Chapter 52 Daji (Extra) Postscript [Secret Admirer]...

[Archaeological Exposé] Folks! A Zhou Dynasty noble tomb has been unearthed! The tomb's owner turned out to be Empress Daji's secret admirer?! The finds are truly mind-blowing!

OP: @Archaeological Worker Axia

Posted: 2025-08-27 09:30

Tags: #Zhou Dynasty Archaeology#Daji#Historical Reversal#Secret Love Ceiling

Who in my family could possibly understand?! Our archaeological team excavated for three months in the Wei River Basin, initially thinking it was just an ordinary Zhou Dynasty noble tomb. But once we opened the main chamber, I was stunned to find my Luoyang shovel in my hand! The tomb occupier was a noble from the early Zhou Dynasty named Gongshu Yan, a relatively unknown figure in historical records. But the contents of his tomb revealed everything about "Anle Bo" (Lord of Anle)! Yes, it was none other than Lin Jiaojiao, the prototype of the legendary "Enchanting Concubine Daji" for three thousand years!

First, let's highlight the most astounding find in Zhang's tomb: an entire wall of wooden tablets containing the handwritten text "An Le Bo Xing Lu," along with more than a dozen silk portraits, all depicting the same woman. Her features are breathtaking, perfectly matching the historical record of her as "a face like an immortal"! Without further ado, here are the pictures and some helpful information!

First, the epitaph confirms that the tomb's occupant, Gongshu Yan, was from a family of craftsmen from the early Zhou Dynasty. His grandfather was a master craftsman who helped King Wu of Zhou create weapons. He himself excelled in carpentry and painting. The epitaph contains a particularly poignant line: "When Yan was young, he met Bo at the bank of the Wei River. He was captivated by a fleeting glimpse, and never married. I have collected his words and deeds, and preserved his portrait, hoping that a hundred years from now, someone will recognize Bo's virtue."

Translated: When Gongshu Yan was young, he met Anlebo (Lin Jiaojiao) by the Wei River and fell in love with her at first sight, never marrying in his life. He collected records of Lin Jiaojiao's words and deeds and hid her portrait, hoping that a hundred years later, someone would know that Lin Jiaojiao was actually a good person.

Key collections:

Wooden slips of "Anle Bo Xinglu" (123 pieces in total):

These are not cold records like those in official history books, but small things that Gongshu Yan saw with his own eyes or heard from the people. For example:

In the third year of King Cheng of Zhou, a severe drought struck the Wei River. Boqin, holding a hoe (farming tool), worked alongside the people. He worked tirelessly throughout the day, his white clothes soaked with sweat, yet he smiled and said to his attendants, "The seedlings are alive, and the people are saved." (The text is accompanied by a small illustration of a woman bending over in a field to plant rice seedlings, her hair held up with a wooden hairpin, which is particularly down-to-earth.)

"The lord established a female guard, selecting orphans to teach them martial arts, saying, 'Women can protect themselves and don't need to rely on men.' When a young man from the neighborhood harassed one of the guards, the lord ordered the guards to capture him. However, he didn't punish him severely, only ordering him to repair bridges and roads, saying, 'If you admit your mistakes and correct them, you're still a good person.'"

The most detailed thing is that the wooden slips record that Lin Jiaojiao loved fawns and would go to the deer park in her fiefdom to feed them every spring. "The uncle stroked the deer's head, smiling as brightly as a flower, and said to the deer, 'The grass this year is tenderer than last year. You should eat more.'" (Who understands! This is not a "witch concubine" at all, but a gentle sister!)

Portraits on silk (16 pieces):

It's remarkably well-preserved, with vibrant colors. There are scenes of daily labor (feeding deer, weaving, discussing farm tools with craftsmen), sacrificial offerings (standing by the Wei River, offering sacrifices with a solemn expression), and a painting titled "Spring Plowing in the Enfeoffment Land," which depicts Lin Jiaojiao standing on a ridge, surrounded by common people and female guards, the sun shining down on her. Absolutely stunning!

The most remarkable painting is "Discussing Politics Under the Moon": Lin Jiaojiao sits at a desk, facing several generals. She holds a scroll of bamboo slips, her brow slightly furrowed, as if listening attentively to their opinions. Gongshu Yan wrote in small words next to the portrait: "Although Bo is a woman, her political discussions are clear and logical, and all the generals are impressed. Seeing this, I feel ashamed of myself."

"Bo's Love" small items:

A jade pendant in the shape of a deer, which is the same style as the jade pendant unearthed from Lin Jiaojiao's tomb (previously discovered near the fiefdom and not yet made public), and should be the same model.

A basket of dried locust flowers. The epitaph said that Lin Jiaojiao liked locust flowers, and Gongshu Yan would pick and dry them every spring for preservation, "and smelling the fragrance was like seeing the person."

A handwritten copy of "Female Guard Training" with "Taught by Bo, copied by Yan" written on the title page contained Lin Jiaojiao's instructions on how to protect themselves and help others. It also contained a sentence she had written: "The strong do not bully others, but protect them."

