“I remember it was July. Not long after the six of us entered the desert, it was unbearably hot. One of us, Hu Hansan, was a bit overweight, and naturally, fat people hate the heat the most. His sweat poured like a stream, gushing down nonstop. Hu complained that he couldn’t stand the heat anymore and said it was better to rob tombs in Beijing. Of course, everyone knows that underground palaces have a chilling breeze blowing through them, making you sweat coldly—it’s definitely a great place to escape the summer heat. But there was nothing we could do; once we had stepped into the tiger’s den, there was no turning back. The six of us gritted our teeth and pressed forward.” At this point, Elder Jia paused to take a sip of water and emphasized, “This was the first strange thing we encountered in the desert.”
Elder Jia glanced at Liu Dashao and Da Guozhong, then teased, “Guess who we met? You’d never guess—corpse-drying sheds! We’ve seen the corpse-moving customs of the Miao people in western Hunan, but we’ve never seen such a corpse-drying custom in the Tibetan desert!”
“At that time, it wasn’t only Hu the Fat who felt the heat; even we skinny guys were sweating. But to keep the team’s morale high, none of us showed our discomfort—we just kept walking, hoping to encounter an oasis or maybe a grass hut where we could briefly escape the heat.” Elder Jia fully immersed himself in the memory. “Hu the Fat, unable to bear the heat, naturally paid extra attention to the surroundings. Suddenly, he pointed ahead and said, ‘Hey, look! Isn’t that a house?’ At the mention of a house, we all felt a glimmer of hope, and strangely, we even felt a bit cooler at that moment.”
Jia Zhuangyuan and the other five immediately headed toward the house. Encountering such good fortune in the desert was like a lucky pie falling from the sky. However, when they were just dozens of meters away from the house, Hu the Fat suddenly said, “Wait a minute, something’s off—it doesn’t seem like a house after all.” Prompted by his words, the other five finally noticed that it wasn’t a house at all. In fact, it was just a wooden frame built with several upright poles.
Something black and long hung on the frame. As the six approached, they couldn’t help but draw a cold breath: all around the crossbeams were hanging corpses! Some were already dried out, while others looked freshly hung.
“What bad luck! Never thought we’d run into this on our first time entering the desert!” Hu Hansan muttered with half-closed eyes under the scorching sun.
Jia Zhuangyuan speculated whether this might be an execution ground, meaning a secret place where capital punishment was carried out. Some criminals were so dangerous and notorious that they often led gangs of dozens or even hundreds of men. Therefore, they couldn’t be publicly executed by firing squad, as that might result in an attempted rescue, so they were usually brought to secluded places like this for execution.
Among the six, though Bi Sazhu was a skinny monkey-like guy, he was extremely clever. His father was a butcher who named his son Sazhu (literally “Kill Pig”), hoping to benefit from the name. However, his wife strongly opposed it, not wanting her beloved son to follow in his father’s footsteps, so she changed the name to the homophonic “Sazhu” (Scatter Pearl). Bi Sazhu indeed inherited his father’s skills, starting to butcher pigs with a knife at the age of five, though he used to stab randomly without any technique. Later, he joined the Mouxin sect.
Bi Sazhu sniffed the air and asked, “Does anyone here have a sharp nose? Can you smell something fragrant?” Prompted by his words, the others finally noticed a faint fragrance in the air, something they had previously overlooked due to shock.
Bi Sazhu’s deduction was correct: if these were executed prisoners, there wouldn’t be any perfume sprayed here. Moreover, the corpses were intact without any obvious signs of injury.
So they speculated: could this be a special place for making mummies in the desert? At that time, there was no formalin solution to preserve bodies and prevent bacterial decay, so the Tibetan people had uniquely discovered the great invention of making mummies to prevent decomposition.
Speaking of preservation techniques, China is a vast country with thousands of years of history and many preservation methods. For example, preservatives such as spices could be applied to corpses. Spices like Chinese camphor and storax were particularly important, making the air fresh and the corpses emit a pleasant fragrance while preventing decay. The Chinese had already mastered this technique thousands of years ago. The ancient Egyptians also used frankincense to make aromatic mummies, the ones found in pyramids.
“I remember it was July, just after the six of us had entered the desert, and the heat was unbearable. Among us was a man named Hu Hansan, who was somewhat overweight. Fat people suffer the most in the heat, and his sweat was flowing like a small river, splashing everywhere. Hu Hansan said he couldn’t stand the heat and wished he were back in Beijing tomb raiding. In truth, everyone knew that the underground palaces were cool, with chilling winds that made you shiver, making them perfect for escaping the summer heat. But there was no turning back once we had ventured into the tiger’s den. The six of us pressed on despite the discomfort.” At this point, Elder Jia took a sip of water and emphasized, “This was the first strange thing we encountered in the desert.”
Elder Jia glanced at Liu Dashao and Big Guoguo, teasingly saying, “Guess who we ran into? You’d never guess—a corpse-drying shed! We’ve seen the Miao people’s corpse-driving customs in Xiangxi’s Nuqing, but we’d never heard of corpse-drying in the Tibetan desert!”
