I. Horse-going Mountain and Niangniang Spring

Zhaoling Mausolum, the cemetery of Emperor Taizong, was built with the natural landscape of Mt. Jiuzong, which is arched by nine ridges. Viewed from a long distance, Zhaoling Mausoleum just likes an iron awl pointing directly to the sky, much spectacular and magnificent. From east to north, the nine ridges were called as Half-cut mountain, Wolf-tiger mountain, Dustpan mountain, Tile mountain, Zhuanghe mountain, Horse-going mountain, Imperial-city mountain, Imperial-ground mountain and Xiaoyazui mountain respectively. In the ravine between Half-cut mountain and Wolf-tiger mountain, there flows all years round a spring with a sweet and refreshing taste, which is called Niangniang Spring by local people. a spring called Niangniang Spring by local people, with sweet and refreshing taste, flows all years round.

As to the derivation of the Niangniang Spring, it is said to be from a real story. During the period of Zhenguan Years, Emperor Taizong was used to hunting in Mt. Jiuzong with his followers.

On a very brilliant day, the Emperor, after several busy days for state affairs, went to hunt with his followers there again. Since it was in summer season, the mountain became an ocean of flowers and grasses, and from the thick cypress woods came the gaily and hilarious twitter
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As slowly walking on, the emperor looked around. A sense of possessing all nature made this newly enthroned emperor smile proudly and triumphantly. .

"Look! Your Majesty, there is a spotted deer". Cried a housecarl. Looking into the direction pointed by the housecarl, the Emperor found a yellow-white spotted deer nibbling at grass silently at a very near place, with its ears sticking up and its heads raising up to look around alertly from time to time. .

Exultantly and excitedly, the emperor ordered in a low voice, "wait for me here, and I go up to catch", with words, he picked up the bow and arrow. At the very time when he was ready to shoot, the deer started running with a rush as if it had sensed the comer's hostility. Without any hesitation, the emperor spurred on to chase. The clop, like the war drumbeat of battlefield, and a desire of possession stimulated this war-unacquainted emperor into his all-out pursuit.

During the chase, the deer switched on running and lingering by turns, flickering its way out. About a joss-stick burning time, Li Shimin had followed the deer to a hill dyke. And then, the deer, suddenly glancing back at the chaser, jumped into the bush and disappeared.

Just when Li Shimin was ready to turn back in trance, he heard a girl's laughter in fits accompanied with the flowing sound of the brook from nearby. Curiously, he got off the horse and went forward, and then he saw a beautiful naked girl whose skin was as pink as kermes bathing and playing in the spring water in the near sight. Instantly, the emperor, captured by her incomparable beauty, fixed his eyes on the country girl who would make three thousand beauties in the palace plain. Meanwhile, the girl also discovered this uninvited well-dressed guest. Perhaps attracted by the emperor's handsome appearance, she stared blankly at him, standing there in stillness.

With a sudden bray of the horse, both the two came to themselves. In the fluster, the girl pulled her clothes over to make a shield and kneeled down to salute, with words, "Your majesty, Guo Yulan here pay respects to your majesty, and beg your forgiveness on me. May your majesty live for thousands of years".The emperor stepped forward and helped her up. With eyes on the girl, he held her into his arms.

Since that time, as long as free, the emperor Taizong would directly go to Mt. Jiuzong, expecting to have a tryst with Yulan there. Once, after making love, Li Shimin said, "We can't be like this all the time, please come with me to Chang'an". Yulan responded, "It's not my unwillingness to enjoy the nabobism, but my fear of losing your love and endearment upon my arrival for there are so many beauties in the palace. So I would rather live here with a simple diet, and I have no complaint if only can get more love from emperor".

Hearing her words, Li Shimin was greatly moved. He immediately issued a decree to build a palace for the lass Yulan at the south foot of Mt. Jiuzong, with a name of "imperial mansion". As soon as the project completed, Li Shimin regarded it as a Xanadu and often came for fun. Sometimes he even had stayed for a few days with no desire to return, putting all important state affairs aside only to gather roses with Yulan, which made all his courtiers in an uproar. They tried to report to the throne their memorial for many times, but the emperor, taking it into no consideration, still did what he wanted to do.

After returning to Chang'an, Jingde then fell into illness, being depressed and suffered until he died. When Li Shimin knew the truth, he was so angry that he decided to take Jingde's head to sacrifice Yulan. However, under the ministers' all-out persuasions like Wei Zheng, Qin Qiong, Li Ji and etc, he finally got to understand their painstaking and gave up his decision. In sorrow, he gave a personal bath for Yulan with water of the spring where they met for the first time and ceremoniously buried her in an area at the north foot of Mt. Jiuzong.

Today, no matter at the top or the foot of the Mt. Jiuzong near by the imperial mansion, we will find burnt trails everywhere. The spring at the place where Li Shimin and Yulan met for the first time is called "Niangniang Spring", the graveyard of Yulan is named "Lady Guo's Tomb", and even the village where the graveyard locates is called "Yulan Village" from an unknown time, and the highest peak Jingde had crossed on horse is called"Horse-going mountain".

II. Story of Goat excrement on Mt. Jiuzong

Mt. Jiuzong is the right place where the mausoleum of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin lies. Whoever visit the mountain, he will find with no efforts goats'excrement all over the mountain. It is said that in the years of North Song dynasty, there was a person who had great interests in measuring the actual thickness of the goat excrement. He began to dig from the very early morning; it was not until the sunset that he had dug out to the ground. How on earth does such a great deal of goats'excrement come from? There are so many different opinions about its derivation that it is hard to determine which one is true. But one of them has some relation with the construction of Zhaoling mausoleum. And it sounds reasonable if we give it some considerations.

In the11th year of Zhenguan Period, Li Shimin issued a rescript called Mt. Jiuzong Bulingzhao, which gave a prelude to the construction of Zhaoling mausoleum lasting for thirteen years. In order to ensure the project to be completed on time, officials in charge of the construction had to call up labors all round to build up manpower.

Among the labors, there was a young man named Zhou Ying. He had not only to do manual work carrying bricks and tiles from mountain foot to mountaintop like his fellow workers, but also to take care of his aged incapable and blinded mother, and still to herd a few goats, the only property he possessed. Under such a heavy pressure and fatigue, he usually attended to one thing and lost another, failing to manage all well. Having no alternatives, he begged the foreman to allow him to choose his own ways to finish his task instead of collectively waiting in line for orders. Considering that he lived nearby, the foreman, out of sympathy, approved of his application, believing that he would not be lazy in his work.

In the following days, Zhou Ying always prepared meal for his mother before he set out. He carried bricks and tiles while herding sheep. One day, Zhouying came upon an idea when watching the goats nibbling at weed. He found out some sacks, put work materials in them, loaded every goat with a heavy sack and then he herded the goats towards to the destination. In this way, he could easily finish two-or-three days'task without any fatigue.

The foreman was very pleased by his discovery. So he released Zhouying from the work by breaking rules and allowed him back to take care of his mother. Meanwhile, the foreman solicited the governor for a goat brigade to transport the work materials at the building site, which would not only save labor, but also greatly improve the project progress. In the following ten years, Mt. Jiuzong became the world of goats, and goats became an important transportation corps for the construction of Zhaoling Mausoleum

In the 23rd year (A.D.649) during Zhenguan period, the project was completely accomplished. Over those passed ten years, there had left a large deal of goat excrement on the mountain. When it came in raining seasons, the excrement was rinsed down with rainwater to the farm fields at the south side of Mt. Jiuzong. Today, we still can find the excrement dotted all over Mt. Jiuzong, and also in the village nearby goes a doggerel, "Goat excrement on Emperor's Mausoleum nourishes Zhao Town at the south."

III. Legend of "Imperial Megranate"

About two kilometers from the north of Zhaoling Mausoleum, there is a small village called "Zhuanghe". In this village, almost all families plant a same fruit tree---megranate tree Tasty and refreshing, the megranate here is large in size with big seeds, sweet in taste with a bit sourness. It is said that such megranate trees had been planted for nearly two thousand years.

ty, Li Shimin often passed by here with his army. Once, Li Shimin's (King of Qin at that time) wife Zhangsun suffered from a serious stomach ache , and had no appetite. They had visited many doctors but none of them could cure the disease, even the famous medical expert and king of medicine Sun Simiao, who was only frowning in face of it. Quite anxious and worried, Li Shimin posted a notice to invite doctors at high price, expecting to release his beloved wife from the suffering of the disease.

One day, an old man came to the tent and asked for a try with two megranates as big as bowl mouth. Having no other way, Li Shimin, with a tentative attitude, peeled one by himself and put the pearl-like megranate seeds into Zhangsun's mouth one after another. No sooner after she had half of the megranate, she soon felt much better from her pains and recovered her appetite. And the symptom had completely vanished in a moment. Later, Li Shimin launched the Palace Coup of Xuanwu Gate. As soon as he ascended the throne, he gave an order to appoint the megranate of Zhuanghe village as the tribute for the palace every year. Since then, the megrante of Zhuanghe village has got a good reputation of "Imperial Megranate".

