With the continuous discovery of archaeology, Yelang, as an ancient civilization and a part of the splendid culture of the Chinese nation, is being valued by the world. For some time, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other places have been grabbing "Yelang". Where on earth is Yelang Kingdom? The history of Yelang Kingdom began in the Warring States Period, and it lasted for about 300 years from the Western Han Dynasty to the Emperor of Peace. Then the ancient Yelang Kingdom mysteriously disappeared. This ancient civilization has left a fog in historical records. The archaeological excavation of Hezhang Coke's "Southwest Yi" tomb opened a brilliant corner for the mysterious Yelang culture. Coke is 58 kilometers west of Hezhang County, Bijie. There are charming scenery of Wumeng Plateau, rich resources of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and mining, colorful ethnic customs and rich historical and cultural treasures. Archaeologists call it the holy land of Guizhou archaeology and the "Yin Ruins" of Yelang culture. It has a long and thick history and exudes a rich and ancient cultural relic atmosphere; It is magical and magical, showing prosperity and double tragic decline and sink in the long river of history. Coke is surrounded by mountains and there is a dam in the middle. Massa River and Kele River in the northern source of Wujiang River meet in the dam and flow eastward. The dam is surrounded by gentle hills, extending to the distant foothills, with an altitude of1.788m to1.890m.. Thousands of ancient tombs were buried in this rolling hilly area from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period to the Qin and Han Dynasties. They form 14 groups according to the topography, and are distributed within 3 square kilometers. The density and duration of tombs are the highest in Guizhou and even in southwest China. The funerary objects in Yelang national tombs, such as bronze drums, vertical-eared copper pots, drum-shaped copper pots, copper buckles, copper hoes, bronze swords and other weapons, all have distinctive and unique local cultural styles, such as bronze swords with cloud thunder handles, iron swords with curly clouds handles, bronze swords with snake heads, and bronze swords without beards, which are typical representatives of Yelang bronze culture. By the end of the Western Han Dynasty, the bronze pots, hooks, pots and iron swords with China cultural characteristics unearthed in the tombs of Yelang State should be the product of the interaction and exchange between Han culture and Yelang culture, which fully reflected the historical phenomenon of the interaction, exchange and integration between Han culture and various ethnic cultures.
China culture is a synthesis of multi-cultures. When Han culture rose in the Central Plains, multi-ethnic cultures appeared in the border areas, and "Southwest Yi" was one of them. In Sima Qian's Historical Records of Southwest Yi, it is recorded: "How long is Southwest Yi, and Yelang is the biggest." In history, the Yi nationality in Southwest China refers to the ancient nationalities in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and western Sichuan, and Yelang culture is the representative of the ancient national culture in Southwest China.
According to Liang Taihe, a researcher in charge of the archaeological excavation of Leke Tomb in Guizhou Province, since the first batch of unearthed cultural relics was discovered in Leke Ethnic Township in Hezhang County in 1958, the archaeological department has carried out nine excavations successively, but the archaeological excavation in 2000 once again attracted the attention of the state and the archaeological community. There are several aspects worthy of attention in the excavation and investigation in recent years. First, coke tombs are widely distributed, covering an area of more than 3.5 square kilometers; Second, the tombs are densely concentrated. Within 300 square meters, more than 80 tombs have been excavated, among which tombs of different periods are stacked together, which is rare for archaeology in the province; Third, the era of continuation is long. A large number of cultural relics appeared in the Warring States, Western Han and Eastern Han Dynasties. Fourth, it embodies rich cultural heritage. A large number of unearthed cultural relics reflect the unique Yelang national culture from Warring States to Qin and Han Dynasties, and the characteristics of the integration of Chinese culture and Yelang national culture in Qin and Han Dynasties.
"Cola" won one of the "Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in China" in 200 1 year because of its unique and rich regional cultural attributes. Leke site and ancient tombs are listed as national key cultural relics protection units.
Based on historical records and archaeological achievements, Yelang country has become an indisputable historical fact in Guizhou, but where is the capital of Yelang country? Liang Taihe said that further archaeological excavations are needed, and the excavation of Leke's "Southwest Yi" tombs provides an important basis for exploring the ancient Yelang clan and regional culture.
Coke, an ancient book in Yi language, was called "Coke Wood" in ancient times, which means "Central City". It was recorded as "Leke" in local chronicles and later evolved into "Coke". Today, among the Yi, Miao, Buyi and other ethnic minorities living in Coke, Yi is the largest. The local people said that the Yi people first entered Coke, and they called these tombs of the Southwest Yi people "human graves" or "human caves".
