The mausoleum of Emperor Yang of Sui was found in Hanjiang district of Yangzhou city, announced Cultural Relics Bureau of Yangzhou City on Apr 14.
Two tombs was found at the construction site of a real estate project in Hanjiang district of Yangzhou city, each covering about 20 to 30 square meters. Bronze animal head appliqué holding rings as well as gold-inlaid-with-jade belts were unearthed in one tomb whose epigraph clearly reads “Tomb of Emperor Yang of Sui” and “Died in the fourteenth year of Daye Emperor” (618 A.D.) (Daye is the reign title of Emperor Yang of Sui), which is consistent with historical facts.
Excavated parts of the mausoleum include coffin chamber, side chambers and an 8.2-meter-long and 5-meter-wide corridor. Archeologists found more than a dozen cultural relics, including bronze animal head appliqués, jade belts, copper coins and iron nails in the mausoleum. Little as the amount is, each of them is of a high level. Both the four gilded bronze animal head appliqués with huge volume which was supposed to be used in inner and outer coffins and the jade belts which were gilded outside are not objects should be used by ordinary official, according to experts, which proved the tomb owner’s extraordinary status.
“The two tombs covered a small area, which was far smaller than the scale suitable for emperor’s mausoleum and not accorded with Emperor Yangguang’s personality of craving for greatness and luxury. It’s mainly related to the cause of his death.” explained Su Jiaping. “During Emperor Yang of Sui’s visit in Yangzhou, the praetorian guard launched a mutiny in which they recommended minister Yuwen Huaji as the emperor and hanged Yang Guang to death in 618. The time of death written on the epigraph is “the Fourteenth year of Daye Emperor”, i.e. 618 A.D., which is consistent with historical facts.” he added.
However, mausoleum of Emperor Yang of Sui previously announced as a provincial-level historical and cultural site under government protection is located in Huai’er Village of Huaisi Town, Hanjiang District. It’s repaired by Ruan Yuan, a grand secretary during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing in Qing dynasty after textual research. Further excavations and textual research by archaeological experts are needed to confirm the relation between the two mausoleums, according to the Cultural Relics Bureau of Yangzhou City.
Due to tomb-rubbing and houses built above it before, the ceiling of the mausoleum of Emperor Yang of Sui was damaged. Although the identity of the mausoleum owner has been confirmed, there are still many mysteries to be solved, such as whether was the mausoleum of Emperor Yang of Sui built by Li Yuan (Emperor Gaozu of Tang)? And how the epigraph judges Emperor Yang of Sui, the famous tyrant?
