During the Chu-Han period, Xuzhou became increasingly important. It is not only the hometown of Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, but also one of the important strategic cities in the Han Dynasty. In 20 1 year, Liu Bang made his brother Jiao, the king of Chu in Wei Liu, his capital Pengcheng (now Xuzhou). Since then, many celebrities have grown, lived and settled here until the demise of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Because of this, Xuzhou Han Tomb has become an important specimen for studying the society of Han Dynasty.
In ancient Xuzhou, there were frequent floods and thick silt layers, and many Han tombs were buried deep underground and well preserved. According to the records in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty and Notes on Water Classics, there are more than ten famous tombs in Xuzhou, such as Wang Tomb, Han Taiwei Tomb and Liu Xiang Tomb. After the founding of New China, the archaeological cause in Xuzhou developed rapidly. From the first scientific excavation of 1952 Xuzhou Han Tomb to the 1990s, after years of excavation, the archaeological achievements of Xuzhou Han Tomb have been remarkable. According to the statistics of archaeologist Mr. Li Yinde, by 1990, about 300 Han tombs had been discovered in Xuzhou, around 2006.
A large number of tombs provide rich and valuable information for archaeological and academic research. Through these tomb sites, we can clearly see all aspects of Han society.
On the changes of political situation in the Western Han Dynasty from the Han tombs in Xuzhou
In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang enfeoffed many kings with different surnames out of the need of war. With the gradual stability of the political situation, the royal family of the Han Dynasty began to eradicate the king with different surnames, and it was clearly stipulated that those who were not descendants of Liu could not be crowned king, in order to achieve this? Cheng Wei Tian Zi? The role of (after political stability, Liu Bang abolished Han Xin, the former king of Chu, and gave most of his fiefs to his younger brother Liu Jiao, the king of Chu, with its capital in Pengcheng, now Xuzhou). With the implementation of this political measure, the centralization of power in the Han Dynasty was constantly strengthened, which can also be seen from the Han tombs in Xuzhou.
According to the Archaeological Yearbook of China in 2000, the tomb owner of Fenghuang Mountain in Xuzhou should live in the period of Empress Dowager Cixi. His position is not high, but the pottery figurines of chariots and horses have been unearthed in his tomb. In addition, a certain number of terracotta warriors and horses have also been unearthed in Wally Han Tomb and Lion Mountain Han Tomb, supplemented by historical records? Do you and Lu want to make trouble in Guanzhong? Afraid of Qi and Chu Bing? According to the records, it is certain that in the early Han Dynasty, Chu, with Pengcheng as its capital, had its own army and was powerful.
Hanshu? Wang Chuan said, Chu Yuan? Wen Di Zun (Chu) Wang Yuan, Zi Sheng, and Jue Bi Prince? Needless to say, the high status of Chu and its close relationship with the central authorities have also been proved by the archaeological excavation of the Han tomb in Shizishan, Xuzhou. The owner of the tomb is dressed in golden jade clothes, and there are three martyrs. There are more tombs buried outside the tomb. The overall specifications of the tomb can be described as luxury.
Based on historical records and archaeological discoveries, we can draw the conclusion that Chu had a strong army in the early Han Dynasty, which was closely related to the central government of the Han Dynasty, and the king of Chu had great power. In other words, the central government's power concentration was not high in the early Han Dynasty, and the local forces represented by Chu still had some influence.
However, things took a turning point in the period of Emperor Jing of Han Dynasty. In the third year of Emperor Jing of Han Dynasty (BC 154), the king of Chu participated? Seven countries rebellion? And then defeated and committed suicide. ? Seven countries rebellion? As a turning point of the political situation in the Han Dynasty, it is not only the embodiment of the continuous strengthening of centralization in the Han Dynasty, but also the starting point of the decline of Chu politics. Since then, the power of the king of Chu has been weakened.
Liu Dao, the fifth king of Chu in the Western Han Dynasty, succeeded to the throne in 15 1 BC after the rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms. He was King Chu 'an, and was buried in Beidongshan after his death. In this North Dongshan Han Tomb, the types and quantities of seals and mud unearthed by archaeological excavations are far less than those of the previous Lion Mountain Han Tomb, which shows that the actual ruling area of Chu State is shrinking and deprived of many powers after the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion. Not only that, there is no longer a burial pit of terracotta warriors and horses symbolizing military strength outside the Han tomb in Beidongshan, and it is replaced by a guard and guard figurines.
After Emperor Wudi ascended the throne, he continued to weaken the power of the vassal states politically. According to the report of the Tomb of Cliff Cave in the Western Han Dynasty in Tongshan Guishan, Nanjing Museum, there are no facilities in the tomb of Liu Zhu (the son of Liu Dao, the sixth king of Chu) and his wife. There are only some wing rooms in the tunnel, mainly chariots and horses, stoves and so on. And only a few weapons were unearthed in the secret room, which shows that the power of the vassal state has been further enhanced.
Therefore, from the scale of many tombs in Xuzhou and the types and quantities of sacrificial objects, it can be seen that during the Western Han Dynasty, the power of the king of Chu was gradually dissolved, and the actual control and military power of Chu were deprived to varying degrees, and the wealth was decreasing and the status was declining. Accordingly, the central power of the Western Han Dynasty was naturally centralized.