IV．Silver needle & Copper Coin
In 626 A. D., Li Shimin ascended the throne and became the second emperor of Tang dyansty. He changed the title of his reign to"Zhenguan". According to the custom through the ages, Emperor Taizong dispatched his servants-in-waiting to call on the two senior geomancers Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang, to go on a long journey respectively to find a treasure place where the emperor finally returns to.

Taking the order, the two decided to set out from different directions (one to south, the other to north) and made an appointment to return back in three years to report on completion of their commissions. After saying goodbye to each other, Li Chunfeng marched forward to the north while Yuan Tiangang advanced to the south. One day, Li Chunfeng entered into the territory of Liquan, where he found a mountain like a pillar propping up the sky, with one of its peaks standing out first directly into the sky. Quite delighted with his discovery, he climbed up the mountain to find that it was more splendid when getting a birds'-eye view of grand Weihe river running by in front and torrential Jinghe surging across on both sides, and the vast Ch'in plain extending eight-hundred-li afar; It present to the greatest extent the kingly supremacy and majesty. Then Li Chunfeng sat cross-legged and counted on his fingers. Finally, he captured a point in the middle of a ridge and buried a copper coin as mark. And then he continued in his journey, but had found no any other place that could make him more satisfied till he returned to the palace.

As for Yuan Tiangang, it was not until he arrived at the Mt. Jiuzong in Liquan area that he took a fancy and settled down. Attracted by its wonderful geomantic omen, he stuck a silver needle into the point he appraised much. And then he went back to the capital cheerfully and delightfully.
As soon as they arrived at the capital, they went together to court to report their achievements. Making clear that both of them had settled on Mt. Jiuzong, the emperor felt so surprised that he went with them to Mt. Jiuzong for investigation. To be much more miraculous is that Yuan Tiangang's silver needle was just inserted into Li Chunfeng's copper coin. So in this way, Zhaoling Mausoleum, the great mausoleum of Emperor Taizong, was settled on Mt. Jiuzong.

V. Death Cliff and Heroine Flower

Around Mt. Jiuzong, there grows a kind of annual herbage. Its grass-blade is similar to that of bamboo, and it always grows several-inches high with beautiful red flowers. What makes people surprised is that the flower just grows within a small area of Mt. Jiuzong, not the periphery of the mountain. The local people call it "Heroine Flower", which is said to be derived from a sentimental love tragedy happened here.
oung military officer named Shi Jing acted under orders to defend Zhaoling Mausoleum with the troops. One day, Li Jing, in his leisure, rode out of the camp alone for fun. While he was concentrating on his gallop, the horse, stumbled by something, cast Shi Jing out from its back down to several meters away. Immediately, he went into his unconsciousness. After a quite long while, he slowly came to himself, feeling a sense of cool and a fit of pain. Dimly, he saw a pretty girl in front of him, carefully wiping off blood from his face. He struggled to sit up but failed. The sharp pain made him lost consciousness again.
　　
Having regained his consciousness, Shi Jing found that he had been sent back to his camp. From that time on, the girl's charming smile and gentle voice often emerged into his mind, reminding him of those impressive and unforgettable moments.

Two month later, the condition of Shi Jing's injury was brought into control . As soon as he could get off bed, he went directly to the living place of maids-in-waiting with the silk shawl that the girl had used to bind up wound for him to find out the girl who had rescued him. Having asked about many of them, he finally found the girl whose name was Arzhu. After several grateful words, they fell in love with each other at first sight, which made such a kind of love possible between these two young bloods. Since then, as long as they were free, they would go out together and unbosom their minds to each other. Every time, when they leaned close to each other, the gentle breeze and green grass would have played bright music as if to share with them their sweet love and happy life.

One afternoon, Shi Jing came to the place of date as usual, but his beloved girl didn't appear till the sunset. On the second day, while Shi Jing was drilling with absent-mindedness, He was told that a maid-in-waiting jumped down a mountain cliff in front of Shenyou Hall and was at the last gasp. Instantly, a kind of unlucky feeling rose in his mind. He rushed out of the camp to the mountain. His foreboding was proved to be true. He found Arzhu lying motionlessly among the brushwood, with no liveliness and vivacity. Taking a glance at her lover, she gave a heartfelt smile and then closed her eyes serenely.

It turned out that Arzhu was found pregnant before long. Her profligacy greatly offended the holiness and decency of the deceased emperor. As soon as the news was report to the officer, he burst into great anger and had Arzhu caught and tortured to make clear who was the man. Knowing that she was doomed to be executed, Arzhu, unwilling to embroil Shi Jing in, the officer was so angry that Her secret was exposed to the officer, who was very angry and couldn't bear such thing which corrupted public morals happened within the region of ancestor emperor's mausoleum. In order to know who was that man, he ordered followers to torture her. Knowing that it would be difficult to avoid her from death and unwilling to embroil Shi Jing, she seized an opportunity to escape to the cliff and jumped down.
　
Knowing the truth, Shi Jing felt much ashamed for his inability to protect his beloved girl while being protected by sacrificing her precious life instead. In his deep sorrow, he held Arzhu in the arm and cried out loudly towards the sky. Then pulling out his sword, he cut his throat. Grasses that was spattered with their blood soon grew into small beautiful flowers as red as their blood. In order to memorize these two young people who are loyal and honest to their love till their death, people called such red flowers as "Heroin Flower", or "Chinese Pink", and the place where Arzhu jumped down was also called "Death Cliff" by later generations.


VI. Shoulder pole following moon rabbit

Long ago, in “HuangCheng” village near Zhaoling Mausoleum Mountains, there lives a young industrious lad, named Guo Quan. One day, just after the dawn is breaking, Guo Quan, taking his shoulder pole, went into mountain for firewood. As soon as he arrived in the mountain, he found a large heap of hay in the near sight, and then he went up to sickle. Suddenly, a white rabbit fled out from the hay, swiftly rushed after Guo Quan with his pole carrying on and the sickle casting aside. Running on and on, the rabbit went vanished magically. In anger, he picked at the ground with his pole, with a loud sound, opened a front door. Guo Quan walked up and found it was the underground palace of Zhaoling Mausoleum. The palace was so splendid and magnificent that it defied all comparisons of the secular world. Deep into the palace there cast a gleam of weak and faint light from a black oil lamp, which was nearly dying. Guo Quan walked closely, and added some oil into the lamp from the big oil jar aside. At once, the whole palace was brightly lit with full brightness. Then, he saw a well-dressed lady taking her head onto the lap and combing. Her hair was black and thick, as if a waterfall pouring down vertically to the ground. The lady tied her hair up finely, with golden hairpins inserting into the hair. After finishing it, she put her head back onto her neck. And then the lady, richly bejeweled, looked like the goddess in her charming and elegant pose. She walked slowly towards Guo Quan, who was greatly frightened by what he saw. Being mazed in his astonishment, he heard the lady gently calling out“Quan’er”. After having come to be clear-headed, Guo Quan asked the lady how she had got to know his name. The lady told Guo Quan that she was his aunt who died before. Whereupon, both the two were weeping in each other’s arms. Lady Guo told her nephew that she had died from a wrong in the fire to “Huangcheng” village set by Wei Chi Jingde (an official of Tang dynasty). She also preached to Guo Quan that never being impertinence as Jingde in his later years, but being kind and friendly to others. Finally, she told Guo Quan that the shoulder pole in his hand was exactly the key to the gate of the underground palace of Zhaoling Mausoleum. Moreover, she advised Guo Quan to take the oil lamp with him so that he could find his way out if he got lost in the palace.

In fact, the oil lamp that helped Guo Quan find his way out is one of the luxurious palace lanterns of Zhaoling Mausoleum. It is also said that the lamp has still been preserved somewhere around “Huangcheng”village.

Later on, Guo Quan built a temple for his aunt Lady Guo in “Huangcheng”village. In the temple, there sits a statue of Lady Guo, kindly and amiable as well as solemnly and venerably. It is said that Lady Guo often shows her power to exclude the difficulty and anxiety for those pious men and women who came to worship.



VII. Story of Stone Horses

In Zhaoling Mausoleum, there stood a lot of stone horses and human statues at the four city wall gates and the front door of the mausoleum. In daytime, they stayed there to keep watch for the mausoleum, while at night the stone statues riding on the stone horses went the rounds of the large imperial cemetery, never being interrupted.

This had enraged the tomb raiders, who were planning to rob the mausoleum, because every time when they prepared to rob the tomb at night, the brigade of these stone statues and horses would at once came forth mysteriously in the darkness rushing around the mausoleum, which scared them away in panic.

