Mysteries of Ancient China - Article by Tudor Finneran

Disclosure : This article provided an enormous amount of inspiration for the Middle Kingdom and Jin Detective Series. If you find the aspects in this article interesting you will surely love these series.

- Mysteries - (It is okay to take five minutes and read this, it will make you happy and think!)

Gansu’s Romans

There are white (Caucasian/European) Chinese nationals in China, namely toward the North. These were once Russian provinces before the 1950’s and 1980’s.

Outside of this European features are rare and recent to the biological mix of the nation. However, the more secluded regions of Liquan and Gansu, these Caucasian features can be seen amongst perfectly integrated communities and locals.

They are descendants of a captured Roman Legion from the year 36bc. After settling in China their descendants simply stayed in China. With little mixing in the past, this small community has slowly become less 'European' and more Han in recent years.

The city of Xixia and the Tangut People’s

In 1227, the Mongols committed one of history’s first recorded genocides against China’s north-western Xixia Empire. The city of Xixia was practically flattened leaving no real understanding of the people, their culture or any potential sites.

The language and scriptures of these people are still to be translated and understood. (Just putting it out there - I believe there is a link between the San Xin Dui finds and the Tangut civilsation.)

Image of Tangut Pottery

The Haunting of the Forbidden City

This mystery is intertwined with legend, folklore and even some modern allegations. Reports across the cities lifespan have hinted at serious paranormal activities.

Claimed sightings of concubine ghosts, large rat like creatures and the spirits of former Emperors have been reported. (I have written an additional article on all the cases of the Forbidden City sightings, experiences.) The scale and labyrnth like layout certainly makes me believe there is potential for ghostly encounters here.

Longyou Caves

The Longyou Caves emit mystery in it’s purest form, not from their visual appearance over the waters on a misty day, but the precision of their design. Despite being over 2000 years old and forgotten about until their rediscovery in 1992, the uniformity of the patterns are perfect. They contain perfect 60 degree angle parallel chiselling which make for a fascinating mystery indeed. Bare in mind they were flooded and filled with water for all this time.

Image of the Longyou caves

The mini Ice Age

A short term ice age contributed to the fall of the Ming Dynasty in historical China. It consisted of famines, freak snowstorms and other disasters over a thirty year time frame. What I am curious about is the impact on known/unknown historical species... which leads us onto:

Kanas Monster

There have been sightings of a 15-meter-long creature in Xinjiang’s Lake Kanas. China’s largest fish, the paddlefish can reach up to 3m in length but is very likely extinct, with the last sighting being in 2003. Certainly there was prehistoric species in the landmass we now know of China. The scale, multiple climates and all other factors make it conceivable that there will be enclaves of unkown species still out there.

Image of a giant sturgeon found in one of China's lakes.

The Nameless Lake of many death’s

One of Peking University’s most scenic spots is also suspected to be the site where murders and mass suicide took place in the Cultural revolution. The uniqueness of this mystery is the lack of official accounts. Whilst many other horrific incidents occured during this era, many of the victims of other events had family or friends who survived, and later made the horrors known. This nameless lake of many deaths has never really been named by it's actual name, making it a mystery.

Image of Weiming Lake - Peking Uni

The Witches

Whilst we know the Celtic tribes travelled the Silk Road, and even settled across central Asia and China, a particularly pagan mystery has been unearthed. Mummies wearing the tall pointed hats of druids have been unearthed in Xinjiang’s Tarim Basin. Biological investigation has proven them to be genetically caucasoid.

Further carbon dating and textile evidence suggest direct connections to Celtic druids, but the mystery and verdict of their magic, witchcraft or make belief is still out. My curiousity makes me question the mystery of why Celtics, from Western European Tribes, travelled and settled on the polar opposite end of the planet in a time when it could take years to get there.

Submerged City

Whilst not a mystery and actually quite well known today, the Ancient city of Shicheng may even be the best-preserved city in China. It was flooded and completely submerged during the construction of a dam in 1959. The mystery lies not in the history, but the hundreds of ghost sightings and claims of haunting. I also wonder how many other cities, settlements or even civilisations lie under lakes, oceans, desert, mountains and forest in China.

