In an unexpected discovery, archaeologists stumbled upon a “dragon” with an extraordinarily peculiar appearance. Upon seeing it, the team of experts immediately decided to notify the police.
The Mysterious “Dragon” Found in an Ancient Tomb
In 1959, a farmer in Dao Hoa village, Thach Lau County, Luu Huong City, Shanxi Province, China, was plowing his field with his ox when he discovered a dark hole in the ground. After investigating, the farmer realized it was an ancient tomb and reported it to the local Cultural Heritage Board.
While waiting for the archaeological team to arrive, some locals climbed down into the tomb to search for treasure. However, before they could enter fully, they suddenly noticed that the soil beneath the tomb was blood-red. Terrified, they ran away without looking back.
Archaeologists discovered various bronze artifacts in the ancient tomb. (Photo: Sohu).
When the Shanxi archaeological team arrived and examined the site, they confirmed that the tomb was large and of high standards. The tomb contained significant amounts of cinnabar, which explained the blood-red color of the earth. The ancient tomb dates back to the Shang-Zhou dynasty, approximately 3,000 years ago.
After more than 20 continuous days of excavation, the archaeologists found over 50 bronze artifacts from the Shang-Zhou period within the ancient tomb. These included a complete set of bells, seven bronze tripods, and many other large and small bronze items. Based on the excavated artifacts, the archaeological team speculated that this was a noble tomb from the late Shang to Zhou dynasty.
An unexpected event occurred after classifying the cultural relics. (Photo: Sohu).
A month later, the archaeological team had completed classifying the excavated cultural relics and packed them into boxes. The next step was to transport them to the laboratory for cleaning and restoration.
Just as they were about to leave, heavy rain suddenly poured down. One archaeologist remembered that there was still an artifact left in the tomb, so he and another colleague braved the rain to retrieve it. As the rain intensified, the water level in the ancient tomb rose rapidly. Within a short time, the water reached their knees, and the two had to feel their way carefully. Suddenly, one of them stumbled over something and nearly fell, but his colleague managed to catch him just in time.
A valuable green bronze “dragon” was discovered. (Photo: Sohu).
The archaeologist found it very strange and thought to himself: “Wasn’t everything already cleared out? What else could be in this tomb?” He reached into the water and felt around until he finally unearthed something unforgettable. It was a “dragon” made of bronze, with fierce-looking sharp teeth.
In shock, he ran outside holding the dragon and shouted, “Hey, I’ve found a treasure, everyone come and see!” The other archaeologists who were busy carrying equipment stopped to gather around. They saw that this bronze dragon had a very unusual shape and intricate patterns they had never encountered before. One expert immediately said: “We need to notify the police as soon as possible, as there may still be relics underneath.”
To prevent any valuable cultural relics from being stolen, the archaeological team quickly filed a request with the local police department to secure the site. Shortly after, a group of police arrived and took turns guarding the tomb.
A close-up of the unique patterns carved on the “dragon.” (Photo: Sohu).
Upon examination, the dragon was found to actually be a green bronze vessel. It measured 43 cm in length and 13 cm in width. The body of the dragon was curved and bulging, with a flat-cut tail and a hook-shaped ornament on its back. Overall, the dragon resembled a dragon boat anchored on the water, with a very unique shape.
The archaeological team confirmed they had never seen a dragon similar to this one. Based on the layout style of this cultural relic, they believed that this bronze dragon was a wine vessel from the Shang dynasty. Furthermore, it was made of green bronze. Given the material and age of this wine vessel, experts indicated that its value was significant, potentially qualifying it as a national treasure. They named it “Long Xing Guang” (meaning dragon-shaped wine vessel).
The Surprising Origin of the Mysterious “Dragon”
To uncover the origins of “Long Xing Guang”, the archaeological team gathered clues from across the country. Eventually, they discovered its owner. It turned out that the owner of this wine vessel was the father-in-law of Jiang Ziya. Jiang Ziya was a founding hero of the Zhou dynasty in the 12th century BC and the ruler who established the State of Qi, which existed from the Western Zhou to the Warring States period in Chinese history.
Legend has it that when Jiang Ziya was in attendance at the Zhou king’s court, he hosted a banquet at home to welcome the king. Food and wine were served, and King Wu of Zhou was captivated by a wine vessel shaped like a dragon that was hung in the middle of the room by a string. Its proud position meant that merely lifting the dragon’s tail would cause delicious wine to flow from its mouth.
King Wu of Zhou was very fond of this dragon-shaped wine vessel and asked Jiang Ziya about its origins. Unexpectedly, Jiang Ziya found various excuses to avoid discussing the vessel’s history. Angered, King Wu stood up to leave. Jiang Ziya hurriedly explained that his father-in-law had made the wine vessel to pray for the innocents who were slaughtered by King Zhou. Later, Jiang Ziya’s father-in-law gifted the vessel to him. When his father-in-law passed away, Jiang Ziya buried the wine vessel in his tomb.
This green bronze “dragon” has been recognized as a national treasure and is prohibited from being displayed abroad. (Photo: Sohu).
Thus, the archaeological experts confirmed that the owner of the ancient tomb found in Shanxi was indeed the father-in-law of Jiang Ziya. This tomb and the artifacts found within it hold immense research value for archaeologists.
As for the dragon-shaped wine vessel, it has been classified as a national cultural heritage site by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. It is also prohibited from being exhibited abroad. Currently, it is on display at the Shanxi Museum as a treasured artifact in the main hall.