Having failed the robbery several times, they went to a theurgist for advices. The theurgist told them that the patrol brigades at night were just the stone horses and human statues around the Zhaoling Mausoleum. If they came across them again in their action, they could overmaster them only by imitating crowing in the shade, because as soon as the brigade hearing the crowing, they would think that it was time to shift duty, then they would show their original shapes in stillness.

Taking the words of the theurgist into hearts, they set out and ambushed in the shade at another night. As expected, here came the brigades again. Promptly they begun to mimic crowing as the theurgist told them, that made all cocks in the village crow simultaneously. Since the cocks was made to proclaim the dawn, the stone men and horses, before them hurrying back to their places, showed their original shapes and fall down on the Shimaling rang nearby Zhaoling Mausoleum. Throwing down into pieces, they could no longer go on patrol. From then on, the Mausoleum had no brigade for its protection anymore; as a result, over one hundred tombs there in Zhaoling Mausoleum had been robbed successively.

VIII. Yanxia Cave on Mt. Jiuzong

At the foot of Mt. Jiuzong on which Zhaoling Mausoleum of Tang dynasty was located, there is a famous cave named Yanxia Cave. At the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han dynasty, there was an excellent scholar, Zheng Zizhen, whose name has been widely spread in the capital. Out of admiration, he handed in his resignation to the emperor and retreated into the densely wooded green Mt. Jiuzong among the cloud and mist.

Mt. Jiuzong, with the altitude of 1188 meters, has a good reputation all over the world. It sits at the north bank of Weihe River, forming a natural screen for the Guanzhong Plain. It is made up of nine ridges among which one stands out first. Moreover, in the front of the mountain, the entangling Weishui River runs by in mighty; while at the back of it, the meandering Jingshui River flows across in torrent, which felicitously increases the loftiness and grandeur of the highest peak in the mountain range. So it is no wonder that the brilliant Emperor Taizong made Mt. Jiuzong as his final home.

It is said that Zheng Zizhen, having had a taste of the beautiful scenery on Mt. Jiuzong, made a simple room from the cave at the south side of the mountain to live in seclusion, appreciating the natural beauty and chanting sentimental verse. He also named his little room “Yanxia Cave”, for every morning, there were bright rays of the rising sun, with rosy clouds floating all over the sky, shining directly into the cave through the green leaves.

They say that in the time of Emperor Wendi, 18th year of Sui dynasty（A.D.598）, the people of Sui had brewed superior pure and tasty rice wine with the spring water in front of Yanxia Cave. Later they call the wine “Li Wine”, and the spring“Li Spring”.
　
This famous historical site Yanxia Cave attracts many a celebrity and scholar who come to make a visit to it.

Once, while a poet of Ming dynasty visited Zhaoling Mausoleum, he had composed a poem in Zheng Zizhen’s cave. It read: Little stream meanders by wood door, thick mist hovers over green hill. For innocence and ignorance, people say it is cave in fairyland; for innocence and simplicity, people say no person named Zheng in village. In Qing dynasty, Mr. Liu Guyu, a reputed patriotic educator, had set up a school there, which is called Yanxia School. And also the world-famous Zhaoling Museum was constructed in Yanxia Town nearby Yanxia Cave.

Yanxia Cave, a quiet and beautiful place with clear winding streams flowing westward, is really a good holiday resort for tourists like the earthly paradise.


IX. Huang Chao and Zhaoling Mausoleum

In the final years of Tang dynasty, the imperial court became corrupted gradually and the masses led a miserable life. The rebellious peasant army led by Huang Chao had attacked and occupied Chang’an, the capital of Tang dynasty at that time. And the Tang dynasty came to its end. During the rebellion, local officials of Tang dynasty killed parents of Huang Chao, and also left their bodies in wildness. This aroused Huang Chao’s great hatred towards Tang dynasty. He determined to overthrow the dynasty, kill all officials of the Li family leaving their corpses in wildness, and also open all tombs in Zhaoling mausoleum by himself. Having in his mind an idea of making numerous Huang Chao so as to destroy all tombs at the same time, he employed a powerful wizard to have the thousand-year-old sword found from the fairy cave in Kunlun Mountains changed into innumerable pangolins to eat up all dead bodies of the important ministers and officials underground. Nowadays, in the excavation of the tombs in Zhaoling Mausoleum, we find no corpse lay in. It is supposed that they have been eaten up by pangolins. Later, people find that these pangolins have a fatal weak point, that is, dying upon the sight of cypress. Having known this secret, those rich and powerful families after Tang dynasty all chose cypress to make coffin for themselves, while those ordinary families who were in short of money could only make biers for their coffin by this cypress, and even made surroundings planted cypress for protection. Until now, the custom still has been being kept on from generations to generations.

X. Goddess of Speech Lady Xu
　
Xu Hui, a virtuous consort of Emperor Taizong, has a title of Lady Xu by the folk people. She is not only of charm and beauty, but also of brightness and intelligence. It is record that she speaks at only five months old, recites Lun Yu at four, and composes excellent essays at eight. After the death of the Emperor, the 24-year-old Lady Xu goes so grieved and sorrowful that she falls into serious disease and dies soon. Then Emperor Gaozong (emperor after Taizong) has her buried in the stone cave at the highest peak of Zhaoling Mountain. There are so many stone caves at the peak that it is quite difficult for archeologists to decide which is the one of Lady Xu. At the east side of Zhaoling Peak, there have two cave-houses made by stones. It is said that they might be the ones where the concubine is buried. One of the two stone-houses is used as coffin chamber, and the other as the bedchamber for the soul of the concubine. Also there goes a fairy tale about Lady Xu showing her presence to cure a deaf-and-dumb girl. It is for this tale that the empress was esteemed as the goddess in charging of speech and worshiped by local people.

The story probably happened in the late Tang dynasty.

In the village at the north foot of Zhaoling Mausoleum Mountains, there lived a young couple with their lovely baby girl whose name was Zhaorong. Little Zhaorong was born with delicate features, but could neither speak nor hear until her five years old, which made the young couple much distressed and depressed. One afternoon, the little Zhaorong was playing games with the boy of the neighbor. Unconsciously, she threw a piece of mud onto the neighbor′s doorhead in the fun with the boy. The housewife of the family was such a bad-tempered person that she yelled a lot of acrimonious words at the little girl. Looking at her ferocious features and rude manners, little Zhaorong was frightened into crying though she could not understand what the woman shouted. Upon the daughter′s crying, the mother came out soon to apologize. Also the mother was treated with her impolite tease, and then both the two made a loud quarrel with each other. After coming back home, the mother of Little Zhaorong, feeling wronged and misunderstood, sank into the brick bed, weeping lightly. The father of Little Zhaorong had received the orders to build the imperial palace from the official and had not come back yet. Seeing the scene, little Zhaorong, thinking of her father′s tender to mom, felt quite sorry and decided to find her father by herself. The palace, which was under the construction, was located at the southwest of Zhaoling mausoleum. Having no knowledge of the direction, Little Zhaorong walked through the north courtyard to the back door and went directly towards the southeast along the mountainous byway. It had already been in black darkness when she arrived at Lady Xu′s stone cave. By the light from the inside, Little Zhaorong went deep into the cave and found a lady sitting on the bed in side direction. She worn a beautiful silken robes, her long hair dropped down onto shoulder, her pretty appearance was shaded with her frowned brow, it seemed that she was in deep grief and sadness. She looked at the same age of little Zhaorong′s mother. Noticing the arrival of the little girl, she nodded her head slightly at the girl with a smile on her face. Usually little Zhaorong shouted to comb hair for her mother at home. As soon as she cought the sight of the comb on the trousseaux casket by the concubine side, little Zhaorong, taking Lady Xu as her mother, approached up quietly, took the comb in hand and combed hair for her. As the comb rowing down, her hair smelt a riffle of faint fragrance, which made little Zhaorong feel a warm current flowing to her throat. Outside, the lowly howling wind made a ripple soughing in the pines. Feeling a bit of stabbing itching in her larynx, the little girl was almost bursting out. All of a sudden, the lamps went dead, and the lady disappeared in magic. Much as little Zhaorong frightened, she cried out “Mama”in loudness, and then went into unawareness.

