The first batch of national key cultural relics protection units and an important part of the world cultural heritage "Qin Shihuang Mausoleum and Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit"
Qin Shihuang Mausoleum was builtQin Wang ZhengThe first year (247 BC),Second Emperor of the Qin dynastyCompleted two years ago (208 BC) and lasting 39 years, it is the first large-scale and well-designed imperial mausoleum in Chinese history.There are two layers of rammed earth walls inside and outside, symbolizing the imperial capitalXianyangThe Imperial City and Palace City.The tomb tomb is located in the south of the inner city, in the shape of a covered bucket. It is 51 meters high and has a perimeter of 1700 meters at the bottom.According to historical records, there are also various palaces in the Qin Mausoleum, displaying many strange treasures.There are a large number of burial pits and tombs with different shapes and connotations around the Qin Mausoleum, more than 400 of which have been verified, includingTerracotta Warriors Pit。The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is one of the largest imperial tombs in the world, with the most peculiar structure and the richest connotation.It fully demonstrates the artistic talent of the working people of the Han nationality in ancient China more than 2000 years ago, and is the pride and precious wealth of the Chinese nation.[2]
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was built with two rammed earth walls inside and outside, symbolizing the imperial city and palace city of the capital.The tomb mound is located in the south of the city, in the shape of a covered bucket, 51 meters high, and more than 1700 meters in circumference at the bottom.According to historical records, there are also various palaces in the Qin Mausoleum, displaying many strange treasures.There are a large number of burial pits and tombs with different shapes and connotations around the Qin Mausoleum, more than 400 of which have been verified.... Details
Due to the dual needs of reality and psychology, the ancients often chose higher terrain and beautiful environment to set up mausoleums, especially the imperial tombs.Qin Shihuang was in power in Xianyang, the capital, but the cemetery was located in Lishan Mountain far away from Xianyang.The reason for this is thatNorthern Wei DynastyTemporalLi DaoyuanExplanation: "The First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty made a grand funeral and built a tomb on Mount LirongLantianIts yin is rich in gold, and its yang is rich in jade. The first emperor coveted its good name, so he was buried. "[6]
Li Daoyuan's viewpoint has been affirmed by many mathematicians in the academic circle.However, some scholars have raised objections, and the negative side believes that the selection of Qin Shihuang's mausoleum in Lishan depends on the ritual system at that time, and is influenced by the traditional concept of "building mausoleums based on mountains".[8]
The ancestors of Qin Shihuang andQueen Mother XuanIs buried in Lintong District[9]EzetianZhiyangIn the area, the selection of Qin Shihuang's mausoleum in Lishan Mountain, east of Zhiyang, was determined by the etiquette at that time, because the ancient imperial mausoleums were often arranged according to the seniority and inferiority of their living days.The Book of Rites, Er Ya and other books recorded that "south, north and west are superior"."The southwest corner is called this abstruse place, and it is also the place of honor".The book Lun Heng of the Eastern Han Dynasty records more clearly: "The husband is in the west, the place of the elders, and the place of the elders. The elders are in the west, and the inferiors are in the east... The husband's tomb, where the dead hide; the field, where people eat; the house, where people live, and the three are in the wrong place." That is to say, the empress dowager Xuan in Zhiyang also hopes that her tomb can be buried between her husband and son, that is, "Look to my husband in the west, look to my son in the east",It also seems to follow the principle that seniority is in the west and inferiority is in the east.The ancestors of Qin Shihuang have known thatKing Zhaoxiang of Qin、King Zhuang Xiang of QinandEmpress Dowager Qin Xuan。Since all the ancestors' tombs are buried to the west of Lintong District, the younger Qin Shihuang can only be buried to the east of Zhiyang.If the mausoleum is located to the west of Zhiyang, it is obviously against the traditional ritual system, so the selection of Qin Shihuang's mausoleum at the foot of Lishan Mountain is completely in line with the ritual system of the younger generation in the east.[6]
Other scholars believe that the site selection of Qin Shihuang's mausoleum at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain, and the practice of opening a new cemetery away from his grandfather's and father's mausoleums, is a reflection of his idea of "one tomb is exclusive".After completing the great cause of reunification, Ying Zheng thought that "virtue is also the three emperors, and merit is inferior to the five emperors", so he separated his tomb to show his special and noble status.In addition, from the perspective of geography, the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty has Lishan Mountain in the south and Weihe River in the north. It is a "mountain gully" place with "back against the mountain peak and facing the plain". It is just in the open area between Dashuigou and Fengwanggou on the north slope of Lishan Mountain. It is located on the terrace between the three terraces on the south bank of Weihe River and Lishan Mountain. The terrain is not only higher than the east and west, but also protected by the water flow on both sides of the east and west,It is an ideal cemetery.[7]
Constructor
the prime ministerLissDesigner of the mausoleum, order of the ShaofuZhang Hanoverseer.A total of 720000 people were recruited, and the number of people who used to repair the mausoleum was nearly 800000 at the most.[10]
Construction process
The scale, number of workers and duration of the Mausoleum Project of the First Qin Emperor are unprecedented.
Construction Scenarios of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
The construction of the cemetery project was accompanied by Qin Shihuang's political career.When he was 13 years old and just ascended the throne in the first year of Emperor Qin's reign (247 BC), the construction of the cemetery began.The ancient emperors did not create mausoleums when they were alive. As early as the Warring States Period, it was common for princes and kings to build mausoleums when they were alive.For example, Marquis Zhao Su's "Tomb of Longevity after Fifteen Years" and the tomb of King Zhongshan in Pingshan County were also built during his lifetime.However, Qin Shihuang advanced the time when the monarch built his mausoleum to the early days of his accession, which was an improvement of Qin Shihuang.The cemetery project has been built for 39 years, but it has not been completed until the death of Qin Shihuang, the second emperorHuhaiHe succeeded to the throne, and then it took more than a year for the construction to be basically completed.[11]
The cemetery project can be divided into three construction stages.
Initial stage.In the 26 years from the accession of the King of Qin to the unification of the country, the design of the cemetery project and the construction of the main works were carried out successively in this stage, initially laying down the scale and basic pattern of the cemetery project.[11]
Medium term.It took nine years from the unification of the whole country to the 35th year of Qin Shihuang, which was the period of large-scale construction of the cemetery project.At most 720000 prisoners came to build the cemetery on a large scale, basically completing the main works of the cemetery.[12]
The final stage.It took more than three years from the 35th year of the First Emperor of Qin Dynasty (212 BC) to the winter of the second year of Qin Dynasty (208 BC). This stage was mainly the finishing project and earth covering task of the cemetery.At this stage, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang uprisings broke out, and they reached the area near the paddling water (near Xinfeng Town, Lintong District today), which is less than a few li from the cemetery. The Qin Empire was in danger.At this time, he has been promoted to the rank of ShaofuZhang HanSuggestion: "The bandits have arrived, and many people in Xinjiang are not close to the county. There are many disciples in Lishan. Please forgive them and send troops to attack them.[13]”He ordered Zhang Han to lead the army of repairing tombs to fight back against the Rebellion. The cemetery project that had not been completed had to be hastily completed.[11]
Past dynasties
Qin ZiyingIn the first year (206 BC), the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor suffered the first and possibly the largest disaster.According to Records of the Historian, the History of Emperor Gaozu[14], The Book of the Han Dynasty, Volume I, The First Part of the History of Emperor Gao[15], The Book of the Han Dynasty, Volume 36, Biography of the King of Chu and Yuan Dynasty, Part VI[16]record,Nape featherAfter invading Guanzhong, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was destroyed on a large scale, the ground buildings were destroyed, and the imperial mausoleum was excavated.
