Big Gold Tooth happened to know a professor from the Beijing Archaeological and Cultural Relics Institute, and they often exchanged ideas. Recently, an important event took place.
After a ten-year interruption during the Cultural Revolution, archaeological work and the protection of cultural relics resumed after the reform and opening up. The past three years have seen a peak in archaeology, with many ancient tombs and sites emerging.
The market for antique collection and trade has also become extremely lively, attracting various tomb raiding groups. They dig at any mound they find, especially in regions like Shaanxi, Henan, and Hunan, and the situation is getting worse.
Since the discovery of the Loulan Xiaohe Cemetery in Xinjiang, people have suddenly realized that the once-glorious Silk Road, with its thirty-six kingdoms along the Peacock River, is buried under the vast desert. Places like Huhu, Loulan, Milan, Niya, Luntai, Pulei, Gumo, and Xiye are now lost treasures, covered by endless sands.
As a result, countless exploration teams, archaeological groups, and tomb raiders rushed into the Taklamakan Desert in search of treasure. This marked the second wave of exploration since the early 19th century, but for most inexperienced adventurers, the desert is as the famous Swedish explorer Sven Hedin described: a place of no return, known as the Sea of Death.
The protection of ancient tombs and relics in Xinjiang is urgent, but the authorities lack the manpower and financial resources to excavate and protect the sites in the Taklamakan Desert. Many archaeologists are racing against time to excavate tombs in Henan that have already been looted or damaged by construction.
Big Gold Tooth knew a professor who had been studying the culture of the Western Regions for a long time. The professor was very worried about the destruction of ancient tombs in Xinjiang. He had been trying to get approval from the leaders to personally lead a team into the desert to assess these sites and then apply for excavation or protection.
However, the higher-ups kept delaying, using a lack of funds as an excuse. In reality, the funding was not the main issue; they were mostly concerned about the many accidents that had happened in the desert recently. There’s an unspoken rule in the bureaucracy: it’s better not to take risks. As long as you don’t make mistakes, you’re considered successful, and promotions and wealth will come in time.
Recently, a Chinese-American stepped in to fully fund the professor’s archaeological team, allowing the expedition to finally take place. The team was still in the early stages of preparation. They needed to find a leader with rich experience in desert survival, as well as someone skilled in feng shui and star observation. Most of the team members were bookish scholars, and without a capable leader, they would likely get lost in the desert. Without an expert in celestial navigation and feng shui, they wouldn’t be able to locate ancient ruins or tombs.
Finding such people was not easy. Many who applied were often frauds, and during discussions, they would reveal their lack of knowledge. So, the professor asked Big Gold Tooth to help find such talents in the community.
Big Gold Tooth asked me if I wanted to join. The American was offering a very high price, and it would be a chance to see the desert and check if there were any significant tombs. It would be a good opportunity to gather information for future actions.
I said, “This is a great opportunity for us. It’s a rare chance to gain practical experience. We’ve never worked with archaeologists before, and if we go together, we can learn a lot from them. I’ve been to the desert before; my unit had military exercises there twice. A leader is important, but we also need a good local guide. As for feng shui and star observation, I understand that well. As long as there are stars in the sky, I can help them find what they’re looking for. However, I don’t quite understand why this American is funding our Chinese expedition. What’s her motive? Americans aren’t like just want to help; they are very practical and care about real benefits. They won’t do anything without a good reason.”
Big Gold Tooth replied, “I don’t know all the details either, just the basics. The American funding this is a woman, a Chinese-American. Her father is a big shot on Wall Street and loves adventure and archaeology. Last year, he went on an expedition to Xinjiang with a group of Chinese explorers. He seemed particularly interested in the Jingjue culture. They went to find the ancient city of Jingjue hidden deep in the desert, but they never returned. Not a single person came back. The local military even sent planes to search for them, but they found no clues at all. She inherited a large fortune from her father, and she probably hasn’t given up on finding him. By sponsoring this expedition, she might be trying to do everything she can to search for her family. Although she’s American, she’s still of Chinese descent. According to our traditions, the dead should be buried in their homeland. Being left in the desert, exposed to the elements, would not bring peace to her family back home.”
We kept drinking until evening and agreed that Big Gold Tooth would contact the buyer and introduce us to Professor Chen, the organizer of the upcoming expedition. Whether we could join would depend on a face-to-face meeting with him.
