Society

Ancient kingdoms to be revived

By Xin Dingding, Shi Baoyin and Li Yuefeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-14 10:30

ZHENGZHOU - The ancient city of Anyang is planning to build a relics park to revitalize its rich historical heritage amid growing public interest in Cao Cao, a politician and general from the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280), and his era.

Archaeologists on Saturday excavate relics beneath the mausoleum of Cao Cao, a politician and general from the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220 - 280), in Anyang, Henan province. A cultural relics park will be built around the mausoleum. [Photo/Xinhua]

Excavation on the mausoleum of Cao has been taking place since December 2008 in a village some 20 km from the city of Anyang, an ancient capital that is 3,300 years old and home to oracular bone inscriptions.

Related readings:  Excavation of Cao Cao's tomb throws up new mysteries  Mystery of Cao Cao tomb to be unveiled on live TV  Cao Cao Underground Tunnel for Transporting Troops  Experiment launched to prove authenticity of Cao Cao's tomb

Public interest was aroused once again when the archaeologists' work was broadcast live on Saturday.

In response to the relics in Cao's mausoleum, which are regarded as a contribution to Anyang's cultural heritage, the city is planning to build a cultural relics park around the theme of the Three Kingdoms to revive its cultural power, Chen Zhongwu, assistant mayor of Anyang, told China Daily.

Intended to protect the relics rather than to develop tourism, the park will cover an area of 2.5 sq km with Cao's mausoleum at its core, he said.

He did not give a detailed timetable for its opening.

According to archaeologists, construction has already begun on a building over the excavation site.

Chen said that the facility being built is only a "temporary protective measure", which will give access to certain groups, such as the archaeological society, "not tourists".

Tourists will have to wait until a museum of Cao's mausoleum is completed, which Chen estimated may open to public around the beginning of 2011.

The museum, to be built over the two pits that archaeologists are still working on, will display the relics that have been unearthed from the tomb and introduce information about Cao.

"The 2.5 sq km park is also expected to help protect the tombs of Cao's generals. "The park will put all these tombs under protection, too. We do not intend to excavate them all," he said.

At present, preparations are underway to build a new road linking the site with cities and nearby tourist attractions.

"We expect that under the theme of the Three Kingdoms, Anyang and other cities in and around Henan province that are related to this period will together attract tourists," he said.

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage declared on Friday that the discovery by Henan provincial cultural heritage bureau was one of the top 10 archaeological findings in China in 2009.

"The announcement indicates that the Chinese academic circle has generally endorsed the authenticity of the tomb of Cao in Anyang, although there are still many myths behind the legendary figure," said Sun Yingmin, deputy director of the Henan provincial bureau of cultural heritage.

However, although the archaeological society and amateurs still doubt the claim about the tomb, tourists have shown strong interest in the ancient statesman and have swamped the site.

Villagers living nearby have started to cash in on the mausoleum by hawking souvenirs from photo services to calligraphy of Cao's poetry, with some even branded the food they sell with the name of Cao Cao, Zhengzhou Evening News reported.