The First World Cultural Heritage of China -- Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Liu BangAfter defeating Xiang Yu, make the capitalChang'an, establishing the Western Han Dynasty.In order to win the hearts of the world, in the 12th year of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty (195 BC), the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was ordered to be properly protected, and 20 families were ordered to live near the Mausoleum and take care of it as tomb keepers.Since then, the rulers of all dynasties have ordered the protection of the Qin Dynasty imperial tombs.[17]
Even so, the Qin Mausoleum was not stable.《The History of the Han Dynasty·According to Liu Xiangzhuan, a child was herding sheep near the Qinling Mausoleum, but a sheep fell into the cave. The child lit a torch to look for it in the cave, but unexpectedly, he went into the underground palace of the Qinling Mausoleum, causing a fire and burning the coffin of the First Emperor of Qin[18]。As recorded in the Book of the Han Dynasty, Shuijingzhu Weishui also made a supplement: "Shepherds look for sheep to burn them, and the fire lasts for 90 days."
In the last years of Xinmang,Red eyebrow armySteal the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, and melt the unearthed burial tools and copper outer coffins to get copper materials.[19]
During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the ruler of Hou ZhaoStone tigerHe also stole Qin Tombs.[20]
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, Huang Chao invaded Guanzhong, and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor experienced a large-scale destruction.The story that Huang Chao stole the Qin Mausoleum has been said for generations. People in the Ming DynastyDumuThe Record of Lishan Mountain says: "There were four gates in the inner city of the Shihuang Mausoleum on Friday, and there were four gates in the outer city twenty miles around. Their addresses were all preserved. From the south, the two hills stood side by side. Man's day: the south gate is also here. The stone pivot of the right gate is still exposed in the soil, and the mausoleum can reach four feet high. Xiang Yu and Huang Chao both tasted it. The old man said: In the burial of the first emperor in the mountain, this is especially a hollow tomb." The story of Huang Chao stealing Qin Mausoleum recorded in Du Mu's Record of Lishan Mountain is in the newThe old "Tang Shu" is not recorded, so many scholars have questioned its authenticity.[17]
During the Five Dynasties, warlordsWen TaoIn the name of raising military pay, the tomb of Qin Shihuang was once again stolen on a large scale.
In the third year of Emperor Taizu's Kaibao era (970), Lintong County was ordered to protect and repair the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.[17]
The first batch of national key cultural relics protection units in China -- Emperor Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
Shaanxi Governor in Qing DynastyBi Yuan, once erected a monument for the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.[17]
During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, Qin Tombs were once again visited by tomb robbers.The local government immediately sent people to investigate after learning that the hole was stolen, and sealed the hole with real objects without leaving any trace, and took strict care to prevent it from being stolen again.However, there is no record of such an important event in local chronicles, so it may be a modern version of "shepherd looking for sheep to burn".[21]
In the early years of the Republic of China, the warlords fought in chaos, and the society was in turmoil. The warlords in Shaanxi excavated the Qin Tombs again.Liu Zhenhua, a warlord in Henan Province, rose to prominence during the Northern Warlords Government from the first year of the Republic of China (1912) to the seventeenth year of the Republic of China (1928).In the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926), Liu Zhenhua led 100000 "Zhensong troops" from western Henan to Guanzhong and besieged Yang Hucheng and Li Huchen in Xi'an for eight months. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians died of hunger and war in the city, which was called“Two Tigers guarding Chang'an”。Liu Zhenhua stole the Qin Tombs during his reign in Shaanxi, and it was not only a Qin Tomb that was stolen by him.[22]
In addition to Liu Zhenhua, Sun Lianzhong, the former second rank general of the National Revolutionary Army, also "dug trenches" on the Qin Mausoleum.Later, insiders said that Sun Lianzhong was sneaking into Chen Cang, pretending to be, but actually stealing the tomb.[23]
Lishan isQinling MountainsA branch of the northern foot, it stretches about 25 kilometers from east to west, and is about 7 kilometers wide from north to south.It is said that the mountain looks like a bright (black) horse, hence its name.Lishan Mountain is a horst formed in the Himalayan orogeny. It is about 1000 meters above sea level, with scattered faults, mountains and gullies alternating, forming north-south valleys, and thus developing rivers.The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is located on the alluvial fan formed by rivers at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain.[5]
This area has a beautiful natural environment. Only the mountains from Lintong District in Xi'an to Maa in the east have a higher altitude.This section of mountains is symmetrical on the left and right, with lush trees and alternating valleys and peaks. The mountain body is slightly curved in the south of the mausoleum, which looks like a blooming lotus flower. The imperial mausoleum is surrounded by the peaks of Lishan Mountain, which is integrated with the whole Lishan Mountain, as if the lotus stamens are in the middle.From the practical point of view at that time and the geomantic concept of future generations, this is an ideal place to set up a cemetery.[6-7]
On the east side of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, there is a artificially reconstructed fishpond.According to the Shuijingzhu, "The water flows from the northeast of Lishan Mountain to the north. Later, the First Emperor of Qin was buried in the north of the mountain. The water flows through the mountain and turns around. The First Emperor built a tomb and took soil. The place is deep and the water accumulates into a pool, which is called a fish pond... The water flows from the northwest to the north of the First Emperor's tomb." It can be seen that the water in the fish pond originally came from the northeast of Lishan Mountain, and the water flows from south to north.Later, when building the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, an east-west dam was built on the southwest side of the cemetery. The dam is more than 1000 meters long, more than 40 meters wide in general, more than 70 meters wide at the widest point, and 2 to 8 meters high. It is commonly known as the Wuling Site.It was this dam that changed the water in the fishpond from the northeast of Li to the northwest, passing around the northeast of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.
In addition, on the east side of the cemetery, there are endless streams of hot spring water passing by.According to the Shuijingzhu, "there is hot spring water in the southwest of the fishpond water, which is used to cure diseases".According to San Qin Ji, "There are hot springs in the northwest of Lishan Mountain." It can be seen that the hot springs in those years correspond to the fish pond water in the northwest.
The south side is backed by mountains, and the east and west sides and the north side are surrounded by water on three sides."Surrounding mountains and rivers" is the most important geographical feature of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum.[6]
Layout structure
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The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is divided into two parts: Mausoleum Park and Ancillary Burial Area. The Mausoleum Park covers an area of nearly 8 square kilometers.
The mausoleum is approximately square, with flat top, slightly stepped waist, 76 meters high, 345 meters long from east to west, 350 meters wide from south to north, and covers an area of 120750 square meters.The cemetery is centered on a mound, and many funerals are distributed around it.