Two days later, Big Gold Tooth took us to Tianjin. On Shenyang Road, there was a small antique shop run by a woman in her thirties, whom we called Sister Han. She was the mistress of a wealthy businessman from Hong Kong, one of the few major antique collectors there. He opened this shop for her in Tianjin, partly to give her something to do in her dull life and partly to acquire antiques.
Sister Han was not very talkative, but she had a high level of expertise in antique appraisal. After looking at our antiques, she generously offered us 60,000 yuan. “Given the current market, it’s worth at most 50,000. I’m giving you an extra 10,000 because I hope we can become friends. If you find anything good in the future, please bring it here.”
I held the thick stack of cash in my hands, feeling excited to the point of trembling. I scolded myself for being so weak: “Old Hu, you’ve seen the world. When Chairman Mao reviewed the Red Guards at Tiananmen, did you feel this excited? Honestly, I was excited back then, but not like this. You’ve climbed trees in the big forest and dug holes on Kunlun Mountain, and you’ve even fired guns in the counterattack against Vietnam. Why are you so overwhelmed today that you can barely hold onto the money? Ah, this is the power of money! You might not respect it, but without money, you can’t bring electricity to the villagers in the mountains or improve the lives of the families of fallen comrades. Money is so important; risking life and death is all for money.”
After returning, I divided the money into four parts: one for Yingzi, one for Fatty, one for the village secretary, and I kept the last part for equipment and future expenses.
Fatty refused his share. He said, “This amount isn’t much, and it definitely won’t be enough to repair the road in Ganggang Camp. If we split it, we won’t have much left. I heard that in your unit, there are many families of martyrs with lots of mouths to feed. Even with government support, they’re struggling. Some mothers can’t even afford a train ticket to Yunnan to visit their son’s grave. Hearing about this made my eyes sting and my heart ache. Just send my share to those families and to the injured brothers. My biggest wish in life was to be a soldier and fight on the battlefield, but my father died early, and I never got that chance. Old Hu, help me fulfill this wish. We can split the money later when we have more.”
Hearing this, my eyes also welled up with tears. I patted Fatty on the shoulder and said, “Alright, your awareness is growing. There will be plenty of opportunities to make money in the future. This time, let’s aim to go to Xinjiang and earn some money from the Americans.”
After a few days of rest, Big Gold Tooth came to inform us that he had arranged a meeting with Professor Chen from the archaeological team. He took Fatty and me to the professor’s office.
The professor was not young, and I couldn’t help but worry about him wanting to venture into the world’s second-largest shifting desert.
With Professor Chen was his assistant, Hao Aiguo, a middle-aged intellectual in his forties. His hair was a mess, looking like a bird’s nest, indicating he lacked social skills. His thick glasses showed that he had a serious and diligent attitude toward learning, but he didn’t care much about his appearance. People like him were common during the Cultural Revolution, but after the reform and opening up, such old-fashioned individuals had become rare.
Hao Aiguo scrutinized us without any pleasantries and got straight to the point: “Comrades, we know why you’re here. You’re aware of the requirements of our archaeological team. This is an exception among exceptions. We need talented individuals. Do you have experience in desert survival or knowledge of star navigation and feng shui? This is crucial. If you lack these skills, we won’t make any exceptions.” He glanced at Big Gold Tooth and added, “No favors will be granted.”
Professor Chen felt that Hao Aiguo was being too blunt. Since he was familiar with Big Gold Tooth’s father and often consulted them about antique appraisal, he didn’t want to create any tension. He stood up from the sofa to smooth things over, inviting us to take a seat. After some casual conversation and asking about Fatty and me, he smiled and nodded, “Not bad! A former army company commander with combat experience and desert experience—you’re more than qualified to lead us bookworms.”
He continued, “Most of the ruins and ancient tombs in the desert are buried under the sands. The old course of the Peacock River has long since dried up and is hard to find. If you don’t understand star navigation and feng shui, it’s likely you won’t be able to locate them. I wonder if you two are familiar with this feng shui?”
I knew that this star feng shui, also known as the Celestial Vault Technique, was one of the most obscure chapters in the “The Secret Art of Yin Yang Feng Shui in Sixteen Characters.” I had never actually used it, but at that moment, I had to bluff my way through. I scratched my head and replied, “Sir, I’m not bragging, but I’m quite familiar with this star chart and lunar feng shui. But where should I start…”
To secure this job that paid in US dollars, I poured out everything I knew, hoping to impress them. Thanks to my family’s old book on the subject, at first, Hao Aiguo thought I was just a relative of Big Gold Tooth trying to get in through connections. But after I spoke a few well-informed sentences, he began to look at me differently and listened intently.
