西汉帝陵

   
　　元狩四年(前119年)，霍去病率师抗击匈奴，返回时，路过河东郡老家，将其同父异母弟霍光带到长安。这时霍光才10岁，武帝任光为郎官，后迁升为侍中。
　　那是在汉都长安未央宫里，霍去病带着弟弟霍光来到皇上面前叩拜，武帝把霍光拉到自己身边，仔细打量着他，问这问那，霍光都一一作答，毫无惧色。武帝惊喜地发现，这孩子将来一定大有作为，并为霍光送了一个字，叫子孟。
　　霍光是汉武帝最信任的大臣 霍光在哥哥霍去病去世之后，被任为侍中，随后升任奉车都尉、光禄大夫，直至成为大将军大司马、顾命大臣。30多年里，他在皇帝身边做事，一向小心谨慎，从未出过错，实为难能可贵。特别是汉武帝后期，朝廷问题和矛盾频生，错综复杂，不少文官武将和老臣，包括卫青在内，都陷入困境和漩涡之中，而霍光却一直稳健司职，深得圣上信任。武帝临终前，安排后事的时候，对霍光更是信任有加，委以首席辅佐大臣。
　　70岁的汉武帝，体弱多病，又因太子刘据在“巫蛊之祸”中自杀身亡，立太子之事虚悬未定。汉武帝自知活不长了，对身后事非常忧虑，其中头等大事就是要早立太子，免得死后国家大乱。当时汉武帝还有三个儿子，燕王刘旦和广陵王刘胥是亲兄弟，他们平日骄横不法，不能立为太子。可是小儿子弗陵还只有7岁，汉武帝却想立他为太子。因此就想先为年幼的太子物色一个忠实可靠的大臣来加以辅佐。善于识人、用人的汉武帝认为，朝中大臣只有霍光可担此重任，所以就想把国事托付给霍光。汉武帝想起了古代周公辅佐年幼成王时的故事。周公曾背着小成王临朝，会见诸侯继承大统。汉武帝让人根据这个故事，画了一张“周公背成王朝诸侯图”送给霍光。以此来暗示霍光将来是像周公辅成王一样来辅佐幼主弗陵。霍光为人深沉、镇静，根本没有去想汉武帝送给他那张画的用意是什么。经汉武帝点明，“立我的儿子弗陵为太子，由你来履行周公辅成王的职责”。霍光顿悟画的用意，便叩头推辞说：“我才德浅薄，不如金日磾。”汉武帝在病床上下令，任霍光为大将军大司马、金日磾任车骑将军、太仆上官桀任左将军、都尉桑弘羊任御史大夫，让他们在霍光的领导下，共同辅佐幼小的太子，管理好国家大事。第二天，汉武帝就死了。太子刘弗陵继承皇位，他就是汉昭帝。
　　霍光是汉昭帝最忠实的辅臣 公元前87年，汉武帝在位54年之际不幸病故，由小儿子刘弗陵继位，时年仅7岁。按照汉武帝临终前的交代，由以霍光为首的四位大臣辅政。过了10年之后，刘弗陵正式登基加冠，行皇帝职权。
　　这本来都是顺理成章的事。不料汉武帝的儿子燕王刘旦，因为自己未被立为皇帝很不满，想着谋反，就与上官桀、桑弘羊和长公主(武帝之女)串通在一起，向皇帝刘弗陵告状，说霍光专权乱政。昭帝不信，状未告成。不久，上官桀等人就在暗地里搞起阴谋废帝的活动。他们想立刘旦为帝。霍光察觉后，立即采取措施，粉碎了他们的阴谋，结果长公主、燕王刘旦自杀，上官桀被诛杀。在霍光的辅佐下，昭帝执行了汉武帝时期的政策，实行移民屯田，发展经济，以富民强国。同时，又多次派兵打败了匈奴的进犯和侵扰。
　　霍光是汉宣帝更立得当的老臣 昭帝刘弗陵去世后，武帝之孙刘贺继位皇帝。不料这位刘贺皇帝即位之后，天天饮酒作乐，不问朝政，不理国事，因此，上任不到一个月，就被老臣霍光所废，重新立了武帝曾孙——刘据的孙子病已为帝，称为汉宣帝。
　　宣帝在位25年，励精图治，选贤任能，平狱缓刑，轻徭薄赋，发展生产，广开言路，使吏称其职，民安其业。实践证明，霍光废掉刘贺、更立刘病已(后改名刘询)是正确的。
　　公元前68年，霍光病故。汉宣帝和皇太后都亲临发丧，满朝文武参加葬礼，其场面之大，丧事之盛，不亚于汉武帝葬礼。宣帝刘询为霍光办丧事的项目有金钱、缯絮、绣被百领、衣五十箧、珠玑玉衣；赐梓宫、便房、黄肠题凑各一具。此外，枞木外椁十五具。以帝礼陪葬于茂陵东侧。其墓形圆，上小底大，为皇帝陵墓形状——覆斗形。高19.92米，东宽61米，西宽63.5米，南长66.8米，北长为61.5米，占地面积3993.3平方米，封土体积79860立方米，西距茂陵约4公里，与茂陵东西遥遥相对。
　　F Tomb of Huo Guang,Important Courtier of the Han Dynasty
　　--sole satellite tomb enjoying burial system of an emperor in the Western Han Dynasty
　　In 4th year(119 B.C.)under the reign title of Yuanshou(122-116 B.C.),Huo Qubing commanded his troops to launch attacks on the Han army.The large-scale campaign ended in big victory.On their way back,he took Huo Guang,his younger stepbrother often,to Chang'an.Emperor Wudi appointed him as general servant.
　　Once,Huo Qubing took Huo Guang to pay respects to the emperor at the Weiyang Palace.The emperor pulled Huo Guang close to his side and inquired him a lot,to which Huo Guang replied without a sense of fear.The emperor liked him very much and expected much of him.
　　Huo Guang,Most Believed Courtier by Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty
　　After the death of Huo Qubing,Huo Guang was appointed from Close Servant to later Carriage Manager and Horse Manager till Chief Commander,Great Minister of War and Minister Regent.During the 30 years when he helped the emperor with management of state affairs,he remained careful and prudent without any records of mistakes committed.In the later period under the reign of the emperor,the dynasty became complicated,problems and contradictions often intricately knotted.Quite a number of high-ranking officials,officers and courtiers,including Wei Qing,found themselves bogged in.Only Huo Guang performed duties as steadily as before and won deep belief from the emperor.
　　Emperor Wudi at the age of 70 found himself weakening in health year in year out.After Liu Ju,former crown prince,was forced to commit suicide in a fabricated conspiracy imposed on him,the emperor became all the more anxious to decide another crown prince to succeed to the throne.Among his remaining three sons,Liu Dan and Liu Xu were brothers.They were presumptuous and unlawful.The youngest was only seven,who,in the eyes of the emperor,would be the best candidate to ruler of the dynasty.The emperor believed that a most loyal and reliable courtier to assist a new ruler with management of government affairs must be Huo Guang,who could be qualified to shoulder the task.So,he got someone to draw a picture of Ji Tong (Emperor Chengwang) of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 B.C.) holding a court on back of Councilor Zhou and sent the