西汉帝陵

　　卫青，字仲卿，河东平阳(今山西临汾西南)人。他的母亲卫媪在平阳公主家里做女仆时，与同在平阳侯家中做事的县吏郑季私通，生了卫青。在卫青之前，卫媪已生有一男三女，即儿子长君，长女君孺、次女少儿、三女子夫。后来，卫媪还生了一个男孩子步广，因为卫媪的丈夫姓卫，所以卫青和弟弟步广都冒称姓卫。
　　卫青幼年时，由亲生父亲郑季抚养，但郑季根本看不起卫青这个私生子，让他到山上放羊，郑家的几个孩子也不把卫青看成兄弟，随意苛责。卫青在这样的环境下生活，受尽了苦难，因此，在他的性格形成上打下了深深的烙印。
　　卫青长大后，不愿再受郑家的奴役，便回到母亲身边。卫青已长成了一个相貌堂堂的彪形大汉，平阳公主非常喜欢，就让他做了自己的骑奴。每当公主出行，卫青即骑马相随。
　　建元二年(前139年)春，卫青的姐姐卫子夫受到汉武帝的宠幸而被选入宫中，卫青也被召到建章宫当差。卫子夫入宫不久，就有了身孕，引起了陈皇后母女的嫉妒。陈皇后的母亲馆陶长公主是汉武帝的姑姑，为了给女儿出气，找了一个借口，把卫青抓了起来，并准备秘密处死他。卫青当骑奴时结识的好友公孙敖听到了消息，马上召集了几名壮士赶往抢救，把卫青从死亡的边缘夺了回来。另一方面，公孙敖还派人给汉武帝送信。汉武帝得知后，大为恼火，索性任命卫青为建章宫监、侍中。不久，汉武帝封卫子夫为夫人，提升卫青为太中大夫。
　　卫青虽是凭借裙带关系而突然腾达的，但他绝非碌碌无为之辈。多年的放牧和骑奴生活反而将卫青磨砺成一位出色的将才。从元光六年(前129年)到元狩四年(前119年)10年之间，卫青7次出征匈奴，七战七捷，创造了战争史上的神话。
　　为了彻底击溃匈奴主力，汉武帝集中全国的财力、物力、人力，发动了对匈奴的又一次大战。元狩四年(前119年)春，汉武帝召集诸将开会，商讨进军方略。他说：“匈奴单于采纳赵信的建议，远走沙漠以北，认为我们汉军不能穿过沙漠，即使穿过，也不敢多作停留。这次我们要发起强大的攻势，达到我们的目的。”于是挑选了10万匹精壮的战马，由大将军卫青、骠骑将军霍去病各率精锐骑兵5万人，分作东西两路，远征漠北。这是一次决定汉与匈奴今后命运的大决战。对此，汉武帝极为重视。为解决粮草供应问题，汉武帝动员了私人马匹4万多，步兵10余万人负责运输粮草辎重，紧跟在大军之后。
　　卫青大军北行1000多里，跨过大沙漠，与严阵以待的匈奴军遭遇了。卫青临危不惧，命令部队用武刚车(铁甲兵车)迅速环绕成一个坚固的阵地，然后派出5000骑兵向敌阵冲击。匈奴出动1万多骑兵迎战。双方激战在一起，非常惨烈。黄昏时分，忽然刮起暴风，尘土滚滚，沙砾扑面，顿时一片黑暗，两方军队互相不能分辨。卫青乘机派出两支生力军，从左右两翼迂回到单于背后，包围了单于的大营。伊稚斜单于发现汉军数量如此众多，而且人壮马肥，士气高昂，大为震惊，知道无法取胜，就慌忙跨上马，在数十精骑的保护下奋力突围。向西北方向落荒而逃。这时，夜幕已经降临，战场上双方将士仍在喋血搏斗，喊杀声惊天动地。卫青得知伊稚斜单于已突围逃走，马上派出轻骑兵穷追不舍。匈奴兵不见了单于，军心大乱，四散逃命。卫青率大军乘夜挺进。天亮时，汉军已追出200多里，虽然没有找到单于的踪迹，却斩杀并俘虏匈奴官兵19000多人。卫青大军一直推进到寞颜山赵信城(今蒙古乌兰巴托市西)，获得了匈奴屯积的粮草，补充军用。他们在此停留了一天，然后烧毁赵信城及剩余的粮食，胜利班师。遗憾的是，李广一军在行军中迷失了方向，延误了战机，未能及时赶到，没有活捉匈奴单于。霍去病率领的东路军，也大获全胜。这次战役，汉军打垮了匈奴的主力，使匈奴元气大伤。从此以后，匈奴逐渐向西北迁徙，出现了“漠南无王庭”的局面，匈奴对汉朝的军事威胁基本上解除了。
　　汉武帝为表彰卫青、霍去病的大功，特加封他们为大司马。
