the tomb of Shangguan Waner in Konggang New Town, Xixian New District, Shaanxi Province.
In 2014, the full text of Shangguan Wan'er's epitaph was published in the journal "Archaeology and Cultural Relics". In just 982 words, it recorded Shangguan Wan'er's dramatic life.
Data map: On November 14, 2013, in response to the suggestion by the descendants of the Shangguan family from Henan to focus on protecting the tomb of Shangguan Wan'er on the original site, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology stated that it is currently discussing a suitable protection plan with the construction unit.
The data map shows the tomb of Shangguan Wan'er.
China News Agency issued a long-term photo
According to historical records, Shangguan Wan'er's grandfather was Shangguan Yi, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty. The latter was killed by Empress Wu for drafting the edict to abolish Wu Zetian for Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, thus affecting the entire family.
After Shangguanyi was killed, the young Shangguan Waner and her mother Zheng were sent to the harem as slaves.
Later, she was appreciated by Wu Zetian for her outstanding talent and became a female official beside Wu Empress.
Many literati in history highly praised Shangguan Wan'er's talent. Lv Wen, a late Tang writer, once described her as follows: "She is naive when she says she is talented, and she is better than a woman if she refuses to accept her husband." She is quite heroic, and her literary temperament is by no means comparable to ordinary weak women.
Shangguan Wan'er's epitaph did not record her literary achievements, but briefly described her experience in the palace curtain.
At the age of 13, Shangguan Wan'er was named a talented person of Tang Gaozong, and at the age of 42, she was named Zhaorong of Tang Zhongzong.
According to this, some experts believe that Shangguan Wan'er married two emperors, father and son, and embarked on a path similar to Wu Zetian.
However, some scholars believe that "talent" and "zhaorong" are the official titles of female officials in the palace, the former is the fifth grade, and the latter is the second grade.
The epitaph can only show that Shangguan Wan'er was once an official, but cannot conclusively prove that she was the emperor's consort.
Data map: In August 2013, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology discovered a Tang Dynasty tomb with five patios during the archaeological work on the construction site of the South Avenue Project in the Konggang New City Park, Xixian New District. According to the unearthed epitaph, the tomb was The master is Tang Zhongzong Zhaorong Shangguan, that is, the Tang Dynasty poetess Shangguan Waner, who was buried in the first year of Tang Jingyun (710) in August.
The picture shows the dome-shaped tomb passage into the tomb.
Photo by Zhang Yuan
In film and television works, there are often scenes in which Shangguan Wan'er messes up the palace.
This is not clearly stated in the epitaph.
However, the epitaph records in detail how Wan'er dissuaded Princess Anle from becoming the "crown princess".
Princess Anle was the most favored daughter of Tang Zhongzong and Empress Wei. She was arrogant and domineering. With Empress Wei's tacit approval, she asked Zhongzong for the status of "Princess Daughter" and wanted to be the heir.
The epitaph records the process of Shangguan Wan'er's admonition to Tang Zhongzong four times. From reporting and exposing, to resigning and not doing anything, to cutting her hair to become a nun, she was not approved by Tang Zhongzong. In the end, Wan'er adopted "please drink poison and die. The fierce way of "falling to the top" and admonishing each other with death prevented Princess Anle's dream of "the crown princess".
Data map: Photo by Tang Zhaorong Shangguan's Epitaph, Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology
The relationship between Shangguan Wan'er and Princess Taiping is also a topic that later generations have been talking about.
Some scholars believe that these two elegant women of the same age and powerful in the era of Wu Zetian may have been in close contact with each other and become allies in the turbulent political struggle.
The description of Shangguan Wan'er's death in the epitaph seems to support this.
According to records, Shangguan Wan'er died in the chaos of the army.
The epitaph also specifically mentions: "Princess Taiping was sad, she donated 500 pieces of silk, and sent envoys to hang offerings. The purpose of the words was to prepare." It is understood that 500 pieces of silk were a lot of money in Tang Dynasty, equivalent to 500,000 today Yuan's purchasing power shows that Princess Taiping has a deep friendship with Shangguan Wan'er.
Throughout Wan'er's life, she never stepped out of the shadow of the imperial struggle.
The evaluation of her by later generations was also mixed. Some people praised her for her excellent literary talent, while others criticized her for being arrogant and extravagant.
It's just that the wheel of history is rolling forward. After a thousand years, only the handwriting under the loess remains, waiting for later people to uncover the secrets of the prosperous Tang Dynasty... (End)