Imitate Xianyang
Qin Shihuang Mausoleum is the first imperial cemetery in Chinese history. The cemetery is built according to the principle of "life is like death", modeled on the layout of Xianyang, the capital of the Qin State, and generally in the shape of a back.
With the fiefdom as the core, the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin has two city walls, inside and outside. The city walls are surrounded by tall gates and towers. The three towers in shape belong to the rites of the Emperor, and are the place where the imperial government issued political and religious decrees.
The magnificent gate and dormitory buildings, as well as more than 600 funerary tombs and funerary pits, together form the complete shape of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor on the ground, which obviously mimics the palace and capital structure of Xianyang, the capital of Qin.[24]
Structural characteristics
The whole cemetery can be divided into four levels, namely, the underground palace city (underground palace) is the core part, and the others are the inner city, the outer city and outside the outer city, with distinct priorities.
The core of the cemetery is the underground palace.The underground palace of Qin Mausoleum is located under the enclosure in the southern half of the inner city, which is equivalent to the "palace city" of Qin Shihuang during his lifetime.[25]
Restoration of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
The second is the inner city.The inner city is the key construction area of the Qin Cemetery. There are the most ground and underground facilities in the inner city wall, especially in the southern half of the inner city.The western part of the northern half of the inner city is the auxiliary building area of the temporary hall, and the eastern part is the burial area for the people in the harem.This layout clearly shows that the southern part of the inner city is the key area and the northern part is the subsidiary area.The connotation of the facilities in the south and north belong to the palace.
Thirdly, the outer city, that is, the outer city between the inner and outer city walls, has the most intensive ground and underground facilities in the west area, and no relics have been found in the south and north areas.This layout shows that the west area of the Outer City is a key area, and its connotation is to symbolize the stables, parks and official houses in the capital.Compared with the inner city, it is obviously in a subordinate position.
Finally, the area outside the Outer City Wall.There are three cemeteries, brick and tile kilns and stone yards for the tomb builders. The official office of the cemetery supervisors and the ruins of Liyi buildings are found in the north, which is the most secondary edge.[25]
Cemetery layout
The whole cemetery is composed of two long and narrow rectangular city walls in the north and south.An east-west wall was found in the middle of the inner city, which just divides the inner city into two parts, the north and the south.The tall Fengzhong is located in the southern half of the inner city and is the core of the whole cemetery.The ground buildings of the cemetery are concentrated on the north side of Fengtu, and the burial pits of the cemetery are distributed on the east and west sides of Fengzhong.An imperial cemetery with reasonable layout and standard shape has been formed, centering on underground palaces and closed graves.[26]
Restoration of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
The overall layout of Qin Shihuang Cemetery has the following distinctive features compared with other monarch cemeteries:
1、 The layout reflects the unique characteristics of a tomb.The mausoleum of the monarch of the State of Wei found in the past, in which there are three large tombs in parallel, and there are also five large tombs in the mausoleum of the king of Zhongshan. There is only one tall tomb in the mausoleum of the first emperor of Qin, which fully shows the unique characteristics of a tomb.The layout of other monarch mausoleums shows the polycentric characteristics of monarchs, queens and wives.This difference is just the reflection of the traditional thought of respecting the monarch and inferring the officials in the Qin State on the layout of the mausoleum.[27]
2、 The location of the closed graves is also different from that of other imperial tombs.Most of the tombs of other monarchs are located in the middle of the Hui style cemetery, while the tomb of the First Qin Emperor is located in the southern half of the inner city.Some scholars believe that this is arranged according to the etiquette of "taking the west as the top".From the general layout of the cemetery, the first imperial tomb was not in the west half.The reason why Fengjia is surrounded in the southern half of the cemetery is precisely the design idea of "trees, plants and trees like mountains".
3、 The tomb has a strict anti-theft system.There are anti-theft mechanisms in the underground palace of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, of which the dark crossbow is clearly recorded. Sima Qian recorded in the Records of the Historian that there is a dark crossbow in the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum. When thieves enter the Qin Mausoleum and touch the mechanism, they will be shot to death by a strong crossbow[28]。There are traps and other mechanisms that cooperate with the dark crossbow.Even if the tomb robber is not shot to death, he will fall into the trap and die.In addition, there is a large amount of mercury in the underground palace of the Qin Mausoleum, and the gas evaporated by mercury is highly toxic, so it is impossible to prevent any penetration.[27]
Tomb structure
Restoration of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
From the excavated remains of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin, it can be seen that the First Emperor of Qin wanted to bring his palace, mountains, rivers and other things to the underground world. To achieve this, it was difficult to achieve without building a vast tomb.According to《Historical Records · History of Qin Shihuang》It is recorded that "when the event is over, we have hidden, and closed the middle envy door, and closed the outer envy door, and closed the craftsmen to hide, and no one came back." Mention of the middle envy door, the outer envy door, and there should also be the inner envy door.This seems to indicate that there is a passage to the main tomb in the underground palace, and the craftsmen can only close outside the Zhongxian Gate, where the coffin and camphor of the Qin Shihuang are placed.
According to the archaeological exploration and the judgment of the location of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in the tomb path, experts believe that the orientation of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is from west to east.This is a strange layout.As we all know, in ancient China, the position facing south was respected, and the tombs of the emperors of all dynasties basically faced south, while Qin Shihuang, who unified the world, took a pattern of sitting west to east.[29]
Adhere to the scholars who believed that the Qin people originated in the East. How did the Han language discuss in the "Preliminary Study on the Origin of Ying Qin People in the East and Their Migration to the West" that the Qin people were clan tribes in the Huaihai area of Qilu in the ancient times, and their birthplace was near Mount Tai in Laiwu in today's Shandong Province[30]。They believed that because the East was the place where the ancestors of the Qin people had worked and lived, and had special feelings for the East, they adopted the burial style of facing the East to show that they did not forget the root.On the contrary, scholars who insist that Qin people originated from the West, such asLv ZhenyuHe claimed that Qin and Zhou belonged to the same clan, which was developed from Xia[31]。The Qin people adopted the burial custom of "head to the west" to show that they came from western China.One thing remains the same whether "the East" or "the West", that is, the tombs of the successive dynasties of the Qin Dynasty and the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin all adopted the burial style of sitting west to east.[29]
Main buildings
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city wall
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor has two city walls inside and outside, and the inner and outer city walls are about 8-10 meters high. Today, there are still ruins.
The inner city is rectangular, with a perimeter of 3840 meters. There are two gates on the north wall, one gate on the east, one gate on the west and one gate on the south wall.The outer city is rectangular, with a perimeter of 6210 meters. There is a gate at each corner.The burial area is in the south, and the dormitory and temporary hall buildings are in the north.