“At that time, not only was Hu the fatty suffering from the heat, but us skinny ones were too. However, to keep the team’s morale up, none of us showed it. We kept moving forward, hoping to find an oasis or a straw hut to escape the heat temporarily.” Elder Jia was fully immersed in the memory. “Hu, unable to bear the heat, naturally paid extra attention to our surroundings. Suddenly, he pointed ahead and said, ‘Look, is that a house?’ Hearing this, we all felt a glimmer of hope, and strangely, we felt a bit cooler.”
The six of them, including Jia Zhuangyuan, headed towards the house. In the desert, stumbling upon such a find was like a gift from heaven. When they were just a few dozen meters away, Hu suddenly said, ‘Something’s off, that doesn’t look like a house.’ His words made the others realize it wasn’t a house at all—it was just a frame made of wooden poles.
Something long and black seemed to be hanging from the frame. As they got closer, they gasped in shock: the beams were all hung with corpses! Some were dried out, while others looked freshly hung.
“Damn it, who would’ve thought our first encounter in the desert would be this!” Hu Hansan squinted in the scorching sun.
Jia Zhuangyuan wondered if this was an execution ground, perhaps a gallows for hanging criminals. Some of these criminals were notorious bandit leaders with dozens of followers, so public executions were risky. They were usually taken to secret locations like this for execution.
Among the six, Bi Sazhu, though skinny, was sharp as a tack. His father was a butcher, and he had hoped his son would follow in his footsteps, naming him ‘Sazhu’ (meaning ‘kill pigs’). But his wife objected, so they settled on a homophone: ‘Sazhu.’ True to his name, Bi Sazhu started butchering pigs at five, though he was quite haphazard at first. Later, he joined the tomb raiding sect.
Bi Sazhu sniffed the air and said, ‘Who’s got a keen nose? Smell that? There’s a faint fragrance here.’ His words made the others notice the scent, which they had overlooked in their shock.
Bi Sazhu’s deduction was correct: if these were executed criminals, there’s no way they’d be sprayed with perfume. Moreover, the corpses were intact, with no obvious signs of injury.
They began to speculate: could this be a place for making mummies? Back then, without formaldehyde, people had to find other ways to preserve bodies. The Tibetans might have discovered a unique method of mummification to prevent decay.
Speaking of preservation techniques, China has a long history of methods, such as applying preservatives to bodies, with spices like camphor and benzoin being key. These not only kept the air fresh but also gave the corpses a pleasant aroma. The ancient Egyptians, for instance, used frankincense to create mummies, like those found in pyramids.
Another preservation technique involved tomb structures. ‘Huangchang Ticou’ was an effective method. ‘Huangchang’ referred to the yellow heart of cypress wood, while ‘Ticou’ meant arranging the wooden beams with their ends facing inward, creating a sturdy structure. This method, used in royal tombs, symbolized high status and helped protect the coffin. However, it was costly, requiring thousands of cypress logs. Despite the expense, the ancient elite spared no effort to achieve the best preservation.
Mummies, essentially artificial dried corpses, were another method. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs had their bodies eviscerated, filled with hot resin, and wrapped in resin-soaked cloth. The resin in the skull and mastoid cells helped preserve the bodies.
The dried corpses hanging before them were artificial mummies, affordable for common folk. The dry, hot climate of Tibet naturally dehydrated the bodies, preserving them. Similar mummies have been found in Loulan and Hami, where the extreme dryness quickly evaporated moisture from the bodies, halting decay.
Shortly after death, bodies are prone to decay, so applying incense is a good method. The fragrance the six men smelled came from the freshly hung corpses.
Hu Hansan, Jia Zhuangyuan, and the others, who had been sweltering moments ago, were now terrified, breaking out in cold sweat and silently praying to Buddha.
To prevent the corpses from reanimating, the poles and beams were painted with red cinnabar. In such situations, it’s best not to provoke the dead, lest something unclean attaches itself to you.
“Well, we didn’t find a house, but at least we’ve cooled down!” Bi Sazhu chuckled wryly.
Some of the mummies were so well-preserved that their blue veins were clearly visible. Hu Hansan, who usually boasted about his bravery, couldn’t hold it in anymore and started vomiting.
While the others were teasing Hu, they barely noticed when several freshly hung corpses began to sway!
“Something’s wrong, they’re reanimating!” Jia Zhuangyuan sensed danger as one corpse violently shook, seemingly trying to break free from the ropes binding its hands.
The five men quickly pulled out black donkey hooves, gripping them tightly. Hu Hansan stopped vomiting and threw a handful of glutinous rice at the shaking corpse. But this time, the rice had no effect, and the corpse shook even more violently. They had no choice but to use the donkey hooves.
They took turns throwing the hooves like grenades, hitting the swaying corpse squarely. With two ‘squeaks,’ the six men felt a chill run down their spines.
The five donkey hooves seemed to work, as the corpse slowly stopped shaking. Just as they were sighing in relief, the corpse suddenly shook again. Before they could react, two large black creatures fell to the ground, squeaking in a way that made their blood run cold.