When the father had not find his daughter after coming back, he at once got alarmed and hurried his wife up to look for the daughter together. They went asking from door to door, calling their daughter′s name a great many times, but only found no trace of the daughter. Staring at each other in terror, the young couple cried out bitterly by stamping feet. However, who on earth could commiserate their sorrow of losing daughter? Only the enormous moon, hanging in southeast over the peak of Zhaoling Mountain, could bring a bit of comfort and consolation to their gloomy mood. Suddenly, there fall down trippingly an immortal in old age with a camlet coat, saying that he saw a girl go up to the mausoleum mountain through the north courtyard in the late dusk. Taking his words into heart, the young couple was just about to extend their thanks, but the immortal, changing into a white crane, rising high up into the sky. Looking in astonishment, the couple could do nothing but went directly towards the gate of the north courtyard to find daughter. As soon as they came to the door gate, they saw a girl standing in the moonlight. So much she looked like their daughter that they just called out, but instead they heard a clear greeting of “Mama, and Papa” from the little girl. Her voice was so sweet that it sounded as if the tingling of a small bell. Surprised but excited, the couple held little Zhaorong tightly into their arms, her eyes widely open and her face lit with smile. In her hands there was a note with several words. Back home, seeing their girl laughing and talking happily, the young parents were wild with joy and asked what had happened to her. However, little Zhaorong could only remember that she had combed hair for mother in the stone cave of Lady Xu and had been asked to take the note to her parents. Making no sense of the note, the young couple with their daughter in arms went to the local official for help. No sooner after the official had read the note, he sank to his knees and chanted: Do we humble people felicitate ourselves on the richest blessings of your Majesty. Afterward, the official explained to the young parents that the elegant and graceful lady that little Zhaorong came across in the cave must be the celestial being of Lady Xu. As little Zhaorong had combed for her, the Lady then showed her power to make little Zhaorong an acute sense of hearing and speaking. At that time, Lady Xu had a far fame for her genius for language, so she might be made the goddess of speech for girls after her immortal going to the fairyland. Well, the note that was forwarded to little Zhaorong read “Never be luxurious in administration, otherwise, country will finally go to its end”. In fact, it indicated that the minister be frugal in constructing the imperial palace and considerate to those folk labors. They were rightly the words that the concubine had ever solicited to Emperor Taizong for the abolishment of corvee and cease of wars.

It was really a rare felicity for little Zhaorong to recover her speech, while the acrid wife in their neighborhood was punished severely by God for an incurable malignant sore was puffing up in her forehead. Believing that it was the magic of Lady Xu, the mother of little Zhaorong, bringing with her some season fruit, fresh flowers and joss sticks and candles, went to sacrifice and worship Lady Xu at her tomb, praying for her forgiveness to the neighbor woman. As expected, the mother′s virtue of helping those criticized moved the concubine, who at last relieved the woman of the afflict several days later.

The mystic experience of little Zhaorong is talked about one by one, generation by generation. Considering it reasonable the minister′s analysis on the extraordinary experience of little Zhaorong, the local folks thereupon go in succession to sacrifice and worship Lady Xu at her mausoleum, and also give her an honorific title of Goddess of speech. It is said that Lady Xu is so lenient and benevolent that she would grant whatever is requested. If the young lady goes to worship, only by combing for the Lady symbolically at her joss statue, she will have a glib and brilliant baby girl after marriage; if the deaf-and-mute girl goes to worship, she will be blessed to recover her speech, and if the normal girl goes to worship, she will become more talented and intelligent. Today, in the tomb there also hang many of her portraits. In the portrait, the concubine, with her lightly painted face and a silvery jade hairpin in her coiled-bun hair, looks kindly and amiable in her delicate and graceful appearance. She wears a full-sleeve robe embroidered with lily, a small pink bellyband, leaving half of her breast uncovered; a white silk camlet dress, and a pair of woolen floss shoes. On her left shoulder there stands a white crane. Her left arm raises slightly as if she were lustrating devils, her right hand holds a lotus flower, which means to cure the foul disease of deafness and muteness for girls. All these holy portraits make this Lady Xu be admired and worshiped by many a pious man and woman every day.

XI. Legend of Si Wentai

The mesa to execute Wen Tao lies in front of the mount outside the south Sima courtyard of Zhaoling Mausoleum. It is said that Emperor Zhuangzong Li Cunxu of Tang dynasty tore the general Wen Tao into pieces here in the times of Five Dynasties & Later Tang dynasty.

Both Li Cunxu and Wen Tao were famous in Chinese history. Born as a native of Shatuo nationality (Shatuo, a minority tribe at that time), the ancestors of Li Cunxu were granted with the surname of the emperor for his meritorious service for Tang dynasty. As Tang dynasty came to its end, Li Cunxu, together with his father Li Keyong, set up a separatist regime with Taiyuan as center, and initiated a battle royal with Later Liang regime set up by Zhu Quanzhong. Li Cunxu was so brave in the battle that his troop topped first among the three, and when Liang was put into end, he mounted his throne, and then he is known as Emperor Zhuangzong of Tang dynasty in history. While Wen Tao at the beginning was the military governor of Later Liang in Yao and Yu (two districts at that time), stationed in Yao (today refers to the area of Fuping, Yaoxian and Sanyuan in Shaanxi province). During the seven years of his governing, he always led his footmen to rob Tang Mausoleum, which earned him an ill fame around. After the end of Late Liang, he joined into Late Tang for shelter. Later, he was granted royal death after Li Siyuan, foster son of Li Cunxu, ascended the throne in succession.

The legend of Li Cunxu chopped Wen Tao at Zhaoling Mausoleum had been vividly described by local folk, according to the legend, we could find some supernatural past kindness and enmities among Tang Taizong, Li Cunxu and Wen Tao.
　
One day, Emperor Taizong went to Zhaoling Mausoleum for inspection with his Prime Minister Weizheng. When they were crossing over a stream, they saw a young woman washing clothes on the bank of the stream. Watching for a long time, Wei Zheng said to Taizong, “Your Majesty, I pray you to kill this woman swiftly!”, Very astonished, Taizong asked, “You have always been advicing me to implement people-based governance since your taking office. But today why do you suggest me killing a woman with no reason? Are you going to make me a heartless emperor?” Wei Zheng muttered to himself for a long time, but just shook his head without any words.

Several days later, Taizong met the woman again on his way to hunt in the mountain with his cavaliers and eunuchs. Instead of washing clothes, the woman was picking wild fruits this time. Since Wei Zheng had adviced him to kill her, the emperor stepped forward for words with her in curiousness, which gave Taizong a good opportunity to observe her carefully. She was in her twenties. Though in plain clothes, she was still beautiful. When asked her life experiences, she told Taizong that her husband Wen Song, who used to be a General, died a month ago from the collapse when leading on soldiers to cut a tunnel for the underground palace of Zhaoling. Sympathetically, Taizong ordered eunuch to grant her three hundred pieces of silk and ten ingots of gold. Taking the largess, the woman walked with a swing up to the emperor and expressed her great gratitude. Attracted by the emperor’s handsome appearance and dignified manner, she seemed to be beaming with joy, flirting the emperor with her partly hidden breast, graceful figure and black fiery eyes. The emperor, known as a dissolute son of heaven, soon perceive her favor to him, besides, her unique plainness and elegance aroused the emperor’s great interest and curiosity that he enjoined the woman to attend him over night.
　
On second day, when Wei Zheng caught sight of Taizong at Xanadu bedroom, he turned pale with fright. From officer, he learned that Taizong had slept there last night. “I do regret not killing the woman on that day”, sighed he. Accidentally, it was heard by Taizong, who just came out of the bedroom. So he asked Wei Zheng to tell the truth. Wei Zheng said, “A month ago, when I observed the astronomical phenomena at night, I saw a comet with long trail falling down onto Zhaoling Mountain. Through my study, I believe that there will be traitor to rob Zhaoling mausoleum in three hundreds years. When crossing over the stream with Your Majesty on that day, I noticed that woman being pregnant over one month with thin shape and also giving off a sense of grievance. Supposing that her unborn child might be the incarnation of the fallen comet, I prayed Your Majesty to kill her for fear that he would bring great disaster to the country in the future.” Hearing that, Taizong was thrown into great terror. Instantly, he unfastened his Longquan sword and said, “Let me kill her!” But Wei Zheng stopped him, saying “The ill omen has already come into being, it is not the manpower that could eliminate it. In addition, the woman has got Your Majesty’s body fluid. If you kill her, it equals to commit suicide, while we do, it means we are not loyal to Your Majesty.”Then Taizong asked “If so, how to deal with?”. Wei Zheng replied, “If your majesty do three things under my instruction, the disaster could be avoided”.With no thinking, Taizong gave his consent. Weizheng said, “The first thing is to grant your noble surname to Zhu Ye family of Shatuo tribe, who had surrendered to Your Majesty and made contributions on battlefield, so as to keep them serving for you for ever. The second one is to set up a mesa at Zhaoling Mausoleum for those descendents of successful candidates in the imperial examination to hold sacrifice ceremony. And the third thing is that I will make a purple golden hairpin and a pleated skirt patterned in birds encircling phoenix, and bury these two articles at Zhaoling Mausoleum.”And then Taizong gave his word.

