The headless guards in front of the Tang Dynasty emperor's tomb
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Dates2023 - Ongoing
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Author
In Shaanxi Province, China, there are 18 tombs of Tang Dynasty emperors scattered around the ancient capital Xi'an
In Shaanxi Province, China, there are 18 tombs of Tang Dynasty emperors scattered around the ancient capital Xi'an
On the shrine of the Tang Dynasty imperial mausoleum, which has been silent for over a thousand years, there stands a loyal "guard of honor", including stone people, stone horses, stone tigers, stone rhinoceroses, and Tianlu. After more than a thousand years of wind and rain and changes in historical dynasties, they still stand tall in the wilderness. So far, they have become the oldest stone carving art treasures in China, managed and protected by the Chinese government.
But in the long history, some guardians have lost their heads. Some people say it was caused by earthquakes, while others say it was caused by historical changes, but no consensus has been reached.
These headless stone carvings still stand in the wilderness, and those who have seen them have changed generation after generation, guarding the legendary story of Tang Dynasty imperial tombs.