Feng shui is often regarded as the pinnacle of geography. It can be simply summarized as: a place that shelters the wind and has access to water. The “Book of Burial” states, “Burial is about harnessing life energy. Wind scatters energy, while water contains it. The ancients gathered energy to prevent it from dispersing and directed it to create stillness, hence the term feng shui.”
Over time, the concept of feng shui has been greatly expanded, no longer limited to burial sites but also encompassing the art of land surveying. This art involves analyzing the relationship between heaven, earth, and humanity.
Today, I only wanted to share with the professors and scholars present about a branch of feng shui known as “star feng shui.” In ancient times, emperors and nobles placed great importance on matters after death. They believed that the treatment they received in life should continue after death. Moreover, they thought that the rise and fall of a nation stemmed from the dragon veins, so tombs had to be located in auspicious places. Emperor Yongzheng once succinctly described the criteria for imperial tombs: “A place where the essence of heaven and earth converges, where yin and yang meet, with dragon veins and water, all beauties are gathered, and the landscape and energy are harmonious.”
Though brief, this was undoubtedly the most direct, vivid, and lively description of selecting a site for imperial tombs. However, he only mentioned half of it. The ancients pursued a unity between heaven and humanity, requiring not only mountains and water but also the sun, moon, and stars.
Since ancient times, people have often observed celestial phenomena and studied the changes in stars to predict fortune and misfortune. When choosing auspicious sites, they would incorporate the essence of astronomy. The human body corresponds to the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, which align with the five celestial stars. There are also twenty-four stars corresponding to the geography of the world, each with its own auspicious or inauspicious qualities.
Any auspicious land must resonate with the sun, moon, and stars above. The technique of determining burial sites based on the movement of stars is the most challenging aspect of star feng shui.
There are twenty-four lunar mansions in the sky, twenty-four hours in a day, and twenty-four solar terms in a year, so feng shui also has twenty-four directions and positions. If one can understand the auspicious arrangements of these stars and use a compass for positioning, they can find the places we seek. However, there are many genre of thought within star feng shui, each with its own methods, and some even contradict each other. In the vast desert, finding ancient relics after a thousand years is already a good chance if we have a two or three percent success rate.
Upon hearing this, Professor Chen stood up, delighted, and said, “Comrade Hu, you’ve explained it wonderfully! Heaven has truly opened its eyes and sent us such a talent. In the vast desert of Xinjiang, after a thousand or even several thousand years, the landscape has changed dramatically. Former oases and cities have turned into endless seas of sand, and mountains and rivers have disappeared. If we want to find those ancient tombs along the Silk Road, relying on the techniques of star feng shui is the simplest and most effective way. I hereby announce that you two are officially joining our archaeological team from this moment on!”
Hao Aiguo also came over to shake our hands warmly, apologizing for his earlier bluntness. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. We intellectuals are often a bit rigid. After so many years of the Cultural Revolution, we’ve been stuck in our own little worlds and have lost some social skills. Please don’t take it to heart.”
I secretly rejoiced, thinking, “Hehe, I know just enough to get by. If I say any more, I’ll definitely slip up. The intricacies of star feng shui are beyond my understanding, but I can imagine that you intellectuals with your thick glasses won’t last long in the harsh desert environment. You’ll probably be begging to come back within a couple of days. Plus, I exaggerated the chances of finding the ruins, so if we don’t find anything, it won’t be my fault for not knowing star feng shui. But our pay must not be reduced by a single cent.”
Just as I was feeling pleased with myself, a young woman entered the room. Professor Chen quickly introduced her, saying, “This is Miss Yang, the sponsor of our expedition. She will be joining us as well. Don’t let her gender fool you; she’s a renowned photographer for National Geographic.”
I put on my best gentlemanly demeanor and extended my hand to greet her. Since she was American, I thought I should speak English. How do you say “hello” again? It seemed like it was something like, “Ha… ha… hello.”
Miss Yang smiled slightly and said, “Mr. Hu, I can speak Chinese. Let’s stick to Chinese for our conversation. You can call me Shirley Yang from now on.” To my surprise, her Mandarin was excellent, with no trace of an American accent. In fact, I had no real concept of what an American accent sounded like; she seemed just like any other Chinese person to me.
