Experts: Cao Cao 'tomb' is a phony
By Wang Xiang |
August 24, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TWENTY-THREE experts across the country accused a central China county of deliberately faking evidence to tie an ancient tomb to the legendary third-century Chinese warlord Cao Cao to cash in on tourism.
Anyang County government in Henan Province worked out the sophisticated scheme to boost ticket sales to the tomb, the experts charged.
The forum was convened to challenge the Cao Cao tomb, said Ni Fangliu, the organizer of the event. Too much evidence was found to be full of anachronisms, Ni added.
Several stone tablets were at the center of the dispute.
The tablets, reading, "This is what the King of Wei Wu (Cao Cao) used," were tagged to eight weapons and artifacts.
They were used to prove the graves' authenticity. But the critics said the grammar was too modern and the tablets' mere existence was ridiculous.
"These tablets were like illustrations of museum items. Cao Cao would not want that in his grave," said one expert, "not to mention that Cao was not called King of Wei Wu until many years after he died."
Li Luping, an expert on calligraphy and stone scripture, said several words written on many stone tablets supposedly unearthed from the tomb were either wrong or in modern form.
Huang Zhengyun, a professor on ancient literature with China University of Political Science and Law, said several artifacts apparently were made with modern tools. Some of the stone tablets were cut by chain saws.
Cao Cao was the strongest of the three warlords competing for control of China after the downfall of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD).
Anyang County government in Henan Province worked out the sophisticated scheme to boost ticket sales to the tomb, the experts charged.
The forum was convened to challenge the Cao Cao tomb, said Ni Fangliu, the organizer of the event. Too much evidence was found to be full of anachronisms, Ni added.
Several stone tablets were at the center of the dispute.
The tablets, reading, "This is what the King of Wei Wu (Cao Cao) used," were tagged to eight weapons and artifacts.
They were used to prove the graves' authenticity. But the critics said the grammar was too modern and the tablets' mere existence was ridiculous.
"These tablets were like illustrations of museum items. Cao Cao would not want that in his grave," said one expert, "not to mention that Cao was not called King of Wei Wu until many years after he died."
Li Luping, an expert on calligraphy and stone scripture, said several words written on many stone tablets supposedly unearthed from the tomb were either wrong or in modern form.
Huang Zhengyun, a professor on ancient literature with China University of Political Science and Law, said several artifacts apparently were made with modern tools. Some of the stone tablets were cut by chain saws.
Cao Cao was the strongest of the three warlords competing for control of China after the downfall of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD).
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