In July 1974, a preliminary investigation was carried out near the east gate of the outer city of the cemetery.The systematic exploration of the inner city in August revised the understanding that the inner city was square in the 1962 survey, and the measured shape of the inner city was a rectangle from north to south greater than from east to west.[32]
Soil sealing
Plan of Qin Shihuang Cemetery Site
The sealing soil of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor forms three steps, with the shape of a covered bucket and the bottom of a square shape.According to the Book of Han, Biography of King Chu Yuan, "Emperor Qin Shihuang was buried in Lishan Mountain. He was buried in three springs and buried in Chongshan Tomb. It was more than 50 zhang high and more than five li high in the Zhou Dynasty".[33]
The Han Dynasty inherited the system of the Qin Dynasty. In the Qin Dynasty, one foot was about 23 cm in modern times, and fifty feet was about 115 meters.In the Qin Dynasty, the first mile was 414 meters, and the fifth mile was 2070 meters. The area of the sealed earth bottom was about 250000 square meters, and the height was 115 meters. This is about the original scale of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (another data: the initial height of the sealed earth was 120 meters, "as tall as a mountain").However, after more than 2000 years of natural erosion and artificial exploitation, the existing enclosure is much smaller than the original one. The bottom area of the existing enclosure is about 120000 square meters, and the height is 87 meters.[34]
underground palace
Below the enclosure of the Qin Mausoleum is the underground palace, which is square in shape. All the buildings of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum are centered on the underground palace.The archeological discovery of the underground palace covers an area of about 180000 square meters, and the depth of the central point is about 30 meters.
The underground palace is the place where coffins and funerary objects are placed. It is the core of the Qin Emperor Mausoleum.There have always been different opinions on the location of the underground palace of the Qin Mausoleum.There is a paragraph about the depth of the underground palace of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum in the book of historical materials "Han Jiuyi": in the 37th year of the Qin Shihuang (210 years ago), the prime minister Li Si reported to the Qin Shihuang that he had brought 720000 people to build the Lishan Mausoleum, which has been dug very deep, as if it were underground.After hearing this, the First Emperor of Qin ordered "another 300 zhang or even".The saying of "three hundred zhang walking beside" makes the location of the underground palace of Qin Mausoleum even more complicated.It was once said that the underground palace of Qin Mausoleum was in Lishan Mountain, and there was an underground passage between Lishan Mountain and Qin Mausoleum. Every cloudy day when it rained, there were "hell soldiers" in the underground passage, and people cheered and cheered.
Professor, Department of Archaeology, School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest UniversityDuan QingboIt is introduced that remote sensing and geophysical exploration methods are used to detect the underground palace under the mound.The grand underground palace is located at the top of the mound and below its surroundings. It is 35 meters deep from the ground level, 170 meters long from east to west, and 145 meters wide from south to north. The main body and the tomb are rectangular.The tomb is located in the center of the underground palace, 15 meters high, and the size is equivalent to a standard football field.[35]
house of one's teacher
On November 29, 2003, the acceptance meeting of archaeological remote sensing and geophysical technology achievements of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum was held in BeijingDuan QingboIt is announced that there is a thick fine rammed earth wall around the tomb under the mound, which is called the palace wall.It is verified that the palace wall is 168 meters long from east to west, 141 meters from south to north, 16 meters wide from south to north, and 22 meters wide from north.[35]
The palace walls are all made of multiple layers of fine soil. Each layer is about 5-6 cm thick, which is quite exquisite and solid.During the construction of the palace wall, in order to test whether the palace wall compacted with soil is hard, the construction personnel will stand at a distance and shoot the wall with a bow and arrow. If the arrow can penetrate the wall, the repaired palace wall must be pulled down and rebuilt.The top of the palace wall was even much higher than the ground of the Qin Dynasty at that time, down to 33 meters below the current seal. The height of the whole wall was about 30 meters, which was very spectacular.Inside the earth wall, researchers found another stone palace wall.According to the survey, no water entered the tomb, and the whole tomb did not collapse.
This kind of palace wall is an unprecedented discovery, and this new form of burial is called "Qinling style".[36]
Palaces
Restoration of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
city gate
A total of 10 city gates have been found in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin. The north and south city gates and the south gate of the inner wall are on the same central axis.The north side of the cemetery is the central part of the cemetery. There are tomb paths leading to the tomb on the east, west and north sides. There are also four building remains on the east and west sides. Some experts believe that it is part of the dormitory building.The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor epitomizes the ritual system of "death is life", which is grand in scale, grand in momentum and unique in structure.
Since 2010, archeologists have explored and found a huge building group of rectangular ten step courtyard in the northwest of the inner city of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, which is like the Forbidden City. On the whole, it is 690 meters long from north to south, 250 meters wide from east to west, and covers an area of 170000 square meters, a quarter of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Although only the base of the wall has been preserved in this huge palace complex, its pattern is basically intact, which has irreplaceable value and role in the study of ancient human palace history.[37]
Bedroom and temporary hall
the Mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang
Three groups of large palace complex sites were found in the north of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum. They are 750 meters long from north to south, 250 meters wide from east to west, and cover an area of 187500 square meters. With dense buildings and large scale, they are the ritual buildings of the cemetery, namely the mausoleum architectural relics.[38]
The site of Group A palace is located 53 meters north by west of the tomb enclosure;It is only about 10 meters away from the northern edge of the original enclosure, and it is a large square ground building.It is 65 meters long from north to south, 55 meters wide from east to west, and covers an area of 3575 square meters;The building is surrounded by apron and circular corridor. The main building is on a square pedestal 1.2 meters above the circular corridor.The upper part of the site is covered with broken tiles, burnt soil, lime soil, etc.According to the analysis of known conditions, the building structure is a large building with double floors and tile roof, and the central building is a large building with double or three floors.[38]
The palace building site of Group B is located more than 10 meters to the north of Group A, 130 meters to the north of the tomb enclosure to the south, and adjacent to the west wall of the inner city to the west.The site is 240 meters long from east to west, 20 meters wide from south to north, and covers an area of 4800 square meters.There are six building sites in the site distributed in a straight line from east to west, and the area gradually increases from east to west, in a echelon shape, the larger is 1000 square meters, the smaller is only 60 square meters.Some of the buildings are of high specifications and luxurious decoration, with ring corridors and aprons;Some building sites unearthed pieces of painted figurine heads, iron collars, bronze arrowheads and other weapons.
Restoration diagram
The palace building site of Group C is only 2 meters north of Group B, and 150 meters south of the tomb enclosure.There are four building sites in the site, which are arranged horizontally and in a straight line from east to west, forming a building group.A large number of bluestone slabs for floor paving and wall pasting were unearthed in the building site, including building materials such as tiles, slab tiles, ridge tiles, and tube tiles, iron objects such as adzes, forks, chisels, shovels, paving heads, bolt plates, and pottery well rings, pottery stove doors, and bronze remnants.The semicircular cylinder behind the tile is buckled at one end of the ridge. The tile covers the purlin head of the ridge, which not only plays the role of anti-corrosion protection, but also has the role of aesthetic decoration.[38]
To the north of Group C construction site, there are also a large number of construction sites, and there are stone pavement, rows of stone sewers, a large number of broken tiles, burnt earth and other relics found.The distribution seems to be the same as that of the architectural sites of Group B and Group C, which are also grouped by several base sites in east-west direction.Thus, together with Group A, Group B and Group C, they form a large building group from south to north.These buildings can be generally called the mausoleum buildings of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum.