picture to Huo Guang.The picture implied the emperor's eagerness for Huo Guang's assistance to his youngest son.Emperor Wudi on his deathbed issued a decree that Huo Guang be appointed as Chief Commander & Great Minister of War,Jin Midi as General of Chariots and Cavalry,Sang Hongyang as General of the Left and Shangguan Jie as Imperial Chancellor,who were to jointly assist the new ruler with management of government affairs under the guidance of Huo Guang.The following day the emperor breathed his lastbreath.The crown prince Liu Fuling (Zhaodi,reigned 87-74 B.C.) ascended the throne in unanimous agreement.
　　Huo Guang,Most Loyal Courtier to Emperor Zhaodi of the Han Dynasty
　　In 87 B.C.,Liu Fuling,the youngest son of seven years old,succeeded to the throne after unlbrtunate death of Emperor Wudi,whose reign lasted for 54 years.As was told by the emperor betbre death,the new ruler was assisted by the four veteran courtiers with Huo Guang as the head.Ten years later,Liu Fuling officially ascended the throne to exercise leadership as an emperor.
　　Succession to the throne by Ling Fuling was naturally a matter-of-course.But dissatisfied with himself having not been crowned,Liu Dan,a son of Emperor Wudi,plotted a conspiracy against Huo Guang in collaboration with Shangguan Jie,Sang Hongyang and the eldest daughter of Emperor Wudi.They accused Huo Guang of arbitrary dictatorship and management disorder.The accusation was turn down by Emperor Zhaodi.Not reconciled to their failure,Shangguan Jie and the like resorted to underhand activities aiming to dethrone the emperor.Huo Guang,on learning that,immediately took actions and smashed their scheme to smithereens.The eldest princess and Liu Dan committed suicide.Shangguan Jie was put to death.Assisted by Huo Guang,Emperor Zhaodi followed the policies adopted in the reign of Emperor Wudi and continued to develop economy through opening up wasteland and growing food grain by immigrated settlers.In the meantime,victorious attacks were organized to beat back invasion and disturbance from the Hun aggressors.
　　Huo Guang,Proper Veteran Courtier to Emperor Xuandi of the Han Dynasty
　　After death of Emperor Zhaodi,Liu He,grandson of Emperor Wudi,succeeded to the throne.But the newly-thronged emperor did not care about government affairs.He gave himself up to dissipation.It was not longer than one month before Huo Guang decisively dethroned him and placed Bing Yi,grandson of Liu Ju,as new emperor,known later as Emperor Xuandi (reigned 73-49 B.C.).
　　Emperor Xuandi reigned for 25 years.He exerted himself to build a powerful and prosperous dynasty by developing economy,advocating freedom of speech,appointing people of talents,rectifying wronged cases,lessening corvée and reducing taxes.History proves that Huo Guang made a correct decision to dismiss Liu He from office.
　　In 68 B.C.Huo Guang died of illness.Emperor Xuandi and the empress dowager personally attended the funeral,which was joined by all high-ranking officials and generals of the dynasty.
　　The funeral ceremony treated as that of an emperor was in no way inferior to that of Emperor Wudi in magnitude and luxury,including gold coins,embroidered quilts,clothing and jade suit with pearls sewn on,a coffin chamber where five hardwood-made coffins and two outer coffins exclusively for him were placed on the bier at the center and they were encircled by piling up 15880 polished cypress logs of 90cm long,10cm wide and 10cm high,a reception room,apart from fifteen fir-made outer coffins.
　　The rammed tomb is of round shape,top small but bottom large,like an overturned vessel of an emperor mausoleum.It stands 19.92m high,extending width of 61m east and width of 63.50m west while length of 66.8m south and length of 61.5m north.The grave mound takes 79860 cubic meters of rammed earth over an area of 3993.3 square meters.The locality lies 4 kilo's away from the Maoling Mausoleum which stands opposite to the Tomb of Huo Guang from east.

茂陵文物/王志杰著．—西安：三秦出版社，2012

茂陵文物鉴赏图志/王志杰著．—西安：三秦出版社，2012