　　卫青不仅是军事天才，也是一个懂得“奉法遵职”的大臣。奴隶出身的卫青最终变成了贵极人臣的大将军。这时，平阳公主寡居在家，要在列侯中选择丈夫，许多人都说大将军卫青合适，平阳公主笑着说：他是我从前的下人，过去是我的随从，怎么能做我的丈夫呢?左右说：大将军已今非昔比了，他现在是大将军，姐姐是皇后，三个儿子也都封了侯，富贵震天下，哪还有比他更配得上您的人呢!汉武帝知道后，失笑道：当初我娶了他的姐姐，现在他又娶我的姐姐，这倒是很有意思。于是当即允婚。时迁事移，当年的仆人就这样做了主人的丈夫。这样一来，卫青与汉武帝亲上加亲，由原来的小舅子变成了今日的大姐夫，身兼双重身份，这在中国古代社会中也是极为少见的。卫青虽更受宠信了，但卫青为人谦让仁和，敬重贤才，从不以势压人。
　　后来，汉武帝对霍去病恩宠日盛，霍去病的声望超过了他的舅舅卫青，过去奔走于大将军门下的许多故旧，都转到了霍去病门下。卫青门前顿显冷落，可他不以为然。认为这也是人之常情，心甘情愿地过着恬淡平静的生活。
　　公元前106年，大将军大司马卫青去世，汉武帝命人在自己的茂陵东边特地为卫青修建了一座象庐山(匈奴境内的一座山)的墓，以象征卫青一生的赫赫战功。
　　墓为山形，《汉书·卫青霍去病传》载：“为冢象庐山。”墓高24.72米，东边边长113.5米，南边边长90米，北边边长67.6米，西北角凹进一部分，而西南角凸出一部分，北边宽23米，西边长62米，占地总面积8064.55平方米，封土体积94412立方米。遥望之宛如一座小山。南面坡陡，北面坡长缓，北坡中腰有平台。墓上有树四棵。
　　卫青墓南面竖石碑一座，题铭：中为“汉大将军大司马长平侯卫公青墓。”上款为“赐进士及第兵部侍郎陕西巡抚兼都察院右副都御史毕沅书”。下款为“大清乾隆岁次丙申孟秋，知兴平县事顾声雷竖石”。标志上题铭：中为“卫青墓”。时代：西汉。
　　B Tomb of Wei Qing,Chief Commander & Great Minister of War
　　Wei Qing was born at Pingyang County(southeast to Linfen,Shanxi).His mother Wei Aoserved as waitress in the family of Princess Pingyang,during which time she committed adultery with Zheng Ji,an inferior official serving at the same family and gave birth to Wei Qing.Prior to the birth of Wei Qing,she had already born other 4 babies,one male and three females.Later,she even gave birth to one more boy baby.
　　Wei Qing was brought up by his father.But he did not enjoy childhood because he was born out of wedlock.His father let him herd sheep on mountains and he suffered scolding from his sister and brothers.Living in such situation impressed a deep imprint on his character.
　　As Wei Qing grew up,he could no long bear such enslavement imposed on him by the Zheng's Family.He returned to live with his mother.He had grown into a sturdy young man with impressive appearance.Princess Pingyang liked him and assigned him the job of her ride companion when she went out on horseback.
