Despite many secrets being verified by advanced scientific methods today, there are still 3 major puzzles that remain unsolved, some of which have even mysteriously vanished, leaving archaeologists “scratching their heads” for thousands of years.
China is a vast country covering an area of 9.6 million square kilometers, and this expansive land conceals numerous secrets. While many of these secrets have been verified by modern scientific methods, many mysteries still await answers. Among them are three major puzzles that remain unresolved to this day, one in Beijing, one in Xi’an, and another that is even more perplexing.
The Tuo Long Well in Beitan Bridge, Beijing
A very special well located at Beitan Bridge.
Since ancient times, it has been well-known that China is a country that values dragon and phoenix culture. Here, the dragon symbolizes the highest status, and only emperors were allowed to use dragon motifs. Therefore, visitors to the Forbidden City in Beijing often see dragon and phoenix architectural designs. Within the vicinity of Beitan Bridge, there is a very special well that, although unremarkable on the outside, holds mysterious secrets within.
According to local residents, this is a very unique well. It is said that beneath the well lies an ancient dragon, bound by a massive iron chain. If the chain is pulled up to the mouth of the well, water will gush out, and at a certain height, it will cause flooding. This occurs because the disturbance to the dragon below angers it, with some people even claiming to have heard the dragon’s roar.
During the period of the Japanese invasion of China, it was recounted that Japanese soldiers, who did not believe in supernatural phenomena, forced locals to pull the chain. After a prolonged effort with no success, the soldiers, out of curiosity, approached the well to investigate. At that moment, a jet of black water suddenly erupted, accompanied by strange noises from below, causing the soldiers to flee in terror. Subsequently, the locals had no choice but to return the chain to the well.
In fact, the concept of Tuo Long Well (Tuo meaning lock), also known as Tuo Jiao Well (Jiao refers to a mythical creature akin to a dragon without horns), is a physical element in Chinese myths and stories, reflecting humanity’s ideals of flood control over thousands of years and serving as an important phenomenon in Chinese culture.
The ancient dragon lies beneath the well, bound by a massive iron chain. If the iron chain is pulled to the mouth of the well, water will gush out, and at a certain height, it will cause flooding. This is because the disturbance angers the dragon below, with some even claiming to have heard its roar.
On June 17, “Beijing Youth Daily” published a segment reporting – “An ancient well was discovered on Route 5”. The question of whether this is the legendary Tuo Long Well is currently being verified by the Cultural Relics Bureau. As a result, construction work was halted. After the news broke, many Beijingers exclaimed: “Do not disturb the Tuo Long Well, it’s a bad omen!” Indeed, the subway had to be rerouted to avoid this ancient well.
Illustration of the Tuo Long Well. (Photo: Sohu).
Legend has it that in 1421, Emperor Yongle officially moved the capital from Nanjing to Beiping (the former name of Beijing). Strangely, during the relocation process, Emperor Yongle faced numerous obstacles. For instance, a newly constructed building was struck by lightning and caught fire just days after completion. This led his ministers to urge him to return to Nanjing as soon as possible.
Rumors suggested that Emperor Yongle had disturbed a dragon guarding treasures in Beiping, which punished him with a catastrophic flood. Unafraid, he sought the help of “the black-clad chancellor” Yao Guangxiao to deal with this dragon. This individual was well-versed in the Three Teachings and held significant status at the time. Additionally, he was known as the incarnation of “the Arhat of the Dragon.”
Yao Guangxiao helped Emperor Yongle subdue the ancient dragon. He threw it into a well beside Beitan Bridge and “sealed” it there. He requested a large chain to bind the dragon at the bottom of the well. To prevent the beast from escaping, Yao Guangxiao had a three-hall temple built over the well for suppression. The truth of this tale is uncertain, but indeed, the Tuo Long Well and the Zhenhai Temple still exist today.
Later, scientists used modern tools to survey this strange well. The results revealed that it is a natural vertical well, with the bottom connecting to an underground river.
