China's thousand-year-old national treasure originating from Vietnam: Extremely rare item!

Many Chinese people do not know that the 10-ton national treasure being displayed in this country originates from Vietnam.

China's National Treasure

"Find artifacts on the ground, go to Shanxi; search for relics underground, go to Shaanxi", to the Chinese, it is no exaggeration to say that, if you dig a hole in any of your Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province - the ancient capital of thirteen Chinese dynasties, can also find some extremely valuable Han Dynasty bricks or Qin Dynasty tiles. The stele forest at the foot of the ancient city wall in Xi'an is the place where countless such treasures are gathered!

At the Xi'an Beer Forest Museum, there is a stone sculpture art room that currently holds a 10-ton stone rhinoceros sculpture, which is listed as a national treasure of China.

According to the Xi'an Evening Newspaper (under the management of Xi'an Municipal Party Committee), the statue is called the Xianling stone rhinoceros sculpture, designed from blue stone produced in Phuping region, Shaanxi province, 340 long. cm, height 209 cm, large sturdy figure, clear lines and reasonable proportions. If viewed from a wide angle, the sculpture looks more vivid and powerful, very suitable for placing in front of the tomb in the wilderness.

Hien Lang is the mausoleum of Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, located in Sanyuan County, Shaanxi Province. Among the stone sculptures placed in front of the mausoleum was a pair of stone rhinos, one of them was transferred in 1959 to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, now the Stone Carving Art Gallery of the Xi'an Beer Forest Museum. .

Hien Lang rock rhino.

The stone rhinoceros closed its mouth, and on its nose there was a horn protruding like a lump of flesh. The foot has three toes and is in a walking position. The statue's sculptural technique does not pursue sophistication but captures the characteristics of the rhinoceros, such as the thick sagging skin under the neck, the heavy body and posture.

"The stone rhinoceros statue is not only the only artistic masterpiece with the theme of rhinoceros placed in front of the 18 tombs of the Tang Dynasty, but also a rare commodity in the art of stone carving in national tombs," the Chinese newspaper said. Quoc wrote.

With Hien Lang stone rhinoceros, on the pedestal under the right front hooves are engraved six words "Cao To Hoi Vien Chi Duc", meaning to praise the merits of Duong Cao To Ly Uyen.

The custom of using rhinos to show authority dates back to the Western Han Dynasty. During the reign of Han Binh De, when Vuong Mang was the main father, he lobbied the king of Hoang Chi state, now in the Kancheepuram region (India) to tribute living rhinos to the Western Han Dynasty. It can be seen that by the end of the Western Han Dynasty, rhinos had at least disappeared in Guanzhong (Northern China). Otherwise, the fact that Vuong Mang lobbied the king of Hoang Chi to tribute rhinos would lose the practical significance of his boasting of the prestige of the Han royal family, let alone the purpose of making a name for himself.

The stone rhinoceros in the tomb of the Chinese emperor also contains this meaning. According to Xi'an Evening Newspaper, the round lump on the nose of Hien Lang rock rhino shows that this is a rhinoceros species, now extinct, originating from Southeast Asia, more specifically from Vietnam.

Originated from Vietnam

In the New Duong Thu (China) it is recorded that, in the early years of Trinh Quan, Lam Ap country (now in central Vietnam) tributes living rhinos to the Tang Dynasty, and Duong Cao To Ly Uyen loved this tribute. . In the 9th year of Trinh Quan, Ly Uyen passed away, Duong Thai Tong Ly The Dan ordered craftsmen based on the shape of the sacrifice offered by Lam Ap to sculpt a pair of stone rhinos, placed in front of Hien Hien. Tomb, showing filial piety.

During the Tang Dynasty, there were very few chances to see rhinos living in the plains, occasionally with one or two rhinos living in the capital by foreign tribute. Therefore, the rhino-themed handicrafts of the Tang Dynasty were not very lively.

Only the stone rhinoceros in Hien Lang are carved very realistically, which shows that when the craftsmen carved the stone rhinoceros in front of Duong Cao To Tomb, they must have seen it with their own eyes. those rhinos.

The Chinese newspaper commented that the stone rhinoceros in Hien Lang not only showed the mighty virtue of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty when he was alive, but also became an item reflecting the cultural exchange between China and foreign countries in the past. . From the seemingly slow appearance of the rhinoceros, viewers can feel its ferocity, courage, massiveness and fiery atmosphere. Although depicting beastly, it does not scare people, on the contrary, attracts love. It was a rare and precious artifact.