Geomantic omen in past dynasties generally believed that the geomantic omen in Zhaoling was the best among the tombs in China. Around the main peak of Jiuzhang Mountain, nine ridges are evenly distributed and arched. According to legend, Emperor Taizong led troops to fight and hunt and passed through Jiuzhang Mountain many times. He liked the extraordinary height and beautiful scenery of the main peak of Jiuzhang Mountain very much, so he ordered a mausoleum to be built on this peak.
Zhaoling covers the largest area (200 square kilometers, nearly four times that of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor), has the longest construction time (from the tenth year of Zhenguan to the 29th year of Kaiyuan, reaching 107), and has the largest number of buried tombs (the actual number exceeds 200, including the famous Wuji, Fang, Cen Wenben, Yu Shinan, Li Jing, etc.).
Zhaoling is also the only imperial mausoleum with plank road in history. Zhaoling underground palace was built at the waist of the south slope of Jiuzhang Mountain. Because the mountains around the underground palace are steep and rugged, Yan Lide and Yan Brothers, who are in charge of Zhaoling design, decided to set up a plank road and cut stones up the mountain. The plank road winds around the mountainside for more than 400 meters. However, for safety reasons, the plank road was later demolished. Since then, "the spirit is high and isolated."
Zhaoling also pioneered the Tang Dynasty emperor's "taking mountains as the mausoleum". Regarding why the mountain is a mausoleum, after the burial of his eldest grandson, Emperor Taizong wrote on the tombstone carved with stone: "You take the world as your home, why are things in the mausoleum and for yourself?" Today, because Jiuzhang Mountain is a mausoleum, there are no treasures, horses and utensils, only civilian tools, which are easy to steal and keep. "
However, we can say for sure that the purpose of Emperor Taizong's mausoleum is not out of thrift! On the one hand, the majesty of the mountain can show the majesty of the emperor's spirit; On the other hand, the firmness of the hill is not easy to steal, which can make you "good at stealing."
But what Emperor Taizong never expected was that Zhaoling had been stolen many times. Most of the cultural relics on the ground have been stolen, including the famous Six Horses in Zhaoling, that is, the Six Carved Horses on the Relief. Two of them were sold to the United States and deposited in the University of Pennsylvania Museum, and the other four were deposited in the Forest of Steles Museum in Xi 'an.
Almost all the tombs buried in Zhaoling were stolen, and of course many valuable things were left behind. Most of the cultural relics excavated from buried tombs can be seen in Zhaoling Museum.
At present, China's academic circles are not sure whether Zhaoling underground palace was stolen, and there are different opinions.
It is said that the underground palace was stolen because there are written records:
"History of the Old Five Dynasties, Biography of Tao Wen": "Those who live in the tombs of the Tang Dynasty are well informed." "History of the New Five Dynasties: Biography": "Tao was in the town for seven years, and the people of the Tang tomb heard about it and took the treasure he had hidden. Zhaoling is the most solid, Tao Xundao sees it, and the palace system is beautiful but not different from the world. In the middle is the right bed, and there are stone beds in the east and west compartments. The stone letter on the bed is an iron box, which contains books from past lives. The clock, king paper, ink and handwriting are as good as new. Tao took it and passed it on to the people. Only dry ling, wind and rain can't be sent. " "Zi Tongzhi Jian" also contains, "Wen Tao, the thief of Huayuan, gathered together and went down to the tomb of Emperor Tang, almost everywhere."
There is also a good reason to say that the underground palace was not stolen:
First of all, there are flaws in historical records. The History of the Old Five Dynasties was first written, only 50 years after Wen Tao robbed the tomb. However, it only said that Wen Tao had stolen Tang tombs within its jurisdiction, and did not specify which tombs were stolen. Besides, the tall and strong Zhaoling Mountain Mausoleum is not easy to dig.
Secondly, after the death of Emperor Taizong, the original Preface to Lanting Collection, known as "the best running script in the world", was brought into Zhaoling as a funerary object. Replicas of the Tang Taizong period can be passed down to this day and are of high value. Why is the original of such a valuable thing not circulated at all, or even recorded?
Thirdly, Zhaoling Mountain is complete, and there are no obvious excavation traces. According to historical records, Zhaoling underground palace is 75 feet deep in the mountain, and the mountain is a stone mountain. It is impossible to dig so deep without causing obvious damage to the mountain! The current exploration technology can't determine the entrance of the tomb, which is even more difficult for the grave robbers at that time.