The mausoleums of Western Zhou vassals are continuously revealed with massive burial goods and sharp epitaphs, but during three centuries of reign, the twelve heavenly sons who enlightened the Zhou dynasty seem to have completely evaporated underground, leaving behind an unsolved archaeological puzzle for posterity.

In the flow of Chinese history, the Zhou dynasty held the supreme position when it laid the foundation for a system of rituals, music, dharma and ethics that lasted thousands of years.

However, in contrast to the immense mausoleums of later emperors such as Qin Shi Huang or Ming - Qing, modern archaeologists are faced with an immense void: Not a single tomb of the twelve gods of Western Zhou has ever been identified.

Looking back at history from the day Chu Vu Vuong Co Phat gathered his army at Manh Tan wharf, defeated the Thuong army at the battle of Muc Da to raise the flag to establish the country, the Zhou dynasty experienced its most prosperous years.

Under the regency of Chu Cong Dan, the court not only crushed the Tam Giam rebellion but also expanded its territory, building the capital Chu Lac Ap next to the original capital of Chu Hao Kinh.

From these two centers, the most complete feudal regime in ancient history was born, dividing land among the royal family, civil servants and even descendants of the saints.

However, the peak of power is also when the seeds of decline appear. The ambition to expand to the south buried King Chu Chieu and the entire elite army of Tay Luc Su under the waters of the Han Thuy River. This military shock caused the dynasty to lose the fulcrum of absolute strength, starting a series of days of unstoppable decline.

During the reign of Chu Le Vuong, tyranny and cruel bans fueled the rebellion of the Nationalists, pushing the king into exile and bringing the court into the Republic regency period in 841 BC - the first certain chronological milestone recorded in the country's history.

The tragedy that ended the Western Zhou period took place when Hao Kinh fell under the horse Khuyen Nhung, King U of Chu lost his life, forcing King Binh of Chu to move the capital to Lac Ap, opening up the turbulent Eastern Zhou period. In the new land, the king's position collapsed quickly.

Not only did the king have to humble himself to exchange hostages with the Trinh kingdom's own vassals in the "Chu Trinh hand over matter" incident, but during the reign of King Chu Hoan, the reputation of the son of heaven was completely shattered when he personally led the army to conquer but was shot in the shoulder by the Trinh general and fled in the battle of Nhu Cat.

The Zhou dynasty barely existed until 256 BC, when King Noan of Chu offered the last piece of ruined land to the Qin state and then died in anger.

After a long and tumultuous journey with countless victories and ups and downs, the complete disappearance of the tombs of the gods during the Western Zhou period became even more mysterious. Since the twenties of the last century, archaeologists have plowed through key areas such as Phong Hao site, Chu Nguyen site or Duong Gia village.

A series of mausoleums of the vassals of Tan, Quac, Ve, and Sai one by one came to light with a massive coffin system and exquisitely engraved bronze and metal carvings that perfectly compare with historical books. Only the grave of the supreme god is completely silent.

This paradox, according to experts, actually originates from the Zhou dynasty's philosophy of governing the country. Ancient classics such as Zhou Li or Le Ky all confirm that Western Zhou applied "no wind, no death" burial.

This means that when the Emperor dies, the resting place must not be covered with raised mounds of land, must not erect stone stele, must not build a church from the road, and absolutely must not leave any identifying marks on the ground. After lowering the grave, the ground is leveled as before.

This policy was initiated by Zhou Cong Dan to break with the lavish burial and barbaric burial practices of the Shang Dynasty, and at the same time create an extremely effective tomb robbery prevention mechanism. The simplified burial space, the secret location kept within the royal family, plus the custom of choosing a separate place for each king's burial have turned the tombs of the heavenly sons into eternal secrets. When the fire of war of the Khuynh people burned down the capital Hao Kinh, the entire archives of the dynasty also turned into ashes.

The dynasty that laid the foundation for civilization with a strict system of rituals chose to withdraw from history in the most humble material way. More than three thousand years later, excavations continue diligently not to search for gold and jewels, but to get their hands on a great chapter of history that once receded deep into the heart of mother earth.