Most of the literature records that the system of building a sleeping hall in the cemetery was founded in the era of the First Emperor of Qin. As recorded in Dicision, "In ancient times, there was no tomb sacrifice, until the First Emperor of Qin went out of bed, it started at the side of the tomb, and the Han Dynasty did not change it, so the mausoleum is now called the sleeping hall".The sleeping hall and temporary hall in the Qin Shihuang Cemetery are large in scale. The sleeping hall should be equipped with clothes, clothes, sticks and other living things like the Han Dynasty.The Ruins of Tanguan found in the cemetery are the places in charge of providing food for the sacrifices in the cemetery.Moreover, as in the Han Dynasty, food and new things were recommended to the sleeping hall every day, and a special person was assigned to take care of the bedding and pillow, taking care of the daily life of the Shihuang's soul as if it were a living person.[38]
Archaeological history
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According to the archaeological survey, the cemetery is divided into inner city and outer city.There are horse burial pits, rare birds and animals pits, and pottery pits between the inner and outer cities;There are more than 400 stables, martyrs' pits, torturers' pits and tombs for tomb builders outside the mausoleum, covering an area of 56.25 square kilometers.
Bronze Crown -- Bronze chariots and horses of Qin Mausoleum
In addition to the well-known burial pits of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, copper chariot and horse pits, more than 600 large stone armored pits, terracotta pits of hundreds of operas, terracotta pits of civil servants and burial tombs have been discovered. Over the past decades, more than 100000 cultural relics have been unearthed in the archaeological work of the Qin Mausoleum.
In 1962, the first comprehensive archaeological survey of the Qin Shihuang Cemetery was carried out. Archaeologists drew the first layout plan of the cemetery. After exploration, the cemetery covered an area of 56.25 square kilometers, causing a stir in the archaeological community.
On January 29, 1974, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor were discovered.
In July 1974, the first archaeological team of Qin Shihuang Cemetery entered the construction site.
At the beginning of 1980, the south wall of the underground palace was unearthed.From 1979 to 1982, the tomb passages on the west and north sides of Fengtu and five tomb passages on the east side were found one after another.
In 1980, archeologists unearthed a large double colored painting in a burial pit about 20 meters west of the tomb of Emperor Qin ShihuangThe bronze chariots and horsesThis group of painted bronze chariots, horses, high carriages and high carriages are the most complex and largest ancient bronzes found in the archaeological history of the 20th century.Among them, No. 1 copper chariot and horse are driven by two wheels, single shaft and four horses, with a total weight of about 1.061 tons.The overall length and height of No. 2 vehicle are 317cm and 106cm respectively, and the total weight is 1.241t[39]。It reproduces the true appearance of Qin Shihuang's bronze chariots and horses, and is known as the "crown of bronze".[40]
Excavate the pit of "Terracotta Opera"
After 1985, the archaeological work in the cemetery except for the Terracotta Warriors and Horses was put on hold for some reason. Until March 1995, in order to cooperate with the widening project of Linma Road, the cemetery site composed of six groups of large buildings with different shapes was cleared 130 meters from the northern edge of Fengtu.
From 1996 to 1997, a large burial pit with an area of 13000 square meters was found in the southeast between the inner and outer cities.
In July 1998, a trial excavation was carried out for the newly discovered large burial pit, and a large number of bluestone armors were unearthed, which caused a strong response from all walks of life.In October, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses formed a joint archaeological team to carry out planned archaeological excavation, protection and comprehensive exploration of the cemetery.[32]
In November 2016, during the latest drilling work for the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, a large number of burial pits were found, some of which even covered thousands of square meters.More than 400 burial pits, large and small, were found in the Qin Shihuang Cemetery, and dozens of small tombs and burial pits were found in this drilling.In the funerary pits that have been excavated, pottery products are mainly used. Archaeologists also found a large number of armors and helmets, all of which are made of stone, outside the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.According to archaeological experts, these weapons should not be used in actual combat, because stone objects are not only heavy but also fragile. If you use such equipment to fight against enemies, the armor will easily crack, and its real role needs further research.[75]
In June 2022, the main venue of the 2022 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day in Shaanxi Province was held in the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Museum on the morning of the 11th. On that day, the newly restored "No. 28 Terracotta Figurine" unearthed in the pits of the Qin Mausoleum was announced for the first time.[75]
In December 2019, the Qin Shihuang Imperial Mausoleum Museum announced a new archaeological achievement. Archaeologists excavated a "chevron shaped" tomb named Tomb One (QLCM1) in the mausoleum area west of the outer city of the Qin Mausoleum, and achieved important results.[41]
On January 26, 2024, the Qinshihuang Mausoleum Museum released the phased achievements of Qin Mausoleum archaeology through "Cultural Relics Shaanxi".Since 2011, the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Museum has carried out a detailed archaeological exploration on the west side of the outer city of the Qin Mausoleum, covering an area of more than 500000 square meters. Nine large and medium-sized tombs have been found, which are orderly and arranged from east to west.Since 2013, QLCM1 (Tomb 1 for short) has been continuously excavated.At present, the excavation of the tomb path, tomb chamber and three burial pits for chariots and horses has been basically completed.[79]The excavation of Tomb 1 is an important achievement in the archaeology of Qin Shihuang's mausoleum in recent years.It reflects all aspects of the social life of the Qin Dynasty in the era of change, including changes in the system, etiquette and technology. It is an excellent model for studying the political system, funeral system, social life and cultural exchanges in the late Warring States Period and even in the Qin Dynasty.[79]
unearthed relic
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Scarab pit
Stone armour of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
The K9801 Funeral Pit was excavated in 1998. It is located between the inner and outer cities in the southeast of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum. It is about 200 meters away from the enclosure. The plane is rectangular. The main part is 130 meters long from east to west and 100 meters wide from south to north. There is a ramp doorway at the east and west ends of the north and south sides.Together with four slope gateways, the pit has a total area of more than 13000 square meters, which is the largest burial pit ever found within the city wall of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum.A large number of densely stacked stone armors and stone helmets with flat copper wires were unearthed in the trial excavation, including about 87 stone armors and 43 stone helmets.[42]
According to the analysis of archaeologists, the production of stone armour should be combined with the jade processing technology at that time: the opening of stone and the rough casting of armor;The basically formed sheet is finely polished;Drilling and polishing;Weaving and shaping.Through the experiment, it takes 344-444 days to manually process an armour garment with an average of 600 pieces. If each person works for 8 hours a day, it takes 344-444 days. That is to say, it takes one year to make an armour garment.
In this huge pit, it is estimated that there are thousands of stone armors and helmets, as well as horse reins, bronze chariot and horse parts, bronze), arrows and other military equipment relics unearthed in Pit 2. Therefore, relevant experts believe that this burial pit should be accurately called the armory of the underground palace city of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Qin Dynasty.
Stone armour of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
The armor unearthed from the burial pit is mainly composed of two pieces, the front armor protects the chest, the back armor protects the back, and some are also equipped with shoulder armor.According to archaeologists, skirt armour not only uses small nails, but also has a much larger gap between nails than body armour.This unique and special design makes the skirt more flexible to move up and down, so that the warriors can march and fight freely in armor.[42]
The length from the top of the stone helmet to the lower end of the side piece is about 30 cm. The stone helmet has straight shoulders, which plays a good role in protecting the neck and shoulders, making the whole helmet more perfect.The design of armour and helmet fully shows that the design of Chinese military battle clothes in the Qin Dynasty was very advanced, not only focusing on the beauty of appearance, but also on the needs of actual combat.[42]
Archaeologists judge from the orderly stacking of the unearthed armor: the management of the Qin army is very strict, not only the ranks are orderly, but also the materials are placed in a highly centralized and orderly manner.
