Chinese archaeologists have found what could be the tomb of Cao Cao, a skilful general and ruler in the third century who was later depicted in popular folklore as the archetypal cunning politician.
Archaeological officials say Cao's 8,000 sq ft tomb complex, with a 130ft passage leading to an underground chamber, was found in Xigaoxue, a village near the ancient capital of Anyang in central Henan province.
Historians say Cao Cao's outstanding military and political talents enabled him to build the strongest and most prosperous state in northern China during the Three Kingdoms period in 208 to 280 AD, when China had three separate rulers.
The austere interior of Cao Cao's tomb. He ruled the Kingdom of Wei from 208 to 220 AD.
Several agate decorations (l) were found in the 1,800-year-old tomb in central Henan province (r)
Cao Cao as he was portrayed in an adaptation of the historical novel Romance Of The Three Kingdoms
Experts say the male was Cao, who died at age 65 in 220 AD, the elder woman his empress, and the younger woman her servant.
The report said among the relics found were stone paintings featuring the social life of Cao's time, stone tablets bearing inscriptions of sacrificial objects, and Cao's personal belongings.
Tablets carrying the inscription 'King Wu of Wei', Cao's posthumous title, were seized from people who had apparently stolen them from the tomb, the report said.
'The stone tablets bearing inscriptions of Cao's posthumous reference are the strongest evidence,' archaeologist Liu Qingzhu, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was quoted as saying.
'No one would or could have so many relics inscribed with Cao's posthumous reference in the tomb unless it was Cao's.'
He was the final chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, before going on to form his own state during the political turmoil of the Three Kingdoms period.
He died in 220 AD in Luoyang, the capital of the Eastern Han dynasty, and was posthumously named Emporer of the Wei state that he founded.
His father was the adopted son of the chief eunuch of the imperial court and Cao was a minor garrison commander before rising to prominence as a general when he suppressed a rebellion, which threatened the last years of Han rule.
Characters based on Cao are depicted as shrewd and unscrupulous villains in traditional Chinese operas and in one of China's best-loved historical novels, 'Romance Of The Three Kingdoms'.
In the fictionalised account, Cao says: 'Better for me to wrong the world than for the world to wrong me.'
A stone with engraved-paintings that depict life in China nearly 2,000 years ago
A stone tablet carrying the inscription 'King Wu of Wei' found in the tomb
The common saying in Chinese 'speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives' is the equivalent of the English expression 'speak of the devil'. Cao was also a prolific poet.
From the tomb complex, the bones of three people and more than 250 relics have been unearthed in nearly one year of excavation work, Chinese archaeological officials were quoted as saying.
The bones were identified as the remains of a man aged about 60 and two women, one in her 50s and the other between 20 and 25 years.
Experts say the male was Cao, who died at age 65 in 220 AD, the elder woman his empress, and the younger woman her servant.
The report said among the relics found were stone paintings featuring the social life of Cao's time, stone tablets bearing inscriptions of sacrificial objects, and Cao's personal belongings.
Archaeologists believe it is likely there will be many burial sites in the surrounding area.
Archaeologists believe it is likely there will be many burial sites in the surrounding area.
The tomb was discovered in December last year when workers at a nearby kiln were digging for mud to make bricks.
The discovery was not reported and local authorities knew of it only when they seized stone tablets carrying inscriptions from some tomb raiders.
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