As for the woman (the wife of Wen Song), she really gave birth to a son, which made Wen’s ancestral line carry on. During the period of Five Dynasties, Wei’s family brought up a strong General, namely Wen Tao, who served as military commissioner of Yao and Yu prefectures in Late Liang years. One day, when he was reading in the tent, feeling dimly and faintly, he bend over his desk and fell asleep. In the dream, he met a young general whose appearance was very similar to his. He introduced himself as Wen Tao’s 11th ancestor and sobbed out his suffers at underground palace of Zhaoling Mausoleum as well as his insult of his widow been taken by Taizong. He asked Wen Tao to revenge by excavating Zhaoling Mausoleum. In addition, he also told Wen Tao the shape of the underground palace and the entrance of the mausoleum. Waking up with a start, Wen Tao was full of suspicion. So he took his pedigree out and found it true that his 11th ancestor named Song. Then observing his ancestor’s request in the dream, he led his troops to excavate Zhaoling Mausoleum, and robbed a great deal of treasures, among which the most valuable is the purple golden hairpin and the pleated skirt.

Afterward, Late Liang was end up with Late Tang. Then Wen Tao turned to Tang Zhuangzong Li Cunxu with treasures he had robbed. Li Cunxu was very good at bring hearts together and praised himself as imperial clansman of Great Tang, for this, he gave the name of the state Tang. Having hearing Wen Tao’s flagrant fame of his robbery of the Mausoleum, Li Cunxu scolded the footmen of Wen Tao severely with words, “I am the descent of great Tang. How could I spare you for your unpardonable sins? You have to be executed!”. Receiving the news, Wen Tao quickly went to empress Liu for help and also presented her the purple golden hairpin and the pleated skirt. The empress was so delighted when seeing such invaluable treasures that she pleaded to Li Cunxu for taking Wen Tao in.

Wearing the purple golden hairpin and pleated skirt, Empress Liu became much charming and elegant as expected, which made Li Cunxu so fascinated that he estranged other young beauties and only gave his attention and tender to the empress. However, it seemed that neither the hairpin nor the skirt suited the empress well for the drooping pendant of the hairpin would always entangled with the ring and the large crinoline would often stumbled her. But the Empress still treasured them much and only wore them on the grand ceremonies.

One day, the empress told Li Cunxu that the two treasures of Taizong mausoleum they possessed could prove that they Late Tang were the true descents of the great Tang dynasty, so it was quite necessary for them to go to Zhaoling Mausoleum for worshiping their ancestors. Besides, Li Cunxu had always been put into comparison with the deceased emperor Taizong for his bravery and glory military accomplishments at the presence of ministers and officials. Considering the empress’words reasonable and feeling proud of his prestige in hearts of his men, he approved the proposal and called on all his officials and ministers to held a sacrifice ceremony at Zhaoling Mausoleum.

Then arrived Li Cunxu and his followers at the mesa of the Mausoleum. That day, Empress Liu dressed richly and neatly. The bright ray of the purple golden hairpin she wore shone upon her cheeks and made her face look more beautiful, and also the bleated skirt dignified the empress with naturalness and gracefulness. More wonderfully, the skirt twinkled with different colors when looked from different angles, which attracted birds twittering and butterflies dancing around her happily. Just as Li Cunxu stepped forward to worship with the Empress shoulder to shoulder, the long drooping pendant of the hairpin unexpectedly entangled with the empress’ eardrop. Immediately the empress raised hands to separate, but failed. Then, Wen Tao, who had been a favorite of Empress, went quickly up to help. His unexpected behavior aroused a fit of snicker from the officials, which greatly displeased Li Cunxu. With more steps, the empress trampled on the skirt rim and toppled forward. Nimbly, Wen Tao rushed to hold her by waist, which made all officials in an uproar. Though burning with anger, Li Cunxu, an ill-tempered man, still held down at the sacrifice ceremony and didn’t let it burst out. Since the day when ascending the throne, Li Cunxu had seldom came to Empress Liu’s palace, and the empress had also pined away for her loneliness and unhappiness. But after having got favor and tender from Wen Tao, she soon turned to be aglow with health and happiness. This made Li Cunxu have much suspicion that they had cultivated some intimate relations. Today, These unexpected scenes would have increased his suspicion a lot.

Standing in front of the mesa, the emperor and the empress, following up arrangements, were ready to kneel down to kowtow. No sooner after he finished his first one, they saw a mass of thick fog rising up over the mausoleum and felt a bit cold with the chill wind. At the second one, the cool wind rolling thick fog surged towards them like waves. And at the last one, the thick fog had enclosed them all round. Suddenly, with a blare sounding like the sky collapsed and the earth spitted, a large stone fell down to the mesa side forward. This made Empress Liu so frightened that she cried out and then went into her unconsciousness. As a Son of Heaven with bravery, Li Cunxu fixed his eyes on the great stone to observe, and just found a poem engraved on, which read:

Much cocky and proud the Shatuo lad, challenges the majesty of Emperor Wen; Densely thick fog shut Zhaoling in, frightens Lady Liu at Si Wentai. Written by Emperor Taizong’s prime minister Wei Zheng.

Very surprised after read, Li Cunxu wondered by himself, “Wei Zheng was really god-man! He died six years earlier than Taizong, but he could forecast that Taizong would be named Emperor Wen after death and I would come here to sacrifice in three hundred years”, again he thought, “Perhaps Wen Tao displeased Taizong for his robbery of Zhaoling. If I don’t kill him, I will fell sense of shame to be a descendant of Taizong.” All of a sudden, he caught a sight of the three characters “Si Wentai” (name of the mesa), which gave him a hint, “Oh, I know. Si Wentai can be explained as that Si means to tear into pieces, while Wen refers to Wen Tao. In fact, it indicates me to chop Wen Tao and return the treasures back.”Just coming upon the thought, Li Cunxun pulled Wen Tao over, put forth all his strength, hold him up over his head and tore him into two parts, his blood ensanguining the thick fog. Strangely, the fog instantly ebbed just like tidewater. Then Li Cunxu ordered Empress Liu to take off the golden hairpin and the pleated skirt, and presented them back into the Taizong palace. Soon, the sky turned brighter, and the trees on the mausoleum looked much fresh. In smoothness, Li Cunxu accomplished the ceremony and set out his way back.

XII. Xu Maogong chopped dragon

It is said that one day Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng went to Mt Jiuzong and observed an ill omen on the north side of the mountain. Fearing that it would threaten the reign of great Tang’s dynasty, they presented a memorial to Emperor Taizong to drill one hundred wells there, and each well couldn’t be drawn out water, so as to break its dragon pulse. Li Shimin commanded officers and soldiers led by Xu Maogong to drill one hundred wells with no water flowing out on the north side of Mt. Jiuzong. When finished the drilling, Xu Maogong reckoned that there might be a black dragon lying under the ground, for once they drilled a well, it would soon fled away. However, Xu Maogong was determined to find it out and chop it into pieces, or it would make the country in disorder if it got reincarnation. Since Xu Maogong had learned a unique Kongfu named Eighteen Ways of Beating the Dragon from a gymnosophist in Mt. Kunlun at his early age, he had the ability and ways to capture the dragon. It was said that the dragon would come out on every June 1 for preying on over hundred galls of vipers. And Xu Maogong commanded all his soldiers to hunt vipers along the valleys and ravines around the mountain from the beginning of May. And when the day came, Xu Maogong had all caught vipers laid on a large flat space on Mt. Jiuzong, and then he and his soldiers ambushed around the space. Suddenly, the sky turned dark, then they saw a giant dragon breaking the ground and putting its appearance. Just when it was inhaling the vipers’galls, Xu Maogong, bending his knees with feet apart, moving his two hands in circles before chest, pushed our a powerful splat, which made a death blow to the dragon. Then he drew out his double-edged sword and chopped the dragon into eight segments, which became eight rivers later, known as “Eight Rivers Encircling Chang’an” today.


XIII. Door-gods: Qin Qiong and Jingde

　　
Qin Qiong and Jingde were two valiant generals of Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin. According to a legend, before long the Empress Zhangsun died, Emperor Taizong fell into a serious illness with no appetite for meal or drink. Moreover, he heard the cry and howl of ghost every night, which made him so frightened that he couldn’t fall asleep all over the night. Having known the emperor’s bitter pill, Qin Qiong and Jingde volunteered to stand at the door with edge tools in hand to safeguard the security of the emperor, which really brought about some effect. As Qin Qiong and Jingde had to go on military drill in daytime, it was impossible for them to avoid dogsleep over night. In addition, Li Shimin couldn’t bear making his two favorite generals be in such toil. So he had their paintings pasted on the door to make a feint, and it was found to have a same effect for there were no unexpected happenings over that night at all. In this way, Qin Qiong and Jingde were worshipped as door-gods among folk people and their paintings were pasted on the door to lustrate apparitions. Later, their paintings were improved to be door paintings with exalted posture, bright color and simple pattern.

Though the legend has a sense of superstition, it expresses people’s respect to those who fight against evils and defend goodness as well as people’s desire for a peaceful and happy life.