On Confucianism in Han Dynasty from Xuzhou Han Tomb
Some scholars say that there are two kinds of thoughts in the Han Dynasty that occupy a dominant position in the process of social development, one is the study of Huang Lao and the other is Confucianism. If the study of Huang Lao played an important role in the early Western Han Dynasty, Confucianism gradually occupied a dominant position after the middle Western Han Dynasty, which was also reflected in the Han tombs in Xuzhou.
As the archaeologist Yu Xiansheng said, from the middle of the Western Han Dynasty to the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty? Harmony between man and nature? World view? Many of the Han tombs in Xuzhou are domed, and there are also portraits of Fuxi and Nu Wa on the stone reliefs unearthed in the tombs, which is the long-standing desire of the Han people to reconcile Yin and Yang and the love of husband and wife, and is the concrete embodiment of the idea of harmony between man and nature.
Mr. Jin Xuefeng said in the History of Han Dynasty Thought. The foundation of hierarchical rule in feudal society is self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy, so what is the consolidation and strengthening of patriarchal clan system? Three classes? Fundamental link, so Dong Zhongshu put filial piety first? Confucianism strongly advocates filial piety, which also leads to the prevalence of thick burial. From princes and nobles to ordinary people, the whole society of Han Dynasty regarded the burial of parents as extremely important, and this phenomenon was also reflected in the Han tombs in Xuzhou.
In the archaeological excavation of the Han tombs in Xuzhou, archaeologists found a certain number of? The old man is holding a stick? Stone reliefs, what kind of information are hidden behind these portraits? It turns out that in the Han Dynasty, the government gave the elderly people a certain age? A scepter? This not only improves the political and social status of the elderly, but also brings them practical benefits (tax reduction and exemption, etc.). ), it can be seen that the prosperity of respecting the elderly in the Han Dynasty.
Not only that, through a large number of excavations of the Han tombs in Xuzhou, we can find that the tomb specifications of many local nobles are even higher than those of the princes of Chu, so what is this abandonment? Hierarchy? How did this phenomenon come about? As mentioned above, during the Western Han Dynasty, the atmosphere of thick burial prevailed, so that the wind of comparison was formed in society. The civilian class with a lot of wealth broke through the rules of hierarchy and insisted on building the graves of dead fathers and mothers more luxurious and magnificent than those of princes. It is not surprising that some people even go bankrupt because of building their parents' graves.
On the economic situation of Xuzhou in the Western Han Dynasty from the perspective of funerary objects
Marx said: the social and economic structure of each era has formed a realistic foundation, and all the superstructures in each historical period, including legal facilities, political facilities and religious philosophy, are explained by this foundation in the final analysis. ? Tombs are inextricably linked with social economy. The funerary objects, burial methods and tomb buildings all reflected the economic situation of the society at that time. So, what can we see from the Han tombs in Xuzhou?
First, agriculture is developed, which is mainly reflected in the variety of farm tools planted in Han tombs and the diversification of crops.
Agricultural tools unearthed in Han dynasty
After decades of archaeological research, people have found more than ten kinds of iron farm tools in the Han tombs in Xuzhou, including but not limited to class, fork, hoe, sickle and so on. Some people may say that these farm tools are not very common, but very common. Actually, it's not. The Theory of Salt and Iron says that agriculture, the great industry in the world, iron and farmers' tools? The popularization and use of iron farm tools is a sign of the rapid development of agriculture in Han Dynasty. The combination of iron tools and wooden handles has greatly improved the labor efficiency of farmers. It can be said that the extensive use of iron farm tools has set off a productivity revolution, and the cultural relics unearthed from the Han tomb in Xuzhou are proof of this great revolution.
Archaeological excavation and literature research are two main ways of historical research. Mr. Zhang Butian once mentioned in Historical Geography of China that there were cereal crops such as rice and millet in Chu State in Han Dynasty. The archaeological discovery of the Han tombs in Xuzhou confirmed and supplemented this view. A certain amount of millet, millet and other carbides were unearthed from the Han tomb in Houloushan, Xuzhou, and pits such as jujube, peach, plum, apricot and plum were unearthed from the tomb of Chu Wang in Xiaoguishan.
Second, the handicraft industry has a high level, which can be seen from the gold funerary objects and developed textile tools in Han tombs.
Among the cultural relics unearthed from the Han tomb in Xuzhou, the phenomenon of gold foil wrapping jade, bronze and other artifacts was found. These gold foils are generally very thin, and the thickness is similar to that of paper. Liu He? The jade pillow unearthed in the tomb is wrapped in gold foil as a whole, forming a net pattern, which is very beautiful. All these show that gold foil processing technology has been very common in Han Dynasty, and handicraft industry has developed to a high level. In addition, a variety of textile tools, including spinning wheels, have been unearthed in the Han tombs in Xuzhou. These cultural relics intuitively show the mode of production at that time and have extremely high historical value.
Xuzhou Guishan Han Tomb Site
So, what's the use of studying ancient tombs? Its role is simply too great. Taking the Han Tomb in Xuzhou as an example, we can know the burial methods, funerary objects and tomb specifications. These can intuitively and vividly show the social, political, cultural, economic and other aspects at that time. If historical research only depends on literature, then we will always feel a lack of realism through a veil, and the cultural relics unearthed in the tombs will lead us back to the scene thousands of years ago and feel the most authentic history.