Interesting topics:
How do the most Chinese emperors die?
There is a special exhibition named “Da Tang Yi Bao” in Shaan Xi History Museum in Xi’an. You have to pay extra 20 yuan to visit it but you do not have to queue for the free ticket. Because this 20 yuan ensures you to visit all the 3 exhibition rooms plus this special one. The window on the right hand side is for this special exhibition but not many people know it. But I gurantee you that it is definitely worth seeing. The special exhibition is about all the golden, silver and jade articles found in the three pottery jars in He Jiacun, south of Xi’an city. They are all the treasures from Tang Dynasty back to 1400 years ago. The most beaufitul and delicate golden bows and jade decorations are stored in this room. All the detailed fine work can be seen and it is definitely stunning. I have been to many museums, but this one so far holds the best thing in China. You can see the agate cup with Persian style offered by Persia as a gift to the Tang Emperors. You can see the best preserved golden bowl with lotus thread running around. You can see the silver cup with horse dancing. You can also see the little tiny gold running dragons. It is hard to believe how fine these things are and how prosperous the Tang Dynasty used to be back to 1400 years ago. One of the most attractive thing to me is the utensils they use to make immortal pills.
This amazes me about how the Chinese emperors usually died in an early age. Different kinds of utensils are exhibited there containing different “medicine”, which we now call them “mineral stones”. Traditional Chinese medicine are so advanced since 2000 years ago and we had so many famous doctors. But who prescribe these “mineral stones” to the emperor for “immortal pills”. Do not they know it is poisioning? If one doctor is a idiot, it is forgivable, but how come all the emperors still have this through Qin Dynasty (221BC) till the Qing Dynasty(1911 AD)? Have it ever been proved? Why donot any emperors have any common sense? Most Chinese emperors died in early age partly because they take these “immortal pills”. When we think about the Egypt Empress, they insert the holy gold to their skin to make it beautiful as a facial mask. Is that proved or does that help? Please discuss this with me.
I am reading a novel now called “1421” by Gavin Menzies. One paragraph talks about a very strange custom. “Malaccan man went to considerable lengths to give pleasure to their women. Chinese-made tin or hollow gold beads assisted them, a custom still practiced in some parts of south-east Asia today. When a man has attained his twentieth year, they take the skin which surrounds the penis, and with a fine knife shaped like an onion they open it up and insert a dozen tin beads inside the skin. The beads look like a cluster of grapes. The king and the great chiefs or the rich people use hollow beads of gold in which is placed a grain of sand. After these have been inserted, when they walk there is a tinkling sound which is considered beautiful. Men who have no beads inserted are people of the lower class. Interesting! I have no idea about these “traditions” to risk their health. But since it is not scientific, why this tradition can be kept for generations? Are these superstatious or does it really have some scientific reasons?
Wendy Yang (Happy China)