The Four Brocades of Niya (the Empty City)
by Qiu Huadong
About This Novel
Niya, the hometown of Jingjue Kingdom, existed from around the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. Its ruins are located in Minfeng County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang. Niya is an important stop on the southern route of the ancient Silk Road and an important node for the exchange of goods and culture between the East and the West. More than a thousand wooden tablets (written in Khalur script) unearthed from the site show that its official language is Gandhara. In 1995, a brocade armband from the Han Dynasty woven with the eight seal characters "Five stars from the east will benefit China" was unearthed in Niya, causing a sensation at home and abroad. "The Four Brocades of Niya" takes the brocades of the Han Dynasty as clues to construct a civilization epic of the Jingjue Kingdom that spans thousands of years. The five stories revolve around the brocade patterns such as "Five stars come out of the east to benefit China", "There is great light in Changle" and "Long live the princes together", connecting themes such as tribal grievances, marriage missions, palace intrigues and the fate of common people. "Yijue" tells the story of the princess Xia Mei who was sent by the Han Dynasty to marry in the Jingjue Kingdom. She tried her best to hide silkworm seeds in her bun and brought them to the Jingjue Kingdom. She helped people raise silkworms and taught Jingjue women how to draw and reel silk to weave brocade silk. "Two Brocades" tells the story of two young princes from the Kingdom of Jingjue who exchanged clothes with the two young princes from the King of Linchuan in a critical moment to save the royal bloodline of the Central Plains. "Three Brocades" tells the story of Shaja Mouwei, a prodigal from the country of Jingjue, who elopes with Shan Ai. Returning to the prologue, the elite ancestors "the Horse Clan" and the "Eagle Clan" merged after the war. It is said that the war dead turned into snowmen and red willow roots. They wanted to return to the city on a moonlit night but disappeared into smoke. The perspective shifts to modern times. Archaeologist Lin Gucun leads a team to visit the ruins of Niya. Yang Yingzheng, the temporary deputy county magistrate, leads the villagers to cultivate new silkworm species. The exquisite civilization is reborn through archeology and inheritance.
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