Guanzhong Tomb Robbery Notes

"Good job digging graves!"

"I'll notify Wang Hu and the others right away."

Cui Hao was very excited.

When I heard about digging graves, I couldn't wait and didn't notice that I was talking about digging a Taoist priest's tomb.

"No need to notify them, just the two of us will go."

"What?"

Cui Hao was stunned for a moment: "Just the two of us?"

Tomb robbing can be done by one or two people, five or six people, or even a dozen or twenty people.

But the tombs dug by tomb-robbing gangs with different numbers of people are different.

One or two people can usually only dig tombs from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

If you come across a larger tomb, it will be difficult to dig it up.

Especially when encountering large tombs before the Tang Dynasty, the tomb robbers often dug a hole 20 to 30 meters deep, and one or two people may not be able to dig in even after several days.

Therefore, a team of five or six people is the basic number configuration for tomb robbers.

The hard-working people dig the tunnels in groups of two, and then divide into two groups to take turns, which makes digging the tunnels much more efficient.

Later, in order to dig holes faster, some tomb robbers abandoned the square Guanzhong-style holes and instead used Luoyang shovels to dig round holes.

The hole entrance is large on the outside and narrow on the inside, creating a narrow hole that is only wide enough for an average person to enter and exit with both arms raised, thus greatly improving the efficiency of hole digging.

This kind of small, narrow hole can be dug more than ten to twenty meters deep by a skilled tomb robber in half a night.

However, this kind of tunneling also has disadvantages.

That is because the entrance to the cave is too narrow, and large items cannot be carried up, so they can only look for small, valuable objects.

A tomb-robbing team of a dozen or twenty people usually has a large configuration and digs up tombs of kings or princes.

Considering the danger of Yu Zhenren's tomb, and the fact that Taoist tombs are not strictly regulated and the tomb chamber is not too deep, I think it is enough for the two of us to go.

"There might be zombies in the tomb we are going to this time," I said.

Cui Hao's eyes gradually widened: "Zombie?"

"Brother, don't scare me!"

"Why don't we dig some safe graves? Why do we have to pick ones with zombies?"

I smiled helplessly: "To understand the curse on us both."

"..."

Cui Hao touched his back in silence.

The curse mark on our backs is a constant reminder that we don't have much time left.

"This damn curse!"

"Stop complaining. A true warrior is one who dares to face the bleakness of life. Go and prepare your tools."

We separated at the intersection.

He went to prepare the tools for tomb robbing, and I went to prepare supplies for grandpa's journey.

Early the next morning.

Send grandpa to the train station to meet up with Boss Dong.

"Brother Dong, I'll leave my grandfather to you."

"Let's be good brothers. Your grandfather is my grandfather. Don't worry!"

"I'm definitely relieved. I've never been separated from my grandfather for a long time since I was a child..."

Tears blurred my vision.

Grandpa smiled and patted my back, comforting me: "Shitou, you are also a big kid. You have to take good care of yourself when I am not around."

"Nannan is a good girl, but you have to hold on tight."

"She's a pretty college student. There must be a lot of people in school who like her..."

I helped my grandfather onto the train.

Boss Dong booked four soft sleeper tickets, which just filled up an entire soft sleeper compartment with the doctors and nurses.

In those days, most people rode hard seats on the train.

There are many people who cannot even buy hard seats and have to stand on the train for dozens of hours.

Those who can buy sleeper tickets are people of status.

Soft sleeper seats are even rarer.

This train has only one soft sleeper car, and those who can get soft sleeper tickets are basically people of high status.

Later, there was a skit by Guo Donglin on the Spring Festival Gala, which was about staying up late to queue up to buy train tickets for the leader.

It was almost time for the bus to depart, so I reluctantly said goodbye to my grandfather and got off the bus, looking back every few steps.

I watched the train go away, but I was still on the platform, reluctant to leave.

"Brother, our grandfather will definitely arrive in Hong Kong safely and be completely cured." Cui Hao comforted me.

