BEIJING, Jan. 5 -- It should be of great significance
in archaeology and the study of history but its sideline benefits to the local
economy have far outweighed other concerns in the discovery of an ancient tomb.
Such is the controversy that has surrounded an
ancient tomb recently discovered in the city of Anyang, in Central China's Henan
province.
The
local government announced late last year that it was the burial place of Cao
Cao (AD 155-220) - a renowned warlord and self-appointed imperial ruler who
built the strongest and most prosperous state during the Three Kingdoms (AD
220-280) period. Some archaeologists confirmed the claim by verifying cultural
relics allegedly related to the tomb.
And the local government immediately sought approval
from the central authorities for the tomb to be declared a site of historical
interest under State protection and to start developing it as a tourist site.
However, experts in both archaeology and history as
well as many ordinary people have questioned the authenticity of evidence from
the local government. None of the cultural relics provided are first-hand items
unearthed from the tomb. Instead, they were confiscated from grave plunderers.
And some experts believe that they may not have come from the tomb at all.
A knock-on effect of all this is the request by
authorities in Bozhou, in East China's Anhui province, where Cao Cao was born,
for permission to excavate a group of ancient tombs that have long been
considered the mausoleum of the ancient leader.
The hastiness of the local government in Anyang to
claim the tomb as Cao Cao's final resting place sends a message that it attaches
much more importance to the economic benefits that the tomb may bring than to
the historical significance of the discovery itself.
In striking contrast was the demolition of more than
30,000 sites of historical interest nationwide during the great rush of urban
renovations during the past two decades. When a landmark building from a
particular period in history is in the way of urban construction, a local
government will not hesitate to tear it down. Yet, when a site has a connection,
no matter how far-fetched, to a historical figure whose name is likely to bring
economic benefits, a government will do all it can to establish and confirm that
relevance.
It is not rare for some local governments to have a
verbal fight over the question of which one should be the birthplace or burial
site of a historical figure.
Cao Cao, a household name from history whose fame
comes from one of the four ancient classic novels - Romance of the Three
Kingdoms - certainly means a great deal to tourism in the place where he was
born or buried.
Yet, archaeology is a serious matter. Verifying the
significance of a tomb should not depend on its value to tourism. More
first-hand cultural relics are needed and so is further assessment of the
evidence by more experts in both archaeology and history before the Anyang site
is declared Cao Cao's tomb.
We sincerely hope that the Anyang government shows
enough respect for history and archaeology in verifying the tomb's authenticity.
(Source: Chinadaily.com.cn)