XIV. Legend of hundred wells on Zhaoling Mountain

At the north side of Mt. Jiuzong, there is a village called hundred-well village. About the derivation of the name, there are two sayings. One said that one hundred wells had ever been drilled in the village but with no water gushing out, so came the name of the village. The other said that during the construction of Zhaoling Mausoleum for Emperor Taizong, Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng one day arrived at the north side of the mountain, where they observed ill omen. So Yuan Tiangang reported to Li Shimin, “Your Majesty, I observed ill omen over the north side of Mt. Jiuzong. I am afraid that someone over there will be brought up to endanger our Tang dynasy.” Very astonished, Li Shimin said, “If so, all people lived at the north side of the mountain must be put into death”, but Yuan Tiangang put the order off. While Li Chunfeng made an advice, saying“Your Majesty, you are required to have drilled one hundred wells with no water gushing out at the north side of the mountain so as to avoid the disaster.”Taking the proposal, Li Shimin soon sent out a decree to initiate the drilling. Later, the village at the north side of the mountain where the hundred wells were spread was named hundred-well village.

XV. Magic lamp on Zhaoling Mountain

People say that when it comes in May by Chinese lunar calendar, there is a magic lamp moving around the mausoleum mountain from the south to the west for about an hour at every midnight during the whole month. The magic lamp was said to be the spirit of one of Li Shimin’s favorite concubines. At every midnight of the May in Lunar calendar, the lamp flies from west side of Mt. Jiuzong to south and then back to west, which always lasts for an hour. This favorite concubine is exactly the lady who had been burned to death by Jingde at the Imperial mansion on the west side of Mt. Jiuzong. She loved Li Shimin so much that her spirit, after she had been burned to death, flied to Chang’an city every night for a tryst with the emperor Li Shimin, and then returned back the mountain at dawn. This was kept on until the emperor’s death on July 10th, 649 A. D. (May in Lunar Calendar). As Li Shimin was buried at the daytime, she failed to be buried with him together at Zhaoling Mausoleum. So in the following years, when it came in May by lunar calendar, her spirit would flied to the south of Mt. Jiuzong to meet with Li Shimin’s. Over one thousand years, this spoony lady had observed her habit without any change. Whether this poor woman’s spirit could meet with Li Shimin’s is still not be proved, but the legend is recorded in a book named tale of Qianzhou , which was written by Fan Zidong.

XXI. 72 Wellsprings under Zhaoling Mausoleum

It is said that Emperor LiShimin had ever dug wells for drink at the village in rear hills when building up Zhaoling Mausoleum. Wells were dug up one by one till to one hundred, but still there had no water in none of them, feeling quite disappointed, he commanded to stop digging. That is why we have the village called Baijing village afterward.

Why is the place so short of water? It is said that the water sources is cut off far deep into the ground at the foot of Zhaoling Mausoleum Mountain. And around the mausoleum there are 72 spring mouths. Usually there is no water bubbling up from these spring mouths, but occasionally water comes mystically from vertical and horizontal ravines, nourishing every inch of soil at the north side of the mountain and every generation of those honest and virtuous peasants. However, as long as there happens mausoleum raids, the flash flood will burst out from these 72 spring mouths running over the whole Guanzhong plain in an instant and finally making the pain become a world of ocean. At this time, 9 ridges of Zhaoling Mausoleum Mountain will become 9 silver dragons to hold up coffins of Emperor Li Shimin and Empress Zhangshun with the great claws to make their bodies away from danger.

Such being the case, the robbers never dare to rob Zhaoling Mausoleum. That is why people believe that Zhaoling Mausoleum has never been robbed up to the present. Whether is true or not that there runs spring water under the ground of Zhaoling Mausoleum, is waiting for patriotic personages and men of insight to unclose its mystic veil.

Honorable Tablet within the territory of Zhaoling Mausoleum

Among over 190 satellite tombs, the great minister Wei Zheng’s tomb locates nearest to Zhaoling Mauseloum, and ranks first in its construction. So it is clear that he has developed a much close relationship with Emperor Taizong. But how does the fallen tablet with inscriptions grinded away come in front of Wei Zheng’s tomb? About it here goes a story goes like this.

Wei Zheng, a talented minister in early Tang dynasty, has not only talent in managing state affairs well, but also courage to voice his views frankly to the Emperor. His noble spirit of “No flattering to the Emperor, No fawning on people with power and authority, No estranging from relatives and friends, No colluding with others, No violating his moral integrity to circumstances, No pursuing his own interests by betraying loyalty and honest”, has been praised and spread over the country for thousands of years.

In the 17th year of Zhen Guan period, Wei Zheng passed away for his serious illness. Emperor Taizong came in person to his funeral and wept bitter tears for his death, saying with a sign:“Taking bronze as mirror, we could make ourselves tidy; Taking history as mirror, we could make ourselves wise; taking subject as mirror, we could make ourselves sage. Today, the death of Wei Zheng to me seems the loss of one of these three important mirrors.”And then the emperor personally composed an epigraph for Wei Zheng on his tablet. The emperor’s favor to Wei Zheng aroused jealousy from some people. They tried every means to slander him. Under such circumstances, it was hard even for Emperor Li Shimin, known as sensible and brilliant, to keep calm and sober. So, taking in those slanderous talks, the emperor, in a burst of anger, ordered to push over the tablet and grind the inscriptions away.

In the 19th year, Emperor Taizong himself leading his army went on a punitive expedition to Gaoli but failed. After returning back, he felt very regretful. At the time he thought about Wei Zheng, saying in sadness, “If Wei Zheng were still alive, should I go on this expedition in person?” Then the emperor had a memorial ceremony held to this brave general in his honor. During the term, Wei Zheng showed much cares and consideration to the working people. For his honesty and uprightness, a tablet with name of “Honorable Tablet” was erected for him after his death.

On the top of Honorable Tablet is engraved the pattern of saucer peaches, having the meaning of ‘Wei Zheng being a rare talent in one million’, which embodies the high appraisal from Emperor Taizong.

In 1996, Wei’s descendants erected the huge and grand tablet again when offering sacrifice to him. And also with the assistance of the government, a stele pavilion was built to provide better protection for the rare and invaluable historic relics handed down from ancient times.

VIX. Imperial Apricot at Mountain Foot

The legend of apricot at the mountain foot has a history of approximately over one thousand three hundred years. It is said that during Zhen Guan period, emperor Taizong (Li Shimin), had issued a rescript, requiring that generals and soldiers plant pines, cypresses and fruit trees of all kinds in great quantity to present the whole Zhaoling Mausoleum green.

Several years later, trees grew densely and lushly, and birds sang and flowers gave forth their fragrance, each shining more brilliantly in the other's company. It is especially true with the apricot trees planted around the village at the foot of the Mausoleum Mountain, and the apricots ranked first among all fruits, with satisfactory size, bright color, sweet taste and abundant juice, which earned them a good name of Shandi Meixing (Apricot) from the local people.

One summer, the Emperor (Li Shimin) went to the Mausoleum Mountain for hunting with his royal relatives and ministers. On their way home, they passed by a village where Shandi Meixing was planted. Having known the emperor’s esteemed arrival, the villagers present this local apricot to the Emperor for tasting. It happened that the emperor felt quite thirsty, and he took several at a blow, the attractive taste made the emperor full of praise, “How do your apricots taste so delicious ? ”asked the emperor. “Because our trees are being watered and nourished by the spring flowing down from the Mausoleum mountain,” the villagers replied. Hearing this, Emperor Li Shimin praised, “The pleasant climate in this mountain makes the nourishing spring and the tasty apricot.” From then on, a great quantity of apricots were picked up and carried into the palace annually. Therefore the local people named it Imperial Apricot at Mountain Foot (for it is eaten by the imperial family), which is presented for the court as superior tributes. And now, the apricots produced in the village are in short supply. In addition, since the trees here are being watered by mineral springs, the apricots are rich in microelement, especially in vitamin B. So they have the functions of reducing cholesterol, improving blood circulation, refreshing mood, stimulating appetite, smoothing intestines and preventing from cancer. No wonder they win the laudatory title of Imperial Apricot.

XVIII. Imperial Leek

In the ravines of Mt. Jiuzong there grows a kind of leek with red root and small green leaves that is called the“Imperial Leek”(Leek enjoyed by imperial family).

It is said that one day, Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin) went hunting in the Mountain with his royal relations and ministers. As the day fading away, they lodged in a village at bank of Ganhe River (called as Anjia village latter). Knowing the gracious presence of the emperor, every family in the village was busy with the preparation of dinner for the emperor. Among them there was one family who made some fried pancakes (a Chinese dish) with the local leek for the emperor to enjoy. No sooner after the countrywoman took it out to the emperor, a fit of delicious smell blew on their faces directly, and after a bite at it, the attractive taste lingered in the mind for quite a while. Fascinated by these wonderful pancakes, the emperor asked where the tasty leek was produced. Then he was told that it was picked up from the Mt. Jiuzong. Hearing the ministers’words, the emperor laughed with proud and delight.