I nodded vigorously: "Yes, of course, let's go to Huxian as well."

Cui Hao and I left the train station.

Set out on the road to Huxian.

Hu County is located southwest of Xi'an and has a long history.

During the Xia Dynasty, Youhu clan was established as a state, during the Shang Dynasty it was Chong State, during the pre-Qin period it was Huyi, and in the 20th year of Qin Xiaogong's reign, Hu County was established.

Huxian also plays an important role in the development of Buddhism and Taoism.

The Chongyang Palace, the ancestral home of Quanzhen Taoism, is located in Hu County.

The Caotang Temple in Huxian County has an even more legendary status in the development of Buddhism.

During the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Emperor Yao Xing of the Later Qin Dynasty welcomed the eminent monk Kumarajiva from the Western Regions to Xiaoyao Garden, built a thatched hall for him to translate Buddhist scriptures, and thus established Caotang Temple.

This is the first national Buddhist scripture translation center in the country's history.

Many famous Buddhist scriptures were translated here.

Because Kumarajiva translated the Three Madhyamika Treatises and provided classics for the founding of the Three Treatises School, he was revered as the founder of the school and Caotang Temple was the ancestral temple.

Because of the translation of "Chengshi Lun", Caotang Temple is regarded as the ancestral temple of Chengshi Sect.

Because the fifth patriarch of the Huayan school wrote books and taught here for many years, it is also regarded as the ancestral home of the Huayan school.

The Nichiren sect of the island nation was founded based on the Lotus Sutra translated by Kumarajiva, and also regards Sodō-ji Temple as its ancestral temple.

One temple serves as the ancestral temple of four sects, which is unique in the history of world Buddhism.

Cui Hao and I finally arrived at Zuan Town, Hu County.

The town is not big, with only one main street.

There are not many businesses on both sides of the street, only two shops and a restaurant. It looks like a large village.

The economy was underdeveloped at that time and there was basically no business in the towns and villages.

The main markets for rural consumption are "gatherings" and "meetings".

There are big markets, temple fairs, riverside fairs and other activities on fixed days every week or month.

Vendors from all around gathered there, selling all kinds of food, drinks, daily necessities and clothing. Villagers from all around the village would go to the market on that day.

"Let's go first."

I took Cui Hao and walked west along the street.

I checked some information before coming here and found out that Chongyang Palace is located in Zuan Town.

So I want to check and find the location first.

After walking a few steps, we saw Chongyang Palace in a field.

The gate of Chongyang Palace was closed and the surrounding brick walls were broken.

Looking inside through the broken brick wall.

Several halls showed signs of human damage, and even one hall had its wall bricks completely removed, leaving only the wooden frame structure.

"Brother, is this Chongyang Palace?"

I nodded and said, "It's here. Historical records show that after Wang Chongyang passed away, his disciples escorted his remains to be buried in his old residence."

"His disciple Wang Chuyi petitioned the court to build Lingxu Temple at Wang Chongyang's former residence. Later, Qiu Chuji petitioned the court to change the name to Chongyang Palace."

"So Wang Chongyang's tomb should be inside Chongyang Palace."

Cui Hao blinked and whispered, "This was built by order of the imperial court. Could it be like the underground palace we dug before, with lots of treasures?"

"Hard to say."

I shook my head.

Although Chongyang Palace was also built by order of the imperial court, it is very different from the underground palace of Qingshan Temple.

Qingshan Temple was destroyed long ago, and the underground palace was buried deep underground for thousands of years and was little known to people.

The Chongyang Palace has experienced several dynasties and its size has been reduced again and again. Even if there are good things in it, it is difficult to preserve them.

Plus the dilapidated state it's in now...

I suspect that Wang Chongyang's tomb may have been dug up by the surrounding villagers during the frenzy of the past few years.

Just as I was thinking about it, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.

I looked back warily, only to see four men with red bands on their arms surrounding us.

Worse!