People who have been living in "Cromu" never imagined that the bricks they picked up to build pigsty and toilet were actually Qin bricks and Han tiles; Those pots and pans dug out of "human caves (graves)" are actually priceless national treasures because they are considered evil and thrown away casually. Today, people are full of surprises and sighs. Guizhou, which has always been regarded as a land of barbarians, has actually precipitated a heavy ancient civilization.
Song Shikun said that Coca-Cola is located at the border between Yunnan and Guizhou, with developed transportation. According to documents, it was once one of the political, economic and cultural centers of Mobu (the ancestor of the Yi people in northwest Guizhou) who entered Guizhou.
Where is Yelang in Guizhou?
How big is the territory of Yelang Kingdom? Some experts have analyzed that Yelang has reached its peak when he built the city coke. In order to expand the region, Yelang Wang successively built cities in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and other regions. Because the Yelang king lived in these cities for a short time, it became the reason for future generations to compete for the ancient Yelang country.
Liang Taihe said that judging from the tomb of Coke "Southwest Yi", it can only show the prosperity of Coke at that time, where is Yelang's capital and how big its territory is, and the excavation has just begun. In addition to the Leke site, a number of important cultural relics of Yelang period with local characteristics have been unearthed in the sites excavated in the surrounding areas.
Liang Taihe said with emotion that Yelang culture has its own unique regional cultural characteristics compared with the mature Bashu, Yunnan, Chu and South Vietnam cultures excavated around it. However, due to the shortage of funds and talents, the excavation and research of ancient Yelang culture have made slow progress.
Therefore, archaeologists and historical and cultural researchers in Guizhou implore governments at all levels to pay more attention to the excavation of Yelang's history and culture, which is not only of great historical significance to the development of Guizhou's cultural economy, but more importantly, fills the cultural integrity of China. Yelang ancient country sleeps in Yuanling
An expert group composed of Changsha Institute of Land Structure of China Academy of Sciences and Hunan Institute of Archaeology investigated and tested the geological features of Yaotou Village in Yuanling County, Hunan Province, and initially confirmed that the ancient site of Yaotou Village in the south of Yuanling County was the ancient city site of Qianzhong County in Qin Dynasty. Among more than 40 large ancient tombs, the size of the grand tomb is 40m× 40m, which is generally about 20m× 15m, far exceeding the size of the Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha, which shocked the world at that time.
Some experts believe that Yaotou Village is the county seat of ancient Guizhou before the ancient tomb is opened.
However, the records of ancient books show that this area is indeed the center of the middle county of ancient Guizhou. Yuanling County, formerly known as Chenzhou Prefecture, is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, with Youshui River in the west, which runs through the whole territory, forming more than 965,438+00 complex tributary water systems.
Historically, this is a place of cultural prosperity. During the hundreds of years from the Warring States to the Han Dynasty, there was an ancient Yelang country dominated by the "Wuximan" Miao nationality in history, and the jurisdiction of the local indigenous forces also roughly coincided with that of the ancient Qianzhong County. This discovery is expected to unveil the mystery of Yelang Civilization Center.
Xia, an archaeologist in Yuanling, told reporters that Qianzhong County has jurisdiction over Lishui and Lishui basins in western Hunan, Qingjiang basin in western Hubei, Qianjiang basin in Sichuan and northeastern Guizhou. Yuanling and Guizhou have a certain historical origin, and Shui Yuan is the only way for the southwest to reach the Yangtze River, which is a battleground for military strategists. Traditionally, Gu Yelang was mainly located in Guizhou, but according to historical records, there were 65,438+10,000 elite soldiers at that time, and such a huge team needed vast fields to support it. This possibility is not ruled out. At the same time, he pointed out that Yelang County was once called here in the Tang Dynasty. According to textual research, the position of Yelang in the poem "Follow the King until Yelang West" by the great poet Li Bai is in Yuanling. Can "Worship Bamboo" tell the story of Yelang's ancient civilization center?
Director Xiong Zongren told the reporter that according to the Records of the Later Han Dynasty, "there was a bamboo king who was eager to get out of the water, and a woman was rushing in the water. Three big bamboos flowed into the woman's feet and refused to leave. When you hear a child's voice, take it back, break it, and you get a man.