Later, whenever the emperor went hunting, he would have had a taste of the local dishes made of this special leek in Anjia village, and would have brought some local leek offered by the villagers with him to share with his ministers when coming back to the palace. That is why people name this red-root potherb “Imperial Leek”.

Well, friends, if you get bored with various delicacies in big cities, please come to Zhaoling to have a taste of this precious fried leek pancake, which is highly appraised by the emperor Li Shimin, and take a full appreciation of grandeur and magnificence of Tang dynasty as well as the fascinating natural sceneries. Here we ensure to you an unforgettable travel and more a satisfied appetite.

XVII. Six Bold Steeds in the War

Ling Liujun refers to the six steeds Li Shimin had ever rode when fighting for the reunification of the country. All of them have experienced numerous wars and contributed a lot to the establishment of Tang dynasty.

In the 10th year of Zhen Guan period (638), Empress Zhangsun passed away, and then began the construction of Zhaoling Mausoleum. To commemorate the six steeds, Emperor Taizong asked the famous artist Yan Liben to engrave them in a bluestone by adopting Gaorou carving (an integrated carving), then displayed it on the altar at the north side of the Mausoleum mountain to commend their accomplishments. The six steeds make great contribution to the founding of Tang dynasty, and even their stone sculptures are showing a sense of nimbus and majesty.

It is said that during the period of the Anshi Rebellion (occurred during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (Li Longji), An Lushan started the rebellion in Fanyang. And the betrayed general, Cui Qianyou, taking the order of An Lushan, led his white flag army fighting against the Tang’s army. They fought so violently that the Tang’s army nearly met its Waterloo. Just at that time, came unexpectedly the yellow flag army on the battlefield. They were so brave and fierce that all enemies were scared away. Suddenly, a gust blew heavily from all directions; in the fluster, the yellow flag army disappeared as mysteriously as they came. Much as the rebellious army got frightened, they swiftly run away back to their post place. On the same day, the six steeds on the altar of Zhaoling Mausoleum were found sweating all over and gasping for breath. It was supposed that the yellow flag army in the war might be the presence of the six steeds.

XVI. Jiwa Range of Lady Wei ’s Mausoleum


When climbing the mausoleum mountain of Lady Wei along the brick steps, you will hear chirming and twittering from the underground if you stamp your feet. It is exactly the famous Jiwa range of the Wei Kwei-fei Mausoleum. About the range, here goes a legend. The heroine of the story is a quite beautiful and talented lady named Wei Gui (herein Lady Wei), a native of Weiqu County, Chang’an City. On one lantern day in late years of Sui dynasty, Li Shimin, accompanied by his father Li Yuan, went to Chang’an from Taiyuan, Shanxi to enjoy the sight of lantern show. While strolling around on the show, he accidentally ran into a young lady. Hurryingly he made an apology for his carelessness, the young lady said nothing but only glanced back with a sweet smile on her face. Out of his expectation, the lady was so pretty and charming that he was staring at her in astonishment. Gradually, the lady, escorted with her maids, got lost into a huge crowd. Getting back to his awareness, Li Shimin instructed his understrappers to follow up the lady, seeing that where she lived. Soon the understrappers came back to report that the young lady was named Wei Gui, a native of Duling, she was the newly-married wife of Sui Qiwang Li Min. Later, Li Shimin went back to Taiyuan, but he still could not help thinking of Wei Gui, her fairly and graceful figure always emerged in his mind.

In the 12th year of Sui dynasty, the nationwide peasant revolt grew like a raging fire. In those yeas, Li Shimin had a wide friendship network of many a heroic and valiant person. In the year followed, Li Shimin, under the support of his father Li Yuan, collected an army in Taiyuan, Shanxi and launched a rebellion against the Sui dynasty. Finally, Sui dynasty was overtaken by Tang dynasty, and Sui Qiwang Li Min was also killed in the battle. Afterward, Li Shimin went in cart to the mansion of Li Min in person and took Wei Gui back to his tent. Not long, Li Shimin came into power, and he conferred the title of Kwui-fei (a rank only lower than the Empress) on Wei Gui. Wei Kwui-fei was so endeared by the emperor that she was the only concubine ranked after the empress. Every time when Wei Kwui-fei enjoyed flowers in the imperial garden, her good looks attracted little chicks and birds creaking and chirping around her. Since the death of the empress Zhangsun in the 10th year of Zhenguan period, the emperor had never granted to any other concubines the title of Empress any more; therefore, Wei Kwuifei went without saying to be regarded as the Empress. In the 2nd year of Tang Gaozong Linde (A.D. 665), Lady Wei died of serious illness. On her burial in December the followed year, there were a swarm of chicks and birds flying into the coffin chamber. No matter how toilsome people tried to scared them away, they just flied around the coffin, chiming and chirping, with tears flowing out of their eyes. Together they were buried in the coffin chamber with the body of Lady Wei. So, if visitors stamped their feet on the brick steps while walking, they will immediately hear faint chirring and chirping from the underground, which seems to telling us the delicate beauty of the empress.

Emperor Tang Taizong and Wu Meiniang

In the middle of the very south mountainside of the dominant peak of the Zhao Tomb, there is a row of artificial rock caves with the relics of murals inside. Outside the caves, there are also relics of an ancient plank road chiseled and built with rocks. Archeologists believe these caves were used to set forth offerings or as the residences of low-rank concubines at their times. In the local area, however, there is an absurd story about these caves. It says that at midnight everyday, there will be sounds coming out from these caves, heard like dialogues between a man and a woman. As luck would have it, there will be sounds of a couple sleeping together. The man is calling “Meiniang, Meiniang…” and the woman twittering lascivious and lost control. This “Meiniang” is Wu Meiniang, that is, Wu Zetian. She was at the beginning a concubine of Emperor Tang Taizong and later admitted by Emperor Tang Gaozong, son of Emperor Taizong as a concubine and finally the empress. As to the folks, Emperor Taizong was furious at Emperor Gaozong’s admitting his father's concubine, so he called the soul of Wu every night to the caves to sleep together. Such a legend is really absurd, but it reflects the bitter hatred of traditional Han culture to Emperor Gaozong’s consorting with his “mother”. Therefore, such a story was invented to let off the indignation at heart. Here, we would like to talk about some anecdotes about Emperor Taizong and Wu Meiniang based on first-hand data of official history.

Wu Meiniang is the only Empress in Chinese history. She was at the beginning a Cai Ren (a title of low-rank concubines) of Emperor Taizong, later the empress of Emperor Gaozong, then the sovereign empress toying Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong, and finally changed Tang into Zhou, achieving a dynamic cause. During the past centuries, she was always a giant in history favored by both historians and the common people.

Wu Shihuo, father of Wu Meiniang, was a man with contributions at early Tang. He was once the Governor of Lizhou (now Guangyuan of Sichuan). During Zhen Guan period, he was promoted repeatedly as the Minster of the Engineering Department and then the Governor of Jingzhou etc. Wu Meiniang’s mother Yang was of the same clan of the imperial family of the Sui dynasty. She was a concubine of Wu Shihuo and gave birth to Wu Meiniang, then named Huagu in Lizhou. Yuan Tiangang, a famous alchemist of Tang was a native of Chengdu, Yizhou. He was well known in Jiannan area. Once he visited the Wu’s, and at that time, Huagu was still in swaddle. When Yuan Tiangang saw her mother Yang, he said: “Your bone appearance indicates that you will give birth to an honorable child.” So Yang called Huagu’s brothers Yuanqing and Yuanshuang together and let Yuan Tiangang read their fortunes. After observing them, Yuan said they could both be 3rd rank official in the future. Here, Huagu’s nurse pointed Huagu and asked Yuan to read her fortune, but she had dressed Huagu as a boy. Yuan observed her for a long time and then said: “This boy is clear in expression and is hard to read. Please let him walk.” At that time Huagu walked not very well, so the nurse let her moved several steps leaning upon the bed edge. And Yuan led her from a distance to raise her eyes, and was shocked and said: “This boy has dragon eyes and phoenix neck, and is extremely honorable!” Then he turned to her side and looked, and said in surprise: “If this was a girl, her future would be hard to spy out. She may be the monarch of China!”

