Monthly Archives: November 2011

Duke Lu Mausoleum, Xinxiang

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Duke Lu (Zhu Yuliu), 1568-1614, was the only full brother of the Ming Emperor Wanli. His tomb near Xinxiang is the only Ming royal tomb in Henan Province. His Imperial Concubine Zhao’s tomb is next to his. Most Ming tombs are near Beijing, except for the tomb of Hongwu in Nanjing. Dingling, the tomb of Duke Lu’s brother, Emperor Wanli, is the only one open to the public in Beijing. Photos by Gary L. Todd, Ph.D., Professor of History, Sias International University, Xinzheng, Henan, China. https://picasaweb.google.com/116512474184071531500/DukeLuMausoleumXinxiang

Xinxiang Museum

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Xinxiang City, which lies between Zhengzhou and Anyang, just opened this excellent, modern museum at the end of 2011. I believe I’m the first foreigner to visit it. Xinxiang is the site of the ancient battle of Muye, in which the Shang Dynasty was destroyed by the Zhou, so this area is rich in Shang artifacts. Photos by Gary L. Todd, Ph.D., Professor of History, Sias International University, Xinzheng, Henan, China. https://picasaweb.google.com/116512474184071531500/XinxiangMuseum

Leonid Brezhnev Photos & Awards & other Soviet Militaria

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The first artifacts shown here were owned by Leonid Brezhnev and are currently in my possession. The photo album was presented to him by 18th Army veterans, for whom he served as political commissar during WWII. These are published here for the first time. The 63-piece ribbon bar includes his Order of Victory which he was awarded as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. It was rescinded after he died in 1982, as he had obviously done nothing to earn it. Copies of the ribbon bar have appeared on eBay, but this one is genuine. Following the photo album are other Soviet artifacts in my personal collection, along with my Mao badges from the Cultural Revolution. Photos by Gary L. Todd, Ph.D., Professor of History, Sias International University, Xinzheng, Henan, China. https://picasaweb.google.com/116512474184071531500/LeonidBrezhnevPhotosAwardsOtherSovietMilitaria

Xuzhou: Han Tomb of Liu Wu, King of Chu

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Liu Wu was a member of the Han Dynasty royal family. He ruled over the state of Chu in the early Western Han, and built a tomb on Shizishan (Lion Hill) with a guardian army of 1/3-size terracotta warriors. I photographed the tomb, along with an underwater burial site of terracotta cavalry, and a larger pit of infantry. Compare this with the tomb of Han Emperor Jingdi, as well as the more famous life-size warriors of Qin Shihuang (both on this website). Photos by Gary L. Todd, Ph.D., Professor of History, Sias International University, Xinzheng, Henan, China. https://picasaweb.google.com/116512474184071531500/XuzhouHanTombOfLiuWuKingOfChu

Xuzhou Museum

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Xuzhou City Museum has many of the treasures from two Han tombs in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. I photographed the tomb and terracotta army of Liu Wu, King of Chu, and have posted this in a separate album. The museum contains the original jade burial suits from the tomb, as well as many other – mostly Han Dynasty – artifacts from Xuzhou. Photos by Gary L. Todd, Ph.D., Professor of History, Sias International University, Xinzheng, Henan, China. https://picasaweb.google.com/116512474184071531500/XuzhouMuseum