Long-term cultivation of talents and martial arts, so male Yi Long Di, Zhu as the surname. "This is a folklore, which vividly reflects the founding of Yelang. Yelang gradually established political power in the late Western Han Dynasty. And "bamboo worship" has become a symbol of Yelang.
Yelang Civilization Center, of course, is closely related to "bamboo worship". The statement that "Guang Shun Town, Changshun County, Guizhou Province" is the center of ancient Yelang civilization is based on this. Guang Shun is located under the tianmashan, with Meili Mountain on the left and Langshan and Yehe Mountain on the right. Jinzhu Yelang Palace is located in the embrace of Wolf Mountain, Wild Crane Mountain, Get rid of Mountain and Jinzhupo. Locals call the ancient city pool Yelang Palace, Old Palace, Bamboo Palace and Golden Palace. Professor Wesley Wang from guizhou minzu university told reporters that you can also see the ruins of broken walls. The ancient city pool is 2 square kilometers, which is the largest Jin family relic found so far. Surrounded by mountains, there are only four exits. There are two walls inside, which are divided into inner wall and outer wall. They are made of mud and stone, and the Jin people have lived there for a long time.
There are mass graves of all ethnic groups killed by officers and men at the foot of Langshan Mountain, and there are arrow factories and camps in Nanhu Lake in the east. After liberation, Jin Jian, Fang Yin, copper spoon and other cultural relics dug up by ordinary people in farmland were witnessed by villagers, and there were also many tombs of Gu Yelang dug up when Dufu Lake was built as its capital, which were well preserved and witnessed by history.
Yelang family (Jin family) has a complete genealogy since Yelang Wang, the ancestor of Han Dynasty. In addition to the Jin family who lived in Zhenning a few years ago, they got a continuation genealogy, and now there is the Jin genealogy. Yelang's surname is Jin, because Yelang Hou used bamboo as his surname, so most of Yelang's descendants are surnamed Jin.
According to historical records, after the death of Dezhu, the sixth chieftain in the 11th year of Yongle, the eldest son Jin Yong went to Beijing to inherit the post of peace envoy, the second son Jin Jian attacked the Hou Yuan chieftain (now Zhu Jin Town, Guiyang), the third son Jin Duo attacked the bronze chieftain (now Luodian) and the fourth son Jin Jun attacked Yang Yisi (now Fuquan). At that time, the eldest son was supposed to be in charge of the central ruling area, and other descendants attacked other frontier areas, which showed that Guang Shun was in the political center at that time.
Yelang county is under the jurisdiction of the current government.
Mo Youzhi, a famous scholar, told the reporter that Yelang County was under the jurisdiction of the current government according to Zhengzhen, a famous historian in Qing Dynasty.
A large number of ancient tombs are also buried in Jiugui Gorge Beach, east of the ancient capital 1 km. Experts believe that the layout and setting of the entire ancient capital city are very consistent with those recorded in historical books. But whether it is the only capital of Gu Yelang remains to be further studied. Is the starting point of Yelang water transport the first city in Yelang Kingdom?
Xiong Zongren said that Suijiang, Guizhou Province, was praised by Chinese and foreign experts as "the hometown of Yelang capital", and Langdai ancient town in Mucheng was praised as "the front palace of Yelang capital", and many scholars considered it the first city of Yelang country. Qujiang district Laowangshan, formerly known as Wolf Mountain, was named after the crescent-shaped moon cave on the cliff and the burial of Yelang Laowang and Princess. The origin of Maokou Jiuceng Mountain is related to the Songhu capital where Yelang appeared. According to legend, Yelang Wang hopes to choose a place with 100 peaks to build its capital. Because he saw the overlapping peaks in Tietieguan area of Zhangyuhe River, the clouds covered the fog, just like the waves of the sea, which was very imposing, so Yelang Wang stood on the central hill and counted only 99 peaks, but he didn't know that there was still a loophole under his feet.
From the special geographical location in this area, as well as the strange and mysterious Zhangjiang, Dapu Wangzhai, ancient post road, ancient post station, the female totem of ancient Zhang Si, the huge prince's tomb by the Zhang Si River, the ancient beacon tower and the ancient stone tablet of "officials dismounted here", all show the momentum and momentum of the Yelang princes.
In addition, the bronze wine glasses, bronze bracelets, silver sewing boxes found by people in Maokou area during the Western Han Dynasty, the remains of Yelang king and princess excavated in Yuedong and the pottery pots buried with them all prove that Maokou is the center of Yelang ancient civilization. When people in Maokou ancient town were repairing houses and digging the foundation of houses, they dug out the big blue bricks paving the road. It is not difficult to imagine that if Maokou was not Yelang's political, economic, cultural and diplomatic center, it would never have been paved with high-grade and luxurious Qing bricks. Mr. He told reporters that the first city of Yelang Kingdom can also be compared with waterways.
