Yumen Bone Script: a Last Wish to Meet in the Next Life

Dunhuang archaeologist Su Yuqing discovered the remains of Tang Dynasty garrison soldier Zhao Shisan and an unsent letter from home. On the back of the wooden slip was scrawled an affectionate entrustment to his wife, "Mother", and a promise for the afterlife. As cultural relics such as bronze mirrors, Qiang flutes, dried snow lotus flowers, and bronze wine glasses were unearthed one after another, a poignant love story that spanned thousands of years gradually emerged: the soldier Zhao Shisan died in the line of duty at Yumen, and his wife Wang Shiwan stayed with the family all her life. She became a monk in her later years and did not change her ambition until her death. The story shuttles between modern archaeological discoveries and frontier life in the Tang Dynasty, interweaving themes of love, war, memory and inheritance, and also leads to the continuation of the Zhao family's bloodline from the Tang Dynasty to the present day, and from mainland China to Taiwan. Su Yuqing not only solved the historical mystery, but also built a memorial hall for the couple, allowing the vows that have been dormant for thousands of years to echo in modern times and witness how true love transcends life, death and time.