From the unearthed cultural relics, the texture of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses is completely different from that of the armor. Obviously, the stone processing technology of the armor is much more sophisticated than the clay firing technology of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses.Archaeologists concluded that the Qin army had a strict hierarchy and treatment.[42]
In the Yin Shang, Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, ancient Chinese armor was mainly made of leather.
In addition to armors and helmets, archeologists also found vests draped on war horses and bronze parts equipped with chariots and horses.All these signs indicate that the function of K9801 Funeral Pit is similar to a large "arsenal".[43]
Terracotta Warriors Pit
terracotta warriors
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit is the burial pit of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, 1500 meters east of the cemetery.It was discovered by local farmers digging wells in the spring of 1974.As a result, the treasure buried more than 2000 years underground was unveiled, known as the "eighth wonder of the world".It has provided very precious material materials for studying the military, political, economic, cultural, scientific and technological aspects of the Qin Dynasty, and has become the precious wealth of human culture in the world.Three terracotta warriors and horses pits have been excavated. The terracotta warriors and horses pits sit west to east and are arranged in a "pin" shape. There are more than 8000 terracotta warriors, terracotta horses and more than 40000 bronze weapons in the pits.[44]
The pottery works in the pit are imitations of Qin Su's guards.Nearly ten thousand ceramic guards holding bows, arrows, crossbows, bronze daggers, spears, halberds, crossbows, chariots, and horses constitute four arms: foot, crossbow, chariot, and riding.[44]
Terracotta Warriors
All the guards in the underground tunnel face the east.According to the drilling, there are three burial pits in total, of which the largest one was found in 1974. It is 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide from north to south, and about 5 meters deep. The corridor and 11 holes form the whole pit. More than 6000 warrior figurines of the same size as human horses and terracotta horses of chariots are placed in the pit.About 20 meters northeast of Pit 1 is Pit 2, which was discovered in the spring of 1976. It is another spectacular formation.The No. 2 Pit, 84 meters wide from north to south and 96 meters long from east to west, covers an area of 9216 square meters and has a building area of 17016 square meters.There is a joint formation of multiple arms in Pit 2, including infantry, chariot soldiers, cavalry and crossbow soldiers.To the west of Pit 2 is Pit 3. Tourists are allowed to visit it since October 1, 1989.The No. 3 pit, 24.5 meters wide from north to south and 28.8 meters long from east to west, covers an area of more than 500 square meters.According to the inference of relevant experts, Pit 3 is considered to be the military tent for commanding Pit 1 and Pit 2.In a chariot, 68 warriors and weapons were kept in the pit.[44]
Since 1974, three pits of terra cotta warriors and horses have been found 1.5 kilometers east of the cemetery. The finished products are arranged in shape, covering an area of more than 20000 square meters. 8000 terra cotta warriors, chariots and tens of thousands of physical weapons have been unearthed.One of the pits is the "Right Army", where about 6000 pottery figurines and horses of the same size as real people and horses are buried;Pit 2 is the "Left Army", with more than 1300 pottery figurines, pottery horses, and 89 chariots. It is a mixed formation of infantry, cavalry, and chariots. It is also the essence of the Qin Terracotta Warriors Pit;There are 68 warriors, 1 chariot and 4 pottery horses in Pit 3, which is the headquarters of the underground army.This military formation is the epitome of Qin's military organization.
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was designed in accordance with the requirements of the ancient ritual system of "death is like life".Because after he ascended the throne, Qin Shihuang spent most of his energy and time in the war to unify the whole country.At that time, he led thousands of troops to fight north and south, thus annexing six countries and unifying the world.In order to show his achievements, it seems inevitable to bury him with the army.
Cultural relics protection
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In 1956, the People's Government of Shaanxi Province announced that the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was a provincial key cultural relics protection unit in Shaanxi.
On January 29, 1974, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor were discovered.Since then, the protection of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and various research work have been gradually carried out.[45]
On October 1, 1979, the Museum of Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors and Horses was established.[46]
In December 1987, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit wereUNESCOListed in the World Heritage List.[47]
In July 2002, the National Development and Reform Commission officially approved the construction of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Site Park.[46]
On July 30, 2005, the 20th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Tenth People's Congress of Shaanxi Province passed the Regulations on the Protection of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in Shaanxi Province, laying the foundation for the protection legislation of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in Shaanxi Province.[48]
On October 31, 2008, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage approved the project "Research on the Application of GIS in the Management of Cultural Heritage Resources - Taking the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin as an Example" (project contract No.: 2003021), which passed the final acceptance, and agreed to close the project.[49]
In February 2009, the Museum of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum was established to take charge of the overall planning, long-term construction, archaeological excavation, scientific research and daily management of the site of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum.[46]
Kneeling and shooting figurines
On July 7, 2009, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage replied to the Request for Instructions on the Design Scheme of the Park of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Relics (Shaan Wen Xue Zi [2009] No. 50).[50]
On September 30, 2010, the opening ceremony of Lishan Park (Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Relics Park) in the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Museum was held.Director of the State Administration of Cultural HeritageShan JixiangDirector of the Department of Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology of the State Administration of Cultural HeritageGuan Qiang, Head of Discipline Inspection Team of National Tourism AdministrationLiu JinpingSecretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's CongressZhao LejiMembers of the Standing Committee of Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and others attended the opening ceremony.[51]
In October 2010, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage announced the list of the first batch of national archaeological sites parks and the list of projects approved. Shaanxi's Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, Hanyang Mausoleum and Tang Daming Palace sites were included in the National Archaeological Sites Park.[52]
On April 8, 2011, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage approved the Request for Instructions on Submitting the Rescue Protection and Restoration Plan for the Cultural Relics in the Collection of 13 Units including the Museum of the First Qin Emperor Mausoleum (Shaan Wen Shu Zi [2011] No. 100), and agreed in principle to the Case for the Protection and Repair of Painted Bronze Waterfowl Unearthed in the K0007 Funeral Pit of the First Qin Emperor Mausoleum.[53]
terracotta warriors
On January 27, 2013, the government work report at the first session of the Twelfth People's Congress of Shaanxi Province clearly pointed out that we should strengthen the protection of cultural relics and actively promote the legislation for the protection of imperial tombs.This is the first time that Shaanxi has made it clear in the government work report that it will legislate to protect the imperial mausoleum.[48]
On May 27, 2013, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued the "Twelfth Five Year Plan" for the Protection of Major Sites, and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was listed as an important major site during the "Twelfth Five Year Plan" period.[54]
On December 11, 2013, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage approved the Request for Instructions on Submitting the Design Scheme of the Gate Construction and Square Environment Reconstruction Project of the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the First Emperor of Qin (Shaanjizi [2013] No. 168), agreeing in principle on the design scheme II of the gate construction of the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, the design scheme II of the entrance signs, and the transformation scheme of the square in front of the gate and the square at the entrance of the second gate.[55]
In 2014, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage organized the assessment of the National Archaeological Heritage Park.The assessment comprehensively reviewed the operation of the first batch of 12 national archaeological sites parks from 2011 to 2013.The average score of the expert group and third-party institutions shows that Shaanxi Daming Palace, Hanyang Mausoleum and Qin Shihuang Mausoleum are among the top three.[56]
On October 12, 2021, it was listed by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage as a major site during the 14th Five Year Plan period.[73]
On June 11, 2022, at the activity site of the main venue of the 2022 "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day" in Shaanxi, the protection and display project of the outer city wall and the city gate ruins of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum was officially announced, marking the completion of the site protection and display of the two city walls inside and outside the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum.[76]The project was included in the list of excellent cultural relics protection projects in Shaanxi in 2022.[77]
Value impact
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One of the world's largest imperial tombs
Qin Shihuang Mausoleum is one of the largest imperial tombs in the world with the most peculiar structure and rich connotation. In fact, it is a luxurious underground palace.