According to the Records of Anshun Prefecture, the Moon River is twenty miles north of the city (now six branches) and flows to Annan (now Qinglong), belonging to Maokou River. Langdai, Zhenning and Guihua (now Ziyun) belong to Yelang in the northwest. It can be concluded that Langdai is Gulangshan, hence the name Yelang. From this point of view, the first city of Yelang Kingdom is in the Moon River Basin of Liuzhi Special Zone, and according to the literature of Yelang Linyuhe, Maokou is the starting point of Yelang's water transportation.
You can identify the descendants of Yelang royal family by their faces.
According to Xiong Zongren, there are descendants of Yelang royal family in Hetangcheng village of Maokou. Mucheng Village is located between the waters of XiongShan Qi, adjacent to Laowangshan on the right, Songyu River on the left, and surrounded by mountains and waters. There are more than 65,438+000 families in this village. There is a Millennium banyan tree at the entrance of the village, with densely exposed roots as long as 8.5 meters.
The folk customs here are simple and hospitable, especially the young girls and daughters-in-law, who are dignified and elegant. What is even more surprising is that Zoujiang area belongs to subtropical climate, with low altitude and strong sunshine. People in this area have dark skin, only the girl in Mucheng Village has good facial features, pink face and peach cheeks, beautiful figure and looks very beautiful. Especially the girl's eyebrows and almond eyes are watery and moving. Teeth as white as jade and red lips like a peach with shallow dimples make them smile and show the legacy of the royal family.
Wang Chaoyang, an expert in tourism development, thinks that it is surrounded by mountains on three sides, but the terrain is steep. Fujiang solved the ancient water transportation and production and living water. The land on both sides of the river is fertile, rich in sugarcane, fruits, vegetables and peanuts. It is really a good place to use natural disasters to station troops and build the capital.
According to Sima Qian's "Historical Records", "Yelang people are close to the river, and Jiang Guang has sailed for more than a hundred steps." Suijiang River is the Moon River with six tributaries. From all aspects, this area has the conditions to establish a capital city. Besides, the girls here are different from people in other parts of the river in appearance and temperament, which may be formed by genetics and palace legacy. People here may be descended from Yelang royal family.
The ancient capital of Yelang has been changing.
Professor Wesley Wang from Guizhou University for Nationalities told reporters that from the research, Yelang Kingdom seems to be everywhere. Besides Yuanling, Guang Shun and Maokou, there are Anshun, Zhenning, Guanling, Zhenfeng, Tongzi, Guiyang, Shiqian, Ping Huang, Tongren, Xuanwei, Zhanyi and Qujing in Yunnan, and Mayang in Hunan. So some scholars have found another way, pointing out that since there are related cultural relics everywhere, it is proved that this place is the ancient capital of Yelang. Does this mean that Yelang is in a constantly changing process and has no fixed place?
Professor Wang believes that Yelang country is frequently in war and its territory is constantly changing, so its capital cannot be fixed in one place for a long time, but should be constantly changing and changing.
The Lost Civilization —— Yelang
The Yelang we refer to usually has two meanings: one refers to Yelang in the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties; Second, it refers to the coca related to it, which extended to the Han and Jin dynasties after Yelang destroyed the country until today.
Yelang is a national or tribal alliance established by ethnic minorities in southwest China during the Qin and Han Dynasties. Before the Western Han Dynasty, Yelang's name was unknown. The name Yelang first appeared, probably during the Warring States Period. King Xiang of Chu (298 BC-262 BC) sent "General Zhuang Yue sank back and took Lan (now Fuhe County, Guizhou Province) to defeat Yelang King", "Lan was both gram and Yelang fell again. (Chang Qiong's "Huayang Guozhi Nanzhongzhi")
Only then did people know that there was a Yelang country in the southwest. The upper limit of its existence seems to be difficult to determine, while the lower limit is considered to be in the Pingnian period of Emperor Cheng of Han Dynasty (about 27 BC). This year, Yelang Wang Xingtong threatened 22 surrounding cities to rebel against the Han Dynasty, and was killed by Chen Li, the Chinese envoy, and Yelang was also destroyed. Although this wonderful flower of ancient civilization withered prematurely, its influence is enduring.