Yingkou

During an enormous storm in 1938 there were several accounts of an enormous serpent or dragon which derailed a train and sank three boats. The skeleton of this creature was reported as found but soon lost in the war.

Xi’an Pyramids

The 400 pyramids in Shaanxi are shrouded with mystery, their exact age and purpose remain unknown despite their enormous size.

Zombies in Chengdu

In 1995 several bodies were involved in a particularly mysterious disappearance from an ancient tomb. They were never found and reportedly roamed the streets of Chengdu at night for years.

Another more historical event from the 1960's was when a local man, with a unique sense of humour, began to dig up the dead. His version of a practical joke was to leave the bodies in stances or postions of everyday life. The man (or woman) was never caught.

The Unknowns of the Qin Tomb

Perhaps China's most famous of mysteries, the Terracotta Army and tomb of the first known Emperor were found by mistake. Two farmers stumbled upon shards of pottery and began to excavate what they thought was a big hill. This was in 1974.

To this day researchers and archeologists are finding more. Continued discovery and further exploration of Qin Shi Huang’s terracotta army, copper-clad tomb and deeper structures have yet to be conducted. In opening the tomb and exposing it to air would lead to rapid aging. Therefore, it is a matter or waiting until technology, archaeology and preservation methods have advanced. Only then will the rest of the system be explored as per instruction from the highest authority in the country.

Lidar and other deep soil surveys have indicated several more floors below and around the known structure. This investigation has also revealled unusually high traces of mercury, with specualtion of mercury rivers and booby traps. The Emperor was known to consume mercury in his quest for immortality.

As to what knowledge, treasures and mystery the tomb actually holds we do not know. Those in control of the excavation and conservation maintain a close control on information. Some say the inner tomb has a scale model of China with “rivers of mercury.” Others say the long thought missing manuscripts, showcasing the real history of pre-Qin China are housed there.

Xu-fu’s disappearance

Qin Shi Huang, who is widely believed to be the first real Chinese Emperor was terrified of death. He built the infamous and spectacular tomb with a whole Terra-cotta army and countless other spectacles.

His fear soon turned to desperation and he sought a route to become immortal. He surrounded himself with magicians, shamans, guru’s and other spiritual leaders toward his later years. They claimed he could extend his life span with a special potion, so he commanded Xu Fu, a man who told the emperor he knew where to find the elixir of life to find it.

Xu Fu stated that the magical elixir could be found on the islands in the Yellow Sea. This island’s inhabitants were both immortal and the protectors of the potion. In 219bc Xu went on an expedition to find the elixir, with him he brought 3,000 virgins who were pure enough to access the elixir.

On his return (without the potion) he claimed sea monsters prevented the envoy from reaching the islands. The Emperor Qin sent Xu Fu back to find the elixir, this time with a unit of archers. Xu Fu never returned, but is rumoured to have landed and stayed in Japan.

(I think he went to Okinawa and stayed there.)

The Stick Case

On May 30th 1615, the peasant called Zhang Chai managed to sneak into the Forbidden City. He would go onto attack a Eunuch with a stick and attempt to break into the palace where the Emperor Wanli’s son lived. He was apprehended by a larger group of eunuchs. Initially the court deemed Zhang as a loner and insane.

It was not until he sustained torture and maintained his story of a larger conspiracy that he was taken seriously. He claimed to be working with a larger group of eunuchs who had helped him into the Forbidden City. His role was indeed to kill the Emperor’s son, Zhu Changluo by order of the eunuchs Pang Bao and Liu Cheng, whom he identified. Zhang was executed and the identified Eunuchs tortured, only to die of their injuries later on. Zhu Changluo would die under mysterious circumstances five years later, after he succeeded his father as Emperor Taichang.

History of Chinese Civilisations Origins

The Sanxingdui relics are the last remnants of a now untraceable Sichuan Kingdom from 5,000 years ago. The mystery about them is the speculation. If more remnants and evidence is unearthed it could lead to a very different understanding of how the Chinese civilisation originated, and bring severe questioning to the yellow river theory.

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Middle Kingdom, my new series very much incorporates the topics discussed in this article. If you found it interesting Middle Kingdom is certainly worth checking out. (Click the cover to visit Amazon Page)

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