The so-called “dragon roar” is actually the sound created by the friction between the iron chain and the well’s walls. Because ordinary people circulated mysterious stories, a natural sense of fear arose. They also discovered a piece of iron with a foul odor. However, thereafter, scientists did not release further information about this well, and to this day it remains shrouded in strange rumors.
The Stele of Wu Zetian
The stele of Wu Zetian.
Typically, a stele is erected in front of an emperor’s tomb to record significant achievements throughout their life. Even if the emperor had made no contributions to the country, the stele would still be inscribed with some key content. However, nothing is written on Wu Zetian’s stele – a fact that leaves historians puzzled.
When mentioning Wu Zetian, it is likely that everyone is familiar. She is the most outstanding female emperor in China and the only female emperor in the country. After her death, she was buried at Qianling in Liangshan, Shaanxi. Today, Qianling has become a popular tourist destination. However, when visiting Qianling, everyone pays attention to the blank stele right in front of her tomb.
Typically, a stele is erected in front of an emperor’s tomb to record significant achievements throughout their life. Even if the emperor had made no contributions to the country, the stele would still be inscribed with some key content. However, nothing is written on Wu Zetian’s stele – a fact that leaves historians puzzled.
Surrounding this puzzle, many different hypotheses have circulated in folklore. Some believe that she had too many contributions to be fully recorded on the stele. Starting from her ascent to empress in 655 AD, Wu Zetian held the highest power for 50 years until her abdication in 705 AD.
The second hypothesis suggests that due to her knowledge of the severe crimes committed during her reign, Wu Zetian erected the “blank stele” as a way to avoid defamation by future generations. Regarding the egregious crimes alongside her governance, folklore recounts many versions, mainly revolving around her harming the empress to usurp power, even killing her own children and royal family members to ascend to the throne, and most horrifically, massacring her lovers. Furthermore, the economic and social development during the early Tang Dynasty was like a horse’s saddle, while Wu Zetian was at her lowest point during her reign. During her rule, she lost four Anxi garrisons, jeopardizing the country’s unity. Wu Zetian could not establish a glowing biography for herself, leaving only a “blank stele.”
The third argument posits that Wu Zetian, as the mother of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, was aware that people would have differing evaluations of her life, especially regarding the incident of deposing Emperor Zhongzong to seize the throne. It would be very difficult to write something good or bad on the stele, so she decided to create a “blank stele” for future generations to assess.
Another point is that after Wu Zetian’s death, the ensuing chaos went unnoticed. By the time things stabilized and people paid attention again, that part of history had long passed; through many retellings, it became hard to distinguish fact from fiction, leading to uncertainty about what to inscribe on the stele. Regardless of which hypothesis is considered, the mystery of Wu Zetian’s stele remains unsolved to this day.
The Ancient Kingdom of Loulan in the Lop Desert
The reputation of the ancient Loulan kingdom is not only known in China but also has a significant influence worldwide, as it was once a vast and wealthy ancient state, occupying a crucial position on the ancient Silk Road.
Loulan (Kroran) is an ancient country that existed from the 2nd century BC in the northeastern region of the Lop Desert, Xinjiang (now part of China). Loulan is known in Russian as Krorayina or Kroran.
However, in 630 AD, it mysteriously vanished, and only after its liberation was it discovered and studied by archaeologists. To this day, the reason for its disappearance remains a significant mystery.
Some theories suggest that natural disasters led to the downfall of this once-glorious ancient city, while others believe that warfare was the cause. There are also speculations that the entire population of the ancient Loulan kingdom succumbed to a malignant disease, perishing in a short period.
To this day, the reason for its disappearance remains a significant mystery.
One scientifically grounded hypothesis suggests that Loulan may have suffered from severe deforestation, leading to a substantial loss of land and water. Consequently, the land became desertified, making it uninhabitable for its residents, who subsequently migrated elsewhere. However, regardless of the explanation, it remains unverified speculation, and the kingdom of Loulan continues to be a treasure chest of secrets without a key.
