书城外语HistoryofChina
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第14章 The Graves of Huo Qubing and Wang Zhaojun(2)

H u o Q u b i n g r u s h e d t o the camp of Chief Hunyeand discussed with him.They killed the 8,000 soldiers that didn’t want to surrender and finally,Chief Hunye led 40,000 soldiers and pledged allegiance to the Han Dynasty.The successful surrender ensured the longterm peace and stability of the Hexi region,and Han thus got through the path to the western territories.In 117 BC,Emperor Wu took advantage of the Huns’assumption that Han dared not go into the desert for war.He sent Wei Qing and Huo Qubing to attack the Huns respectively,each with 50,000 cavalry,40,000 equipped horses,and hundreds of thousands of soldiers and supplying troops.Huo Qubing set off from Dai Prefecture and caught Chief Tuntou,Chief Han,and 83 followers.His troops killed more than 70,000 soldiers.Huo Qubing was thus promoted to Grand Sima Piaoqi General.Emperor Wudi regarded highly of Huo Qubing and once proposed to build a luxurious house for him.However,Huo Qubing answered,“The Huns are not annihilated completely,what do I need a house for?”This saying became a motto for generals and patriots throughout the dynasties for expressing lofty sentiments.In 117 BC,Huo Qubing died of illness at the age of 23.Emperor Wu grieved heavily and ordered to bury him at Mao Mausoleum(Emperor Wu’sownmausoleuminXingpingCountyatthen northwest of Xi’an,Shaanxi).Emperor Wu built his grave in the shape of Qilian Mountain,symbolizing the battle field that Huo Qubing had fought.

There are tone sculptures at the front of Huo Qubing’s grave,including stone figures,stone horses,and other various topics.The style of the sculptures is simple and rough.They are so far the most ancient and best preserved great sculpture artworks in China and are of great significance in Chinese art history.

Wang Zhaojun(52–19 BC),whose first name was Qiang,was born in Baoping Village of Xingshan County in Hubei Province.She was selected into the imperial palace during Emperor Yuan’s reign in Western Han,but she was ignored for many years.In 33 BC,ChiefHuhanye of the Huns entered into the imperial palaceand expressed that he would like to marry a Chinese girlforhiswife.Zhaojunvolunteeredtomarrythe chief.Before departure,Emperor Yuan discovered her uncommon beauty and regretted about his decision.However,he could not change his mind in order to earn the Huns’trust.He reluctantly sent Zhaojun to marry Chief Huhanye.In remembrance of Zhaojun’s departure abroad,Emperor Yuan changed the name of the year to“Jingning,”meaning peaceful frontier.Chief Huhanye made Zhaojun his wife name“Ninghu Yanzhi.”People call Zhaojun“peaceful emissary”in history.

The grave of Zhaojun is located at the bank of Dahei River in the south suburb of Hohhot,Inner Mongolia.Both historic record and folk legend regard it as the grave of Wang Zhaojun over 2,000 years from now.It is a key relic site in Inner Mongolia today.The height of the grave is 33 meters,with a bottom area of 13,000 square meters.I t i s a m o n g t h e b i g g e s t H a n g r a v e s i n C h i n a.S i n c eZhaojun’s grave has been covered with green grass,italso has the name of“Green Grave.”From a distance,the Green Grave stands by itself and appears like a Chinese painting.The site had become one of Hohhot’s Eight Landscapes.

In Chinese history,Wang Zhaojun is a great lady who dedicated herself to the cause of national peace.People also regard her as a symbol of womanly beauty.For thousands of years,legends and folklores about her life have been spread everywhere.After the Tang(618–907)and Song(960–1279)dynasties,scholars created poetry,songs,paintings,and dramas on Zhaojun’s topic.Jian Bozan,a history scholar,summarized the Zhaojun culture as the follows,“Wang Zhaojun is not just a figure but a symbol of good will between the ethnic groups.The grave of Zhaojun is not just a grave but a cenotaph of ethnic friendship.”