西汉帝陵

   
　　阳信长公主和汉武帝是一母同胞姐弟。汉景帝刘启与王皇后共生有四个孩子，前三个是女儿，最后一个就是汉武帝刘彻。
　　阳信长公主因封邑在阳信县(今山东省无棣县)，故得名，又因其是武帝之姐，所以称其阳信长公主。后来她嫁给平阳侯曹寿为妻，因此又叫她平阳公主。在汉都长安专置有平阳侯府，在曹寿去世后，便称为平阳公主府。
　　阳信长公主对自己的同胞小皇弟非常关爱。武帝即位后，与陈阿娇皇后一直不生育，作为大姐的阳信长公主自然是十分着急，这不仅关系到刘氏家族的传宗接代，而且事关政治权力继承的大问题。为此，阳信长公主到处访求并挑选了十几个良家女子，养在府中，进行一些礼节、服饰、应酬知识方面的训练，想寻机送进宫去，做皇弟的夫人。
　　但她深知陈皇后骄妒成性，心中犹豫未决。恰巧武帝有一次从霸上参加祭祀仪式回宫，路过平阳公主府稍憩，长公主遂乘机把十几个女子打扮一番拜见武帝，但武帝一个也没看中。长公主置酒款待武帝，酒酣之际，让府中几位歌女上前歌舞以助酒兴。不料武帝一眼看中了歌女卫子夫。武帝借口更衣，卫子夫服侍尚衣轩中，得幸。结果，卫子夫不但做了汉武帝的夫人，还生了儿子，当上了皇后。
　　阳信长公主把卫子夫选配给自己的皇弟，意义十分重大。具体说，使汉武帝得到两员大将：一个是卫子夫的弟弟卫青，一个是卫子夫的外甥霍去病。此外，汉武帝还通过霍去病得到了霍光这位德才兼备的忠臣。历史实践完全证明，这三个人不仅凭亲属关系得到重用，更是凭借他们的特殊才能和优秀的品德，受到汉武帝满朝文武的拥戴。
　　阳信长公主是一位充满活力、性格开朗、情感丰富而又美丽多姿的女子。长期居住在京城，常常骑马郊游。当时，卫子夫是她府上的歌女，其弟卫青是他府上的奴隶。公主看到卫青健壮而又俊朗，聪明能干，便叫他做自己贴身的骑奴。平阳侯曹寿因病去世后，公主和卫青便成了一对情人。后来，卫青成为汉武帝手下的大将军，功勋卓著。这位皇弟就做主，让姐姐阳信长公主嫁给了卫青，成为大将军大司马的贤内助。这样，武帝与卫青就亲上加亲。
　　阳信长公主先卫青而去，死后盛葬在茂陵园区，其墓冢如羊头状，因此当地民众世代称它为羊头冢。又因其墓地年久荒芜，以至后人无从知晓它的主人是谁。
　　1981年5月，当地农民在平整土地时，发现一处从葬坑，出土了大量器物，考古人员从“羊头冢从葬坑”出土的器物上，发现刻有“阳信家”的器物数件，因此，推断这座羊头冢就是阳信长公主墓。
　　阳信长公主墓位于茂陵东侧两公里处，墓冢长方形，状如羊头，上小底大，高15米，南北长114米，东西宽54.57米，占地面积6003平方米。
　　C Tomb of Princess Yangxin,Senior
　　Princess Yangxin,Senior and Emperor Wudi were born by the same mother.Emperor Liu Qi(Jingdi,reigned 157-14l B.C.)and the Empress had three daughters.Their last baby was a son,who later became known as Emperor Wudi.
　　The princess was called Yangxin,Senior because Yangxin County was granted to her by the emperor as her territories and she was emperor's elder sister.She married to Marquis Pingyang,so she was also known as Princess Pingyang.
　　The princess took much concern for her younger brother.After the emperor's marriage,she longed for their baby to be born.But continuous disappointment drove her to the brink of desperation.That was a vital matter which not only concerned the continuation of the family line,but also the inheritance to political rights of the regime.So,she deliberately chose a dozen good-mannered girls and sought for a chance to send them into the palace.She knew quite well that the empress was habitually jealous of any other females for fear that they might win favor from the emperor.She felt hesitant to make decision.
　　One day,on his way back from a sacrificial ceremony to the palace,the emperor happened to pass by the princess lodging.He went in,hoping to take a short rest.Seeing the unexpected chance,the princess dressed the girls up and took them before the emperor.The result was much to her disappointment.Before long,the princess gave a feast to entertain the emperor.When they were enjoying the feast,the atmosphere was livened up by singing and dancing.The emperor especially took a fancy to the singer Wei Zifu,who later became his husband and gave birth to a son.In the end,she became the empress.
　　The princess decided to let Wei Zifu be married to the emperor.Their marriage bore significance of vital importance.Substantially speaking,the emperor consequently obtained two able men: Wei Qing,Wei Zifu's younger brother and Huo Qubing,Wei Zifu's nephew.
　　Moreover,under the help of Huo Qubing the emperor obtained Huo Guang,a loyal official of ability.History proves that the three men were imbued with fine virtues and special talents.They deserved respect from the emperor and contributed their share to prosperity and stability of the dynasty.
　　The princess was a woman of full vitality and cheerful disposition.She liked going to outskirts on horseback.Seeing that Wei Qing had grown into a sturdy young man with impressive appearance,she assigned him the job of her ride companion when she went out on horseback.After the death of Marquis Pingyang,Wei Qing became the husband of Princess Pingyang.Later,Wei Qing became a chief commander under the emperor.
　　The princess died before Wei Qing.She was buried luxuriously at the Maoling Mausoleum Area.The grave mound of her tomb was shaped into sheep's head.
　　In May,1981,local farmers discovered a burial pit,where large quantities of wares were unearthed.Archeological workers found that the unearthed wares bear carved inscriptions‘Yangxin’(referring to the Yangxin Family).Judging from the carved inscriptions recording the family owning the wares,they believed that the mound was the tomb of Princess Yangxin,Senior.
　　The tomb of Princess Yangxin,Senior lies 2 kilometers east to the Maoling Mausoleum where Emperor Wudi was buried.The grave mound takes oblong shape over an area of 6003㎡ to resemble sheep's head,top small but base large.It stands 15m high,extending length of 114m north-south and width of 54.57m west-east.

茂陵文物鉴赏图志/王志杰著．—西安：三秦出版社，2012