Shirley Yang shook hands with Fatty and then raised a question. “Mr. Wang Kaixuan (Fatty) came with Mr. Hu, but we haven’t seen what skills Mr. Wang possesses. This expedition is significant, and we don’t need anyone without unique skills.”
I was taken aback by how direct she was. Everyone turned to look at Fatty, so I quickly spoke up for him, “The desert isn’t safe. My friend here is a great shot.”
Fatty, feeling slighted by the American woman’s skepticism, pouted and said angrily, “What’s so great about Xinjiang? Back in the day, I went to the Xinjiang desert to hunt down bandits. I made those bandits run for their lives in the Niya Oasis and even personally killed their leader. Look at this—this is my trophy.” With that, he pulled out a jade pendant and waved it in front of everyone.
I couldn’t help but grimace, thinking, “This idiot can’t even tell a convincing lie. He’s claiming the heroic deeds of his father’s generation as his own. He was still in diapers when they were fighting bandits in Xinjiang. Saying he’s eaten Xinjiang lamb skewers would be more believable.” At this point, it seemed I had no choice but to play along. If they didn’t take Fatty, I wouldn’t go either, and they would probably have to compromise in the end.
However, no one contradicted him. Both Professor Chen and Shirley Yang were captivated by the jade pendant in Fatty’s hand. Their eyes followed the pendant wherever he moved it, not even daring to blink.
Shirley Yang had initially been hesitant about allowing Fatty to join the archaeological team. However, after seeing the jade pendant in his hand, she immediately agreed to pay us each $10,000, with the promise of doubling that amount if we could find the ancient city of Jingjue in the heart of the desert. The catch was that this money would only be disbursed after we returned from Xinjiang.
Big Gold Tooth had seen Fatty’s jade pendant before, but even with his experience, he couldn’t discern its origins. Unlike Professor Chen and others who were well-versed in such matters, Big Gold Tooth was more of a businessman. Professor Chen had spent decades studying the ancient cultures of the Western Regions, and Shirley Yang, having grown up in a family that valued such history, was also quite knowledgeable.
Professor Chen believed the jade was at least 1,500 to 2,000 years old, with inscriptions in the Ghost Cave script. The Ghost Cave was home to an ancient ethnic group in the Western Regions that had long since vanished. According to some ancient texts unearthed in Dunhuang, the queen of the Jingjue Kingdom was a member of this extinct tribe. The ten characters inscribed on the jade needed further research to uncover their meaning.
Both Professor Chen and Shirley Yang’s father were passionate about the culture of the Western Regions. Jingjue was once a prosperous city, a standout among the thirty-six kingdoms of the region. At its peak, it was unmatched in the area, but a great disaster struck, leading to the queen’s death, after which the ancient city vanished from sight.
The glory of the past was buried beneath the sands, with only scattered references in ancient texts hinting at its existence. Legends spoke of the Jingjue queen as the most beautiful woman in the Western Regions, shining like the sun and making the stars and moon pale in comparison.
Shirley Yang’s father had set out to find the queen’s tomb. He was part of an expedition team of five scholars from China and the U.S., equipped with top-notch gear, who ventured deep into the desert but never returned.
This expedition aimed to assess and survey the ancient tombs in the desert and, if luck permitted, to locate the remains of the five explorers for a proper burial.
Shirley Yang expressed interest in buying the jade pendant from Fatty, but we both believed it was a rare item and refused to sell, secretly calculating how much we could get from her in U.S. dollars.
We officially joined the expedition team, which consisted of scholars and photographers. I managed to secure the position of team leader, while Fatty became the deputy leader. Our trip to the desert was thus confirmed.
The train heading west sped across the vast landscape, and Fatty and I slept soundly in our sleeper cabin. Our first stop was Xi’an, where we would meet with several of Professor Chen’s students before heading to Urumqi, where the expedition gear would be directly shipped.
As soon as Hao Aiguo entered, he was nearly knocked over by the smell of Fatty’s feet. He pushed me awake, saying, “Comrade Hu, wake up! The professor wants to discuss something with you. Come over.”
I glanced out the window; it was still light outside, but I had lost track of time. I threw on my clothes and followed Hao Aiguo to the next cabin.
Professor Chen and Shirley Yang were studying a map when I entered. They gestured for me to sit down, and Hao Aiguo poured me a cup of hot water. I asked what they needed to discuss.