@History Department Class Representative Xiao Zhou:

The contents of "The Records of the Anle Earl" match the previously unearthed bamboo slips from "The History of Zhou: Genealogy of the Princes"! I've previously suggested that Daji might have been slandered, but now it's confirmed! Gongshu Yan was an eyewitness, and his account is ten thousand times more reliable than the later "Investiture of the Gods"! Furthermore, the records of the female guards in the tomb completely match those in previously excavated female guard tombs (which contain weapons and the inscription "Anle Earl's Mansion"). Lin Jiaojiao is truly championing female empowerment!

@Mythology enthusiast Ayao:

Although, in the stories about Daji I heard as a kid, she was a fox spirit! How come she's now a "loving people and good lord"? But looking at her portrait, she's truly beautiful and gentle. I suddenly understand Gongshu Yan's lifelong crush on her... By the way, is it possible that the "fox spirit" legend was distorted because she loved deer?

@Professor Wang of the Archaeological Team (verified):

A further professional perspective: The clothing and agricultural tools depicted in the portrait of Lin Jiaojiao are consistent with those of the early Zhou Dynasty and are not forgeries. Gongshu Yan's handwriting is consistent with documents produced by contemporary craftsmen, making it highly authentic. Furthermore, a rubbing of the "Marquis of Xiqi Seal" was discovered in the tomb. This is likely the seal used by Marquis Xibo (King Wen of Zhou) to seal Lin Jiaojiao's fiefdom, confirming the authenticity of the title "Marquis of Anle" and not just a folk legend.

@吃瓜网网小桃:

Help! Gongshu Yan was so deeply affectionate! "Never married" and "hid her portrait"—what kind of ancient version of a secret crush on a ceiling is this? Is it possible that he spoke to Lin Jiaojiao? Is there anything written on the wooden slips? OP, please update soon!

The host replied to @吃瓜网小桃:

Indeed! A single wooden tablet records their single conversation: "Yan once built a wooden fence for Bo in the Deer Park. Bo saw it and said to Yan, 'Gongshu Jun's craftsmanship is exquisite. The deer patterns on the fence are lifelike.' Yan didn't dare to reply and simply bowed and retreated." Gongshu Yan memorized this single sentence for fifty years and even drew a picture of the scene, himself hiding behind a tree, his face flushed. Hilarious!

@Senior from the Department of Literature:

I suddenly wondered why later generations portrayed Lin Jiaojiao as a "seductive concubine." Perhaps it's because the story of "Shang Concubine being enfeoffed as a Zhou Marquis" is so sensitive, and the late Zhou rulers, seeking to emphasize the righteousness of their campaign against King Zhou, deliberately discredited her. However, the private records of ordinary nobles like Gongshu Yan preserved the truth. This is the essence of the saying, "History is written by the victors, but the people have their own true feelings."

3. Subsequent progress: Cultural relics are under restoration, and more details are to be unlocked

Most of the wooden slips and portraits are currently under restoration, and we'll be collaborating with the museum on a special exhibition soon, which will be open to the public then! We also discovered a locked lacquer box in the tomb, which we haven't opened yet. It might contain something even more personal (like Gongshu Yan's diary?). We'll update you all as soon as we do!

Finally, a personal note: After all these years of tomb-digging, this is the first time history feels so alive. Gongshu Yan spent his entire life carefully hiding the kindness of a misunderstood woman within the tomb, waiting for three thousand years for us to discover it. Lin Jiaojiao broke the fate of being a "seductive concubine," and Gongshu Yan held onto his secret love. Both of them are so touching!

If you have any questions or discussions, feel free to leave them in the comments! Let's wait for the paint box to unlock together!

(Update: Just got a message from the restoration team. There seems to be a piece of silk cloth with writing on it inside the lacquer box! I'll be opening the box tomorrow and waiting for it!)

Follow-up comments (updated the next day):

@楼主@Archaeology worker Axia:

The box was opened! Inside was a smaller portrait of Lin Jiaojiao sitting by a window, holding a jade pendant (the same deer pendant as before). Next to it was a line of small inscription: "Bo holds this pendant, often looking west, and saying: 'With an old friend protecting me, this life is free from worries.'" Who is this "old friend"? Could it be the "invisible assistant" I guessed earlier?! Also, there's a self-portrait of Gongshu Yan, depicting him in his old age, sitting under a lamp, gazing at Lin Jiaojiao's portrait. Next to it was the inscription: "Bo has been gone for thirty years, and Yan will soon return. I only hope that in the next life, I can see Bo again at the banks of the Wei River." The family was completely overwhelmed!

@History Department Class Representative Xiao Zhou:

"An old friend protects me"! Could this be the "mysterious force that saved Bo's life" mentioned in historical records? Combined with previous archaeological discoveries, it seems Lin Jiaojiao indeed had an "invisible person" helping her, such as the sudden enlightenment of craftsmen and the inexplicable defection of generals. This could be this "old friend"! Gongshu Yan didn't mention the name, so could it be that Lin Jiaojiao hadn't mentioned it to anyone?

@吃瓜网网小桃:

Regardless of who this "old friend" is, Lin Jiaojiao is undoubtedly happy! She's beloved by the people, protected by the female guards, and even has a lifelong crush on her who's dedicated her life to her legacy. Rather than the legend of the "evil concubine," I prefer to believe that this gentle yet powerful Anlebo is the real her!