China News Service, Taiyuan, January 29th: What kind of Jinyang ancient city can be glimpsed through the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb?
——Exclusive interview with Xu Baojun, Director of Taiyuan Museum
China News Service reporter Hu Jian
In its 2,500-year history, Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province, was the capital of three dynasties and the capital of five dynasties. It was the hometown of Yao of the Tang Dynasty and the hegemony of the Northern Dynasties. It has about 200,000 above-ground and underground historical relics and unearthed cultural relics, including pottery, bronzes, and porcelain. , calligraphy and painting, etc. more than 20 categories.
The Taiyuan City Museum, designed by the French firm André Paris Architects, is the only comprehensive museum in Taiyuan City. The chariot and horse pit unearthed from the tomb of Zhao Qing in Taiyuan is the "treasure of the museum" and is closely related to the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang. What are the similarities and differences between chariot and horse pits? What kind of integration of national cultures does it embody? What kind of ancient city of Jinyang can be glimpsed from this chariot and horse pit? Xu Baojun, director of Taiyuan Museum, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" to explain this.
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
Reporter from China News Service: As the "treasure of the museum" in Taiyuan City Museum, how was the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb discovered? Who is Zhao Qing?
Xu Baojun:
In 1988, the largest tomb of a noble from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in Shanxi was discovered in the fifth phase expansion area of Taiyuan No. 1 Thermal Power Plant in Shanxi. This large tomb is 11 meters long from east to west, 9.2 meters wide from north to south, and 14 meters deep. It contains a total of 3,421 burial artifacts, among which the bronzes are the most spectacular: the largest wok tripod in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty; complete sets of tripods and ritual vessels; ornately decorated Bird statues, gourd pots and high-handled square pots; exquisitely cast tigers holding eagles; rare tiger-shaped copper stoves and copper tent roofs... Many of these national treasures represent the final glory of Shang and Zhou bronze art.
In January 2024, in Taiyuan, Shanxi, the Jinyang Ancient City Archaeological Museum displayed a bronze artifact from the Spring and Autumn Period - a bird statue. Photo by Wei Liang
Pictures and cultural relics such as a teapot were found in Zhao Qing's tomb. Photo courtesy of Taiyuan Museum
The large chariot and horse pit buried on the northeast side of the tomb contains 16 wooden chariots and 46 horses, which are valuable physical materials for studying the vehicle system of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Research shows that it dates from the middle to late Spring and Autumn Period. On the two bronze Ges buried with them, one of them is engraved with the five characters "Zhao Mingzhi Yu Ge", and "Ming" refers to "Meng". According to the research of archaeologist Tao Zhenggang, Zhao Ming is Zhao Meng, and the inscription means "Zhao Meng". Use your own weapon." "Meng" is the honorific title given to the clan leader. In the history of the Zhao family in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, there were five patriarchs called Zhao Meng. Among them, only Zhao Jianzi and Zhao Xiangzi and his son matched the era of the cultural relics unearthed in the tomb, so the owner of the tomb was locked between Zhao Jianzi and his son.
Who is the main ally in "The Letter of Houma"? Academics disagree. The organizer of "Book of Houma's Alliance" believes that its main ally is most likely to be Zhao Jianzi, the ruling official of the Jin Dynasty. Since the font of the inscription "Zhao Mingzhi Yu Ge" is very similar to the content of "The Book of Houma League", the owner of the tomb is basically identified as Zhao Jianzi.
Zhao Jianzi's original name is Zhao Yang, and he is also the grandson of Zhao Wu, the orphan in "The Orphan of Zhao". During the reign of the Jin State, it was said in history that "Zhao was named Jin Qing, and he was actually responsible for the power of the Jin Dynasty, and he served as a minister to the princes." He dominated the military and political affairs of the Jin State and was a man of influence at the turn of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. He was also the founder of the State of Zhao and the founder of the ancient city of Jinyang.
In May 2014, a public open day was held at the archaeological excavation site of the ancient city of Jinyang in Taiyuan, Shanxi. Photo by Wei Liang
Reporter from China News Service: Judging from the shape, accessories, and craftsmanship of the chariot and horse pit, what kind of multicultural integration can be reflected?