Professor Chen said, “We’ll arrive in Xi’an tomorrow morning to pick up my three students, and then our team will be complete. As the team leader, I wanted to discuss the route with you in advance.”
Shirley Yang added, “Yes, Mr. Hu, Professor Chen and I have discussed the plan. We intend to start from Bosten Lake, head south to find the ancient course of the Peacock River, and then enter the depths of the desert along the Zidu River, searching for the ruins of the ancient city of Jingjue. We wanted to get your opinion on this route.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. These intellectuals and wealthy individuals were dreaming up plans that seemed impractical. Following such a zigzag route through the desert was akin to wandering aimlessly in the Gobi. Who would dare to traverse the desert in such a manner? Even if they didn’t die of thirst, hunger, or sun exposure, they would surely exhaust themselves. I figured they were just bored with their comfortable lives and were seeking hardship in the desert. I was certain that within two or three days, they would be crying to return, so the route didn’t matter much to me; I just needed to ensure they paid me when we got back.
I replied to Shirley Yang, “Miss Yang, while I am the team leader, I don’t have the authority to decide on the route. Once you have determined the path and objectives, I will be responsible for leading everyone there. In other words, you are the ones making the plans, and we are the laborers carrying them out.”
As soon as I said this, I felt a twinge of regret. There’s a saying: “To take someone’s money is to take on their troubles.” They were paying me, so I had to fulfill my responsibilities. I told them that we would need to consult a local guide once we arrived in Xinjiang to get their input on the route before making any final decisions. I assured them that I would handle finding the guide.
After discussing some details, everyone went off to rest. Following our conversation on the train, I sensed that these individuals were quite determined and might not be returning from the desert within just a few days.
In Xi’an, we met the remaining members of our archaeological team, all students of Professor Chen: the earnest Sa Dipeng, the tall Chu Jian, and a female student named Ye Yixin.
With the five of us from before, our team now totaled eight. Upon arriving in Xinjiang, I contacted an old comrade from the army, Liu Gang, who was from the 359th Brigade and had grown up in Xinjiang. However, he wasn’t very familiar with the locals either, and finding a guide who knew the desert geography proved challenging. Eventually, through Liu Gang’s connections, we found an elderly man who dealt in livestock.
The old man was no longer called by his name; everyone referred to him as An Liman, which meant “living map of the desert.”
An Liman, with a pipe in his mouth, shook his head repeatedly, saying, “No, no, it’s not possible. Right now is the windy season. If you go into the desert, Khuda, you’ll be in trouble.”
We persisted, and I had Professor Chen show him our documents. I explained that we were state officials sent to work, and the local comrades needed to cooperate. I warned An Liman that if he refused to guide us, we would have to involve the police and confiscate his camels and donkeys, preventing him from doing business.
Shirley Yang added, “If you agree to be our guide, I’ll pay you double for all your livestock. Once we return from the desert, the animals and the money will still be yours.”
With no other choice, An Liman reluctantly agreed but made a request: “No cars, Khuda doesn’t like machines. Bring plenty of camels; Khuda likes camels.”
At this point, I found myself in agreement with An Liman. Camels were far more reliable than vehicles in the desert.
An Liman selected twenty camels for us. On the day of our departure, we loaded our supplies onto their backs, bringing along a large quantity of bean cakes and salt. As Fatty helped him move things, he asked, “Old man, are we just going to eat bean cakes and salt in the desert? Won’t that just make us thirstier?”
An Liman laughed heartily, “Ah, my strong friend, you can eat if you want, but Khuda thinks these should be saved for the camels.”
He informed us that this season was the most dangerous time in the desert. From Bosten Lake to the ruins of Xiye City, the initial stretch had both desert and Gobi, but thankfully, the ancient course of the Peacock River connected them, making it relatively easy to navigate. However, venturing deeper to find the Zidu River would depend on Khuda’s guidance.
Our small team of nine, rather than being an archaeological team, resembled an ancient caravan. The food we carried would last less than a month, and we had enough fresh water for about ten days.
We could replenish our water supply at a few oases and underground rivers along the way. Additionally, we had several large leather bags filled with yogurt soup, which would be a lifesaver in the desert. A sip of that could quench our thirst as effectively as ten sips of fresh water. Coupled with the various equipment and supplies for the expedition, each camel was heavily loaded. As we traveled, we would alternate between walking and riding, covering half the distance on foot and the other half on camelback.
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