In the bright sunlight, they finally saw what they were: two giant rats, each the size of a small pig, with incredibly sharp teeth. These teeth seemed naturally designed for eating mummies—nature truly has a way of balancing things.
These weren’t ordinary house rats or even groundhogs. They lived in burrows forty meters underground, insulated from the desert heat. Their moist breath kept the air in their burrows humid. Their teeth were sharp enough to tear through mummies, and their kidneys could filter urine, recycling most of the water back into their bloodstream. These unique rats could survive on mummies without needing to drink water!
The two rats, with their sharp teeth, stood their ground in front of the six men, growling in warning.
The standoff lasted for a while, with neither side daring to move. Suddenly, the rats bolted into the desert as if they’d seen a cat. The sudden turn of events left the six men stunned, unsure of what had just happened.
Jia Zhuangyuan, who had learned some skills from his mentor, was quick on his feet. He shouted, ‘Wait for me, I’ll be right back!’ and sprinted after the rats.
“Huangchang Ticao” symbolized the noble status of the deceased while also effectively protecting the coffin from damage. However, this type of tomb was extremely expensive, requiring tens of thousands of cypress beams. Despite the waste, ancient nobles were willing to go to such lengths for the best preservation effect. In short, “Huangchang Ticao” was an advanced preservation technique used by ancient aristocrats, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Another method was artificial mummification. Mummies, in essence, are man-made mummies. After the death of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, their body cavities were opened, and their internal organs removed. The corpses were then infused with hot melted resin and wrapped in cloth soaked in resin. Resin was found in the cranial and mastoid cavities of excavated mummies, effectively preserving the bodies.
The mummies hanging here were also artificial mummies, affordable for ordinary people. Utilizing the dry and hot climate of Tibet, the corpses naturally dehydrated into mummies. In addition to the Loulan mummies, there were also mummies in Hami, made similarly to how locals produce raisins. In extremely arid conditions, the moisture in the bodies quickly evaporated, inhibiting bacterial growth and halting decomposition, thus preserving the bodies quite well.
Right after death, corpses are prone to decay, and making mummies also takes time. Therefore, applying aromatic substances to the body is a good method. The fragrance the six men had just smelled came from the freshly hung corpses.
Hu Hansan, Jia Zhuangyuan, and the other four had initially felt unbearably hot, but now, at the sight of the hanging corpses, they were so frightened that they stuck their tongues out, their backs breaking into cold sweat, and silently praying to the gods for protection.
To prevent the corpses from resurrecting, the pillars and beams were painted with red cinnabar. Generally, when encountering such situations, it’s best not to provoke the dead to avoid being haunted by malevolent spirits.
“Well,” Bi Sazhu laughed helplessly, “we didn’t find a house, but at least we found a place to cool off!”
Some of the mummified corpses clearly showed blue veins. Who would have thought that Hu Hansan, who always boasted of his bravery, couldn’t hold his composure anymore and started vomiting violently.
As the others laughed at Hu Hansan, they almost didn’t notice something happening—several freshly hung corpses began to sway!
“Something’s wrong! They’re coming back to life!” Jia Zhuangyuan sensed something amiss. One of the corpses was swinging wildly, seemingly trying to break free from the ropes binding its hands!
The five men quickly pulled out their black donkey hoof charms, gripping them tightly. Hu Hansan stopped vomiting and hastily took out a handful of sticky rice from his pocket, throwing it at the violently shaking corpse. However, this time, for some unknown reason, the sticky rice had no effect. The corpse shook even more violently, leaving them no choice but to use their black donkey hooves.
Like throwing grenades, the five took turns hurling the hooves. They hit the shaking corpse precisely. A sharp “squeak” echoed, and all six felt a chill run down their spines.
The five black donkey hooves seemed to work—the corpse gradually stopped shaking. As the six men secretly rejoiced, suddenly the corpse shook violently again. Before they could see clearly, two large black objects dropped to the ground, emitting a chilling “squeak,” making their hearts race with fear.
Thanks to the intense sunlight, the six finally saw clearly: two enormous rats. Their size was comparable to a small pig, with exceptionally sharp teeth. These teeth were perfectly suited for eating mummies. Nature is indeed amazing—everything has its natural predator.
These weren’t ordinary house rats; they were different from voles too. Their nests were generally forty meters underground in the desert, deep enough to escape the desert heat, and the moisture from their breath kept the cave air humid. Their teeth were naturally suited for eating mummies, sharp enough to easily tear through dried flesh. Their kidneys could automatically filter urine and reabsorb most of the water back into the bloodstream, enabling them to reuse water efficiently. Therefore, these special rats could survive on mummies without needing to drink water!
With their sharp teeth, the two rats showed no fear of the six humans standing before them. Instead, they turned to face them, growling threateningly from their throats, as if issuing a warning.
The two sides stood in a tense standoff, neither daring to move. Suddenly, as if they had seen a cat, the two rats dropped the mummy and fled desperately into the distance. This sudden change left the six men stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Jia Zhuangyuan had learned some martial arts from a master who taught tomb raiding techniques. With exceptional footwork, he shouted, “Wait for me, I’ll be right back!” Before the words had fully left his mouth, he was already sprinting after the rats like a gust of wind.
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