Xu Baojun:
The plane of the chariot and horse pit is in the shape of a ruler, consisting of a rectangular chariot pit and a horse pit. The pit is 12 meters long from east to west, 6 meters wide from north to south, and 4 to 4.5 meters deep. There are 16 vehicles buried in the pit, divided into two rows, north and south, arranged from west to east. The horse pit is 12.6 meters long from north to south, about 3 meters wide from east to west, and about 4 meters deep. A total of 46 horses are buried, with their heads facing west and arranged from north to south. A large number of horse equipment was also found in the horse pit.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the chariot was an advanced and complex tool. To integrate woodworking, metalworking, leatherworking, lacquering and other crafts, the manufacturer must have certain knowledge of mathematics, mechanics, geometry, etc. The chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb has been buried underground for nearly 2,500 years. The wooden ancient chariots have turned into ancient earthen chariots, and the war horses have also rotted into horse bone remains. However, due to the "inverted" design, the vehicle has almost remained in its original state after more than 2,500 years, and some parts of the car body even retain the patent leather from more than 2,000 years ago. The 46 horse bone remains are in good overall condition except for some decay and damage in some parts.
Chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb. Photo courtesy of Taiyuan Museum
A total of 779 weapons were unearthed from Zhao Qing's tomb, mainly including more than ten types of swords, daggers, spears, axes, halberds, daggers, knives, and arrowheads. An artifact called the Tiger Eagle Fighting Open-carved Ge has an obvious ethnic style of the northern grasslands. The four bronze swords unearthed from the inner coffin of the tomb owner were decorated with exquisite jade carvings on their frames and scabbards. They should have been the beloved objects of the tomb owner.
Tiger-shaped stoves and tent roofs are daily utensils that are carried with them during marches and battles. The tiger-shaped stove unearthed from Zhao Qing's tomb is a rather peculiar bronze stove. There is a tiger-head-shaped fire door in the front of the stove body, a stove chamber for placing cauldrons and retort utensils in the middle, and a flue at the back where the chimney can be placed freely. This stove is very suitable for marching and fighting, and has the characteristics of the Central Plains and grassland cultures. In addition, some studies have shown that the dog bones buried in the chariot and horse pits may reflect the customs of northern ethnic minorities, indicating the blending of the Central Plains culture and the culture of northern ethnic minorities during the Spring and Autumn Period.
In August 2016, "The Hegemony of the Jin Kingdom - An Exhibition of the Highlights of Cultural Relics from the Two-week Period Unearthed in Shanxi" was held at the Hebei Museum. The exhibition featured a tiger-shaped stove. Photo by Zhai Yujia
China News Service reporter: What are the similarities and differences between the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing’s tomb and Qin Shihuang’s “underground legion”? What kind of burial customs can be reflected?
Xu Baojun:
From a chronological point of view, the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb is more than 200 years older than the chariot and horse pit in Qin Shihuang's tomb. In terms of shape, the carriages in the carriage pit of Zhao Qing's tomb are made of wood, while the carriages in Qin Shihuang's mausoleum are made of copper. The burial in the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb is very particular. The war horses are of the Mongolian type. The corpses are buried close to each other with their heads aligned one by one. Ancient vehicles were buried using a dense burial method in which the wheels fell into grooves, the axles were on the ground, and the vehicles were close together. Therefore, most ancient vehicles basically maintained their original shape. The bronze chariots and horses of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum are made according to the scale of one-half of the chariots in Qin Shihuang's royal fleet. The cover and the inside and outside of the chariots are painted with exquisite patterns. The gold and silver ornaments on the two bronze chariots and horses weigh 14 Kilograms, showing the noble rank of bronze chariots and horses.
As burials, chariot and horse pits have three types: chariot pits, horse burial pits, and chariot and horse burial pits. This custom began in the late Shang Dynasty, went through the Western Zhou Dynasty, Spring and Autumn Period, Warring States Period, and Qin Dynasty, and gradually disappeared after the Western Han Dynasty. It can be said that the chariot and horse pit is a witness to the development and evolution of ancient Chinese ritual systems.