　　In Spring of 2nd year(139 B.C.)under the reign title of Jianyuan(140-135 B.C.),Wei Zifu,Wei Qing's elder sister,won favour of the emperor,who accepted her into the palace.Accordingly,Wei Qing was also accepted to take a job at the Jianzhang Palace.Before long,Wei Zifu got pregnancy,which caused jealousy from Empress Chen and her mother,who also was an aunt of Emperor Wudi,Han.She picked up a pretext,under which she got Wei Qing caught and tried to kill him secretly.When Wei Qing was a ride companion,he made a good friend of Gongsun Ao,who,on hearing the news,immediately called on a few men and they saved Wei Qing from the brink of death.On the other hand,he sent message to the emperor,who,upon learning that,flied into a rage to the extent that he appointed Wei Qing as the supervisor of the Jianzhang Palace and Close Servant.Before long,Wei Zifu was appointed as Empress and Wei Qing was conferred the title of Great Minister of War.
　　Despise the fact that Wei Qing had got promoted through petticoat influence,he was in no way a man of mediocre talents.Years of sheep herding and ride companion tempered him into a talented army leader.During the 10 years from 6th year(129 B.C.)under the reign title of Yuanguang(134-129 B.C.)to 4th year(119 B.C.)under the reign title of Yuanshou(122-116 B.C.),Wei Qing commanded his troops to fight against the Hun invaders on 7 expeditions out and won brilliant victory in the end,creating a myth in history of wars.
　　In Spring of 4th year under the reign title of Yuanshou,Emperor Wudi concentrated financial resources,material resources and manpower of the dynasty on preparation for a large-scale campaign to attack the Hun aggressors.The emperor assembled one hundred thousand cavalrymen,one hundred and forty thousand warhorses plus hundreds of thousands of infantrymen to the front,Wei Qing and Huo Qubing each commanding the cavalrymen by half from eastern and western directions separately.That was a last-ditch campaign to determine the destiny of the Han(206 B.C.-220 A.D.)and the Huns.Emperor Wudi of the Han attached extreme importance to the campaign and arranged hundreds of thousands of infantrymen to transport provisions necessary for the army in time.
　　The battle was cruel and harsh.Wei Qing led the fifty thousand valiant cavalrymen under his command north forward on the vast expense of grassland.They displayed undaunted spirit to encounter the unscrupulous and vicious aggressors,who were pursued relentlessly and pressed hard.At dusk.Wei Qing dispatched two troops under cover of darkness to encircle the base camp of the aggressors.The surprise attack on the enemy camp was a great success,inflicting heavy casualties of injury and death,in addition to a capture of 19000 prisoners.The campaign smashed the main force of the Huns,thus greatly weakening their strength and basically relieving the Han Dynasty of military menace from them.
　　In order to praise the military contribution by Wei Qing and Huo Qubing,the emperor conferred the title of Great Minister of War on them.
　　Wei Qing was not only a man of military talents,but also a man observing laws and performing duties.It so happened that Princess Pingyang lived singly at home,wishing to choose her husband among top marquises.Many suggested that Wei Qing be proper candidate.The suggestion was politely refused by the princess,who said that he had once been my subordinate.Again,her reply was refuted.They said that Wei Qing was not what he had been.He had changed into a chief commander.Was there any others who could be a match for the princess but Wei Qing? A marriage was thus arranged.Wei Qing and the princess became a couple.Although Wei Qing was favoured more,he remained humble and kind,respected the able and never suppressed people by his influence.
　　Later,the fame of Huo Qubing rose above that of Wei Qing.Relatives and friends who had sought the patronage of Wei Qing now turned to Huo Qubing.Yet,Wei Qing kept a calm heart and lived a peaceful life.
　　In 106 B.C.Wei Qing passed away.A tomb resembling the shape of Mt.Lushan was constructed to commemorate his meritorious exploits there.
　　The Tomb of Wei Qing stands 24.72m high and extends length of 113.5m east,length of 90m south,length of 67.6m north,width of 23m north and length of 62m west.It is concave at northwestern comer but protrusive at southwestern comer.The grave mound takes 94412 cubic meters of rammed earth over an area of 8064.55 square meters.
　　The tombstone erected to the south of the tomb bears an inscription written by Bi Yuan,Governor of Shaanxi in the Qing Dynasty.

茂陵文物鉴赏图志/王志杰著．—西安：三秦出版社，2012