A recent construction project near Panlong Bridge in Wugang, Hunan Province, uncovered a massive stone turtle weighing several thousand pounds. Even more puzzling, the turtle’s back bore a clear indentation, suggesting it once supported a carved stone tablet—now mysteriously missing. At the same time, a thousand-year-old Buddha head surfaced in the Yi River in Luoyang. Could these two discoveries be connected? What happened to the missing tablet, and does the stone turtle carry a hidden warning?
The stone turtle of Wugang and the vanished tablet
Wugang, a historic city in Hunan with over a thousand years of history, became the center of attention in August 2024 when local workers unearthed a stone turtle weighing between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds. Experts identified it as a relic from the Ming or Qing dynasties. Local legends speak of “three turtles guarding the city gates,” with stone turtles once stationed at the East Gate, Old South Gate, and Aoshan Street. Today, only one remains in the Confucian Temple. This newly discovered turtle might be one of the long-lost trio.
Footage from the excavation site shows the turtle in remarkable condition, except for the empty groove on its back. Scholars believe the turtle once supported a tablet inscribed with historical or prophetic text, but the tablet has vanished without a trace. Some speculate it was removed or destroyed during a turbulent period, while the turtle itself was reburied.
Stone turtles and ancient warnings
In Chinese mythology and folklore, stone turtles often symbolize divine warnings and prophetic messages. The Soushen Ji (Records of Searching for the Supernatural), written by Eastern Jin historian Gan Bao, recounts the tale of the “red-eyed stone turtle.”
According to the legend, after a giant fish stranded itself in ancient Chao County, locals eagerly consumed its meat — except for one elderly woman who abstained. One day, a mysterious old man warned her: “If the eyes of the East Gate’s stone turtle turn red, the county will be destroyed.”
Taking the warning to heart, the woman checked the turtle daily. One day, mischievous children painted its eyes red, prompting her to flee the city. A child in green robes appeared, guiding her to a nearby mountain. Moments later, the entire county was swallowed by water, leaving only a lake in its place.
Similar tales exist involving stone lions, but the message remains consistent: good deeds avert disaster, while wrongdoing brings misfortune.
Prophecies etched in stone
Throughout history, stone tablets have often foreshadowed major events, including dynastic changes. During the late Yuan Dynasty, a flood exposed a tablet inscribed with the phrase “A one-eyed stone man will stir the Yellow River, and the world will rise in rebellion.” Soon after, peasant uprisings erupted, leading to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty.
A similar incident occurred at the end of the Ming Dynasty. In 1639, the collapse of the Mangshe Granary in Nanjing revealed a tablet reading: “In the year of Jiashen, the sun and moon will wither, and eighteen children will storm the capital.” This prediction aligned with the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, when rebel leader Li Zicheng captured Beijing.
Likewise, during the Qing Dynasty’s final years, railway construction in Nanjing uncovered another prophetic tablet: “When this road turns to iron, the Great Qing will fall.” The 1911 Xinhai Revolution followed shortly after, ending Qing rule.
Even in modern times, stone tablet prophecies have surfaced. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, a Liu Bowen inscription was unearthed in Shaanxi, warning: “Of every ten thousand poor, only one thousand will remain; of every ten thousand wealthy, only two or three will survive.” Some interpreted this as a warning about the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.
Given these historical precedents, the disappearance of Wugang’s stone tablet may hold significant implications. Was it destroyed to conceal its message, or does its loss signal an unheeded warning for the modern world?
A Buddha head emerges from the Yi River
Coinciding with the Wugang discovery, residents of Luoyang, Henan, stumbled upon a carved Buddha head while fishing in the Yi River. Preliminary analysis suggests the statue dates back to the Tang Dynasty. Experts speculate it was looted in the early 20th century, though concrete evidence remains elusive.
However, many believe the statue’s fate is more closely tied to the destruction of cultural artifacts during the Cultural Revolution. In the mid-20th century, countless ancient relics were damaged or destroyed, including China’s oldest Buddhist temple, the White Horse Temple in Luoyang. The temple’s Liao Dynasty clay sculptures of the Eighteen Arhats were smashed, while the Summer Palace’s Thousand-Glazed Buddha statues were obliterated.
Historian Ding Shu documented the widespread destruction of Taoist temples in Shandong’s Laoshan region, where statues, scriptures, and temple tablets were burned. This raises a troubling question: Was the missing Wugang tablet another casualty of this tumultuous era?
Have we lost an ancient warning?
In Chinese tradition, ancient relics — especially stone tablets and religious statues — are believed to carry divine messages. The Wugang stone turtle, a relic from the Ming and Qing dynasties, may have once supported a tablet inscribed with an important prophecy. If so, its disappearance could signify the loss of crucial guidance for modern society.
Yet, not all ancient wisdom has been lost. Many historical prophecies remain preserved, offering insights for those willing to seek them. Scholars have long studied texts like the Jeong Gam Nok from Korea, Zhuge Liang’s Ma Qian Ke, Shao Yong’s Plum Blossom Poems, and Liu Bowen’s Jinling Pagoda Inscription. Despite variations in content, they all converge on a singular theme — the prophesied return of the Creator.
While the fate of Wugang’s stone tablet remains uncertain, the rediscovery of the stone turtle and the c Buddha head serves as a reminder: history often whispers its warnings, but it is up to us to listen.
Translated by Eva
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