This mystic legend is recorded in Yuan Tiangang’s Biography of the two Tang History. The two Tang History were compiled during the Five-Dynasty Period and Song based on the Official History and the Memoir of Tang. Perhaps early in the Tang dynasty, officials who composed the Official History and the Memoir coined the story intentionally to enhance the atmosphere for Wu Zetian to be the sovereign. We have mentioned it here just to amuse the readers. So don’t take it seriously.
　
　　In the 11th year of Zhenguan, Wu Huagu was 14 and was fairly good looking. Emperor Tang Taizong had a concubine who was a daughter of Huagu’s mother’s brothers, and her father might be Yang Shidao. This Lady Yang was first the wife of Emperor Taizong’s younger brother Yuanji, King of Qi. Later Taizong killed Yuanji and made her his concubine. She found that Taizong became immersed in women when he lost his Empress Zhangsun. Therefore, in order to have a help in the imperial harem and enhance her own favor, she praised highly the good looks and nice skin of Huagu to Taizong. Taizong “heard of her beauty, and summoned her to the imperial harem, making her a Cai Ren.” When he saw that she was really charming and fleshy, he gave her the lovely name “Wu Meiniang” specially. In the Tang dynasty, Cai Ren is a low-rank concubine. According to the rule of rites, a corresponding ceremony would be held for any concubine no matter high or low in rank, like the wedding ceremony of the common people. And at the very night, the concubine must be “favored” by the emperor. The degree of Taizong’s favor to Wu Meiniang was never mentioned in history records, however, in unofficial history and stories, Wu Meiniang was exaggerated to be incomparably charming and enraptured Taizong that night, and sewed up his favor henceforth. Well then, was she so favored by Taizong?

Wu Meiniang was only 14 when she first became a concubine, while Taizong was over 40 then. Might a 14 years old girl be very beautiful, she was after all wet behind the ears. It is unlikely for Taizong to share a common language with her. Moreover, at that time, there were a big number of 20-year or so concubines around the emperor. No matter mentally or physically, it was most probably that Taizong loved those concubines more. When Wu Meiniang was over 20 and fragrant in her youth, Taizong had become sick beyond cure, and it was impossible for him to care for more concubines physically. More important, it seemed that Taizong never liked the fiery and forthright character of Wu Meiniang. According to historical data in Zi Zhi Tong Jian etc., once Taizong got a violent-tempered horse called Lion Horse and asked Wu Meiniang how to tame it. Wu said she would need an iron whip, an iron hammer and a dagger only. If the horse is not obedient, lash its buttocks with the iron whip; If it is still not obedient, knock its head with the iron hammer; If so again, cut its throat with the dagger. The emperor was frightened in cold sweat with such words. Generally, a fiery man prefers an effeminate woman, while a fiery woman is more easily adored by a weak man. Such a valiant man as Taizong probably does not like such a character of Wu Meiniang. The reality is so. At his old age, Taizong adored the effeminate Xu Chong Rong (a title of concubines) very much. The two were very close and intimate to each other, with a constant love formed between them. So when Taizong died, Xu Chong Rong was in such a deep sorrow that she, too, died shortly. In reverse, this extravert character of Wu Meiniang was loved by the weak Li Zhi (Emperor Gaozong).

When Taizong was sick at his old age, Li Zhi, the crown prince stayed in the palace to look after him. The extravert character of Wu Meiniang made her venture to make eyes at Li Zhi secretly, and Li Zhi was “pleased to see her”. Later, when he succeeded, Li Zhi got her back to the palace in spite of the reproaches of every body and made her Zhao Yi and later Chen Fei. And finally, he fell out with his assistant officials Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang etc. and made her his empress. Afterwards, when Xu Jingye, the grandson of Xu Maogong rose in revolt to crusade against Empress Wu in Yangzhou, Luo Binwang attacked openly Wu Meiniang’s behaviors in seducing Li Zhi in his Declaration to Crusade Against Wu Zhao: “The fake sovereign Wu is not gentle in person and indeed of low station. She was a concubine of Taizong in the past and once served Gaozong. When she gets old, she gets the imperial harem in dechauchery.” Li Zhi had actually admitted his carrying on an affair with his father’s concubine early on. When he made Wu Meiniang the empress, he sent out a decree to defense Wu’s seducing him, which is rather like saying “no 300 taels of silver buried here”: “When I was a crown prince, I had the honor to attend my later father and never left him a very short time. I was always cautious in the palace and never looked at any ladies. The deceased emperor often praised me and bestowed Wu to me.” This is indeed strange: the son served the father and the father gave his concubine to the son as an award. In fact, Li Zhi and Wu Meiniang had an affair at Taizong’s old age, which was upon the table. The more Gaozong tried to hide, the more it was exposed. This indeed made people cannot help laughing.

Of course, Luo Binwang tried to assault Wu Meiniang politically, and his words might be too drastic. In the Tang dynasty, it was not at all surprising that a father received his daughter-in-law, a son received his “mother”, and brothers received their sisters-in-law. This is because the imperial family of Tang possessed thick blood of Xianbei, a northern ethnic group. During the Wei-Jin Period, the Xianbei was still in communal marriage and a succeeding marriage system. This system had influenced the view of marriage of the Tang imperial family profoundly. Emperor Taizong received his sister-in-law Lady Yang (wife of his brother Yuanji), and he took another lady (a concubine of Li Yuan who was from the imperial clan) with him all day, even when he was receiving his officials for he was reluctant to part with her for an instant. So, Zhu Xi said in Zhu Zi Yu Lei: “Tang is originated from the northern ethnics, so it is not strange that there is solecism in the harem.”

Wu Meiniang had been a Cai Ren of Emperor Taizong for more than ten years without promotion, and had never have a child. When she became the consort of Emperor Gaozong, she produced many children. This is also a circumstantial evidence that Taizong did not favor her very much.

In the 22nd year of Zhenguan, a superstitious abnormal celestial image and a legend in the folk almost cost Wu Meiniang’s life. In that year, the Venus emerged at daytime repeatedly. Li Chunfeng, an official who held astronom and calendar and was good at reading celestial phenomena hence reckoned that this was “a symbol for female sovereign”, that is, Tang would be ruled by an empress soon. Unluckily, there appeared a book called Secrets very popular among the folks. It said: “After three generations, a female Empress Wu shall rule China.” Emperor Taizong burst into fury to this predict and prepared to eliminate officials with the surname of Wu from his court. But, at that time, there was not a senior official with the surname of Wu in the court, so he often made guesses.

One day in that June, Emperor Taizong held a coshery with his generals in the palace. They played drinking games and the emperor asked the generals to tell their pet names. Li Junxian, the Zuo Wu Wei General and Wu An Gong of Wulian County who was a major general of Xuan Wu Gate of the imperial capital said his pet name was “Wu Niang”. Taizong was amazed, but kept laughing and said: “What a woman, so valiant!” The meaning is why a man valiant as you have a girl’s name.

Hence, Taizong began to disbelieve Li Junxian out of a psychology of doubt and suspicion. He thought to himself: Li Junxian was from Wulian, conferred the title Wu An Gong, appointed Wu Wei General and on duty at Xuan Wu Gate, all connected with the character “Wu”. Besides, his pet name was “Wu Niang”. This Wu was in tone with “Wu”, and this “Niang” referred to women. Isn’t this a “female Empress Wu”? This made him also recall the history of himself conducting a coup at Xuan Wu Gate to get imperial power, which let him in cold sweat.

Before long, the emperor demoted Li Junxian to be the Governor of Huazhou. There was a man named Yuan Daoxin who claimed to be proficient in Buddhism. Li Junxian was a Buddhism believer and respected Yuan Daoxin very much, so he has many conversations with him. Somebody then reported that Li Junxian had secret communication with a sorcerer and that he had bad intent. The emperor ordered to kill him and register and confiscate his property without any investigation. Thus Li Junxian died as a scapegoat of Wu Meiyang. There is a TV series called the Imperatorial Woman. It elaborates that Li Junxian was an imperial clansman of Tang and was in love with Wu Meiniang at Gaozong’s time. This is detected from the incident of Emperor Taizong’s killing Li Junxian.

After Li Junxian’s death, the saying of “a female Empress Wu” still haunted to Emperor Taizong. So he summoned Li Chunfeng, the official who held astronom and calendar and asked: “Do you think the saying in the Secrets creditable?” Li Chunfeng answered: “After I observed the celestial phenomena upward and investigated almanacs downward, I found the person already in your palace and related to Your Majesty. Within 30 years from now on, she will be the sovereign and kill all your offspring. The omen is formed.” Taizong said: “How about I kill all those suspicious?” Li answered: “Human could not violate Heaven’s will. You may kill not the right person but many innocent in vain. Anyway, in thirty years’ time, the person will grow old and maybe become merciful. The disaster may be not too big. Now if you try to kill her, she could escape and her resentment may cost all your offspring, with no one left out.” Taizong then gave up his idea of a cleanout. Li Chunfeng had said very clearly that “the person already in your palace and related to Your Majesty”. If Taizong carried out a cleanout, there would be no escape for Wu Meiniang.

Same to the story of Yuan Tiangang reading the fortune of little Huagu, this legend is also obviously and densely superstitious. Current people believe that although this story was recorded in serious history like Zi Zhi Tong Jian and Yuan Tiangang’s Biography of the two Tang History etc., it may be greatly delusive. In all probability, Wu Meiniang’s slaughter of the Tang imperial clansmen afterwards may cause feudal historians to invent such a story.
Being man and wife for some time, it is interesting that Emperor Tang Taizong and Wu Meiniang left behind such anecdotes.