World Heritage Certificate and the Statue of Emperor Qin Shihuang
The eighth wonder of the world
After visiting the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors, foreign heads of state and scholars believed that the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors Pit was not only a major discovery in China, but also in the world's archaeological history. It can be said to be the eighth wonder in the world. It can be compared with the Egyptian pyramids and ancient Greek sculptures, and is recognized as a valuable treasure of human culture in the world.[2]
Archaeological Findings Shocking China and Foreign Countries
In 1974, Chinese archaeologists unearthed more than 7000 pottery figurines that had slept for thousands of years, which is considered to be an ancient miracle and the most spectacular archaeological discovery of this century.The Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Qin Dynasty are rare in the world in terms of quantity, quality and archaeological discoveries. They provide extremely valuable material objects for in-depth research on the military, political, economic, cultural, scientific and artistic aspects of the Qin Dynasty in the second century BC.It is not only an art treasure of the Chinese people, but also a common cultural heritage of the people of the world.
Treasure house of ancient clay sculpture art
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the First Emperor of Qin Dynasty are shaped with real life as the theme. Their artistic techniques are exquisite and bright, and their gestures and facial expressions are different. They have distinctive personalities and strong characteristics of the times. They show the peak of clay sculpture art, add luster to the splendid ancient culture of the Chinese nation, and add a glorious page to the world art history.[2]
Building impact
It is recorded in the Dicision by Cai Yong of the Eastern Han Dynasty that "in ancient times, there was no tomb sacrifice until Qin Shihuang went out of bed, and it started at the side of the tomb, and the Han Dynasty did not change because of the reason". Later Ying Shao also said the same, and the emperor's mausoleum set up special bedtime since Qin Shihuang.[6]
Terracotta Warriors Pit
In the Qin Dynasty, the concept of building mausoleums around mountains and rivers had a profound impact on the construction of mausoleums by future generations.Emperor Mausoleum of the Western Han Dynasty, such as Emperor Gaozu Changling, Emperor Wen Baling, Emperor Jingdi Yangling, Emperor Wu Maoling, etc., were chosen by imitating the geomantic thought of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, which was "close to the mountains and surrounded by water". The mausoleums of the later dynasties basically inherited this idea of building mausoleums.
In order to reflect the supreme royal dignity and authority, and also to let himself deal with government affairs and eat and live as he did when he was alive after death, Shi Emperor broke the tradition that people did not worship the former king in the cemetery before the Qin Dynasty. From his own beginning, he built the bedroom for sacrifice in the cemetery for the first time.The "bedroom" was separated from the original temple and built at the edge of the tomb. That is, there was a "dynasty" (also called the temple) when alive, and a "dynasty" after death. There was a "bedroom" when alive, and a "bedroom" after death.This new system effectively affected the imperial mausoleum system for the next two thousand years.[57]
Artistic influence
The reason why the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin shocked the world was its outstanding artistic achievements.Thousands of magnificent and heroic large-scale ceramic art works are arranged in a space of nearly 20000 square meters in the overall image, which is magnificent, reflecting the outstanding talent of Qin people in mastering grand art themes, pursuing overall charm and artistic creation.The figures portrayed by thousands of people and faces of the Qin Terracotta Warriors show the author's artistic accomplishment and artistic achievements from the aspects of body grasp, verve treatment, color application, and detailed depiction.The realistic style of the works not only left a superb model of ancient art to the world, but also left many valuable historical records about the Qin Dynasty.[58]
Impact of science and technology
The cultural relics unearthed from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor rewrite people's understanding of the scientific and technological level of the Qin Dynasty, and vividly show the development level of the productive forces of the Qin Dynasty with a large number of empirical materials.
Qin Sword
1. The metallurgy and metal processing technology of the Qin Dynasty shown by the cultural relics unearthed from the Terracotta Warriors Pit is much higher than previously estimated. Among them, a large number of bronze antirust technology is the most representative one. It was a very mature technology at that time. Most of the weapons unearthed from the Terracotta Warriors were coated with this protective layer.This stunt has been lost since the Han Dynasty. In sharp contrast, modern chrome plating technology was produced in Germany more than 2000 years later in 1937.In this technology, China is more than 2000 years ahead of the world.
2. The weapons unearthed from the Terracotta Warriors Pit clearly confirmed the concept of standardization in the Qin bamboo slips that "those who are the same as objects are small and big, short and long". The Qin people have made amazing achievements in standardization practice. This standardization is not only the representative of the management art development of the Qin people, but also the symbol of the scientific and technological level of the Qin Dynasty.The bronze crossbow machine parts processed by the Qin people are precise and standard in shape. Components of the same specification can be interchanged completely.Many special processing techniques, such as the generation of patterns on bronze beryllium ridges and the drilling of metal holes as thin as hair, are also amazing, and some techniques are still unsolved mysteries.Because the ancient rulers tended to attach importance to politics, ethics, personnel and science and technology, the records of science and technology in historical books were often simple and incomplete, which made the historical and cultural value of Qin figurine archaeology even more important.
Military impact
terracotta warriors
The military content displayed by thousands of Terracotta Warriors and Horses in the pits is undoubtedly one of the most important and vivid materials in the study of military history. Many materials make people further understand the ancient military field.These terracotta figures and terracotta horses organized according to the military formation at that time provided vivid material materials for the study of the military establishment, combat methods and infantry equipment of the Qin Dynasty, and were praised as "the eighth wonder of the world" and "one of the great discoveries in the archaeological history of the twentieth century".[59]
For example, there are valuable data on the composition, combination and formation of arms, weapons, weapons configuration, armour protection equipment, military organizational structure and command system, and even the source of military soldiers at that time.The separate formation of No. 2 pit crossbow soldiers, the formation and cooperation of cavalry and light chariot soldiers are important information that was previously unknown or unknown《Sun Bin's Art of War》The discussion on the principle of coordination of bicycle, foot and ride in the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version is extremely impressive.The principle of "long and short are mixed and rescue each other" in ancient military writings is also intuitive in the allocation of weapons in the terracotta warriors pits, which also has its research value in military science. Therefore, some people call the three pits of the terracotta warriors a military museum of the Qin Dynasty with rich content.