Academic circles generally believe that China's horse-drawn carriages and manufacturing technology were transmitted from the West. The horse-drawn carriages found in West Asia, Egypt, the Eurasian grasslands and other places today share the same characteristics as those found in China, indicating that they have a common origin. It spread from Central Asia to Xinjiang, then to the northwest Gansu and Qinghai regions, and finally reached the Central Plains. Due to the development of bronze culture in the Central Plains, the carriages coming from the West were modified in terms of size and body decoration. Starting from the Shang Dynasty, through the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period, horse-drawn carriages have been equipped in the army, making history recorded as a "country of thousands of chariots" and "a kingdom of ten thousand chariots". During the Spring and Autumn Period, the burial of carriages and horses reached its peak.
Chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb. Photo courtesy of Taiyuan Museum
Reporter from China News Service: What kind of ancient city of Jinyang can be glimpsed from the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb?
Xu Baojun:
During the Western Zhou Dynasty, Jin was an important vassal state. At the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period, when Duke Wen of Jin came to dominate, six nobles with different surnames became important emerging forces in the Jin State. They were Zhao, Wei, Han, Fan, Zhonghang and Zhishi, the so-called "Six Qings". At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Jin Dynasty's official family declined, and the power fell to others. It was divided into six ministers, which was known as the "six ministers' exclusive power" in history. Zhao Jianzi ruled the state of Jin as a minister. In order for the Zhao family to remain invincible in the political situation of the Jin state, Zhao Jianzi built a military castle in his new fief (today's Taiyuan Ancient City Camp area), which is located north of the Jin River. Jinyang.
The name Taiyuan is found in ancient books such as "The Book of Songs" and "Zuo Zhuan", which means the great one of the original. In 497 BC, Zhao Jianzi built a city on the Yangtze River of Jin and named it "Jinyang". As the burial pit of the Zhao family, the chief minister of the Jin Dynasty during the Spring and Autumn Period, the chariot and horse pit has extremely high display value, historical value and research value. It is a witness to the beginning of the history of Taiyuan city. In addition, the relics and relics of the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb are in good condition, and it is one of the best-preserved chariot and horse pits unearthed in China.
In November 2023, in Taiyuan, Shanxi, citizens visited the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb. Photo by Zhang Yun
In 2014, the chariot and horse pit in Zhao Qing's tomb was moved to the Taiyuan Museum. Based on the preliminary investigation of the current status of the chariot and horse pit cultural relics, the museum carried out scientific protection and restoration. The restored chariot and horse pit cultural relics can be preserved for a long time and meet the requirements for display and exhibition, so that the public can see the chariot and horse in the museum exhibition hall. Matrix luxury. 2,500 years ago, Zhao Jianzi founded Jinyang, creating a new situation in Jin culture; 2,500 years later, Zhao Qing's tomb was rediscovered in Jinsheng Village, recreating the Zhao family's luxurious life in the past. The vicissitudes of Jinyang City are all deeply buried in this tomb. The rise and fall during this period not only added historical depth to modern Taiyuan, but also allowed people today to witness the past glory of ancient Jinyang. (over)
Interviewee profile:
Xu Baojun, Director of Taiyuan Museum
Xu Baojun is the director of Taiyuan Museum and the chairman of the museology committee of Shanxi Provincial Museum Association. In recent years, he has published "Taiyuan City Museum: Tell the story of Taiyuan well and open up a new path for the "second classroom"", "On the status and role of museums in the inheritance and development of traditional culture", "Splendid Taiyuan City in the Tang Dynasty and Jin Dynasty", "Yongzuo Temple" and " Yongzuo Monument" and many other academic papers; in 2017, based on practical experience in cultural relics administrative law enforcement, the editor-in-chief published the "Grass-level Work Manual for Cultural Relics Administrative Law Enforcement"; in 2019, by sorting out and summarizing immovable cultural relics in Taiyuan City, the editor-in-chief published " Overview of Cultural Relics Units in Taiyuan City"; in 2020, he presided over the compilation of "Turn Soil into Gold - An Exhibition of Ming and Qing Porcelain Exhibitions"; in 2021, he presided over the compilation of "Famous Capitals Became Prefectures Since Ancient Times"; in 2022, he presided over the compilation of "A Brief Introduction to Splendid Taiyuan" "Museum People Talk about Cultural Relics".