Historical influence
History itself has endowed the terracotta warriors with various historical and cultural values.The Qin Terracotta Warriors reflect a wide range of historical aspects, and have unique cognitive value in architectural history, clothing history, institutional history, especially the royal mausoleum institutional history.Even the height, physique, clothes, hair buns, inscriptions, and the production tools and labor traces left by the Qin people in the pits can reflect the true image of social life in the Qin Dynasty from different aspects, reflect the cultural characteristics of an era, and reflect the historical essence of the rise and fall of the Qin Dynasty.
The exquisite and rich cultural relics unearthed from the Terracotta Warriors Pit is a direct witness to the material achievements of the Qin Dynasty.While making people re understand and evaluate the Qin Dynasty, they also put forward many historical topics worth discussing, such as the re understanding of the imperial power, the characteristics of the culture of the Qin Dynasty, and the position of Qin in the development of Chinese history.[58]
cultural heritage
Heritage name
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Selected time
1987
Selection basis
Cultural heritage (i) (iii) (iv) (vi)
geographical position
N342260E1090560
Heritage number
four hundred and forty-one
Heritage description:
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is located at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain, 5 kilometers east of Lintong District, Shaanxi Province, in northern China. It is the cemetery of the first emperor in Chinese history, Emperor Qin Shihuang, also known as Lishan Mausoleum.The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit is the burial pit of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, 1500 meters east of the cemetery.In 1987, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the pits of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses were included in the World Heritage List as cultural heritage.
The ancient Egyptian pyramid is the world's largest underground imperial mausoleum, and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China is the world's largest underground imperial mausoleum.The Qin Dynasty is a glorious page in China's history, and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor concentrates the highest achievements of the Qin Dynasty's civilization.Qin Shihuang brought all his glory and wealth underground.
Shihuang Mausoleum is the first imperial cemetery in Chinese history.Its huge scale and rich funerary objects rank first among the imperial tombs of all dynasties, and it is the largest imperial tomb.The cemetery was built in accordance with the principle that Qin Shihuang would still enjoy splendor and wealth after his death, and modeled on the layout of Xianyang, the capital of the State of Qin.
The Terracotta Warriors pit was discovered by local farmers digging wells in the spring of 1974.As a result, the treasure buried more than 2000 years underground was unveiled, known as the "eighth wonder of the world".It has provided very precious material materials for studying the military, political, economic, cultural, scientific and technological aspects of the Qin Dynasty, and has become the precious wealth of human culture in the world.The powerful and majestic military array represents the military achievements and prestige that Qin Shihuang displayed in order to accomplish the great cause of unifying China.These Terracotta Warriors and Horses are treasure houses of sculpture art, with high value in the art history, adding luster to the splendid ancient culture of the Chinese nation, and adding a glorious page to the world art history.
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the pits of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses show the structural layout, design ideas and achievements of science, technology and culture of the Qin Dynasty.
Selection criteria (i):
Due to their outstanding technology and artistic quality, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses and bronze burial carts were the main works in the history of Chinese sculpture before the Han Dynasty.
Selection criteria (iii):
This group of terracotta warriors and horses statues is a unique witness to the military organization of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and the short Qin Empire (221-210 BC).The direct evidence of the objects (spears, swords, axes, halberds, bows, arrows, etc.) found at the scene is obvious.A group of highly realistic sculptures, without any details being ignored - from soldiers' uniforms, their weapons, even horse halters - have great documentary value.In addition, the information collected from the statues about the craftsmanship and technology of potters and bronze workers is immeasurable.
Selection criteria (iv):
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is the most well preserved site in China.This is a unique architectural combination. Its layout echoes the urban planning of the capital Xianyang. The Forbidden City is surrounded by city walls, and it is surrounded by other city walls.The capital of the Qin Dynasty is a microcosm of China.The First Emperor of Qin hoped to unify (unify the characters, currency, weights and measures, etc.), and was also protected by the Terracotta Army after his death.
Selection criteria (vi):
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is related to an event of universal significance: in 221 BC, a centralized country established by an absolute monarch unified China's territory for the first time.
Evaluation of the World Heritage Committee:
There is no doubt that if it had not been discovered in 1974, thousands of terracotta figures in this archaeological site would still be sleeping underground.Qin Shihuang, the first emperor to unify China, died in 210 BC and was buried in the center of the mausoleum, surrounded by the famous terracotta figures.The complex structure of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was designed and built in imitation of the pattern of Xianyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty.The small pottery servants have different forms. Together with their horses, chariots and weapons, they have become a perfect masterpiece of realism, and also have high historical value.[60-61]
Anecdote and legend
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Flying geese in mausoleum
What are the precious funerary objects in the underground palace of the Qin Mausoleum? For thousands of years, it has triggered many magical legends.Flying geese in the underground palace is a very fascinating legend.
According to the "Three Supplementary Stories", Xiang Yu, the king of Chu, used 300000 people to steal and dig the Qin Mausoleum after entering the pass.During the excavation, a golden goose suddenly flew out of the tomb and flew south.After hundreds of years, in the Three Kingdoms period (the first year of Baoding), an official who was a prefect in southern Japan was named Zhang Shan. One day, someone sent him a golden goose. He immediately judged from the words on the goose that it was from the original imperial tomb.[62]
Relevant documents of the Han Dynasty are recorded inSima QianandBan GuThere is the word "gold is the flying geese" in the account of. It is obvious that the two historians recorded the "flying geese" made of gold in the tomb, and the ancient literati may have derived and "created" the story of the flying geese legend.[63]
Disputed events
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Qin Mausoleum Sitting
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is located from west to east, which is different from the mausoleums of emperors in previous dynasties. It is very strange.
Some people think that,Xu FuOnce there was no news, Emperor Qin Shihuang's wish to visit the Oriental Paradise ended in vain.If you can't get the medicine of longevity before death, you should also face the east after death, so as to reach the heaven for the extradition of immortals.Based on this, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor sits west to east.
Others believe that Qin is located in the west. In order to show its determination to conquer the six eastern countries, it still needs to deter the six eastern countries after death.
The third is that the west to east of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is related to the etiquette and customs of the Qin and Han Dynasties.According to relevant documents, in the Qin and Han Dynasties, from the emperor, the princes to the superior generals, and even the families of ordinary literati and officials, the masters were all seated from west to east.Qin Shihuang is the only emperor in the world. In order to maintain his "dignity", the mausoleum faces west to east.It is not only the orientation of Qin Shihuang's mausoleum. According to the survey, most of the 917 Qin tombs excavated in Shaanxi are east-west.The 32 tombs in the cemetery of Duke Qin also face the east.The earlier the Qin people were buried, the more obvious it was.[29]
terra cotta warriors
terracotta warriors
Most scholars believe that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Qin Dynasty are part of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, which reflects the military situation of the First Qin Emperor during his lifetime, but their views on specific issues are inconsistent.
On the definition of the identity of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses: Some scholars believe that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses' military array is the "regular array" as mentioned in "Wei Xunzi", and some scholars believe that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses are just a group of terracotta warriors who simply pay tribute to the first emperor.
It is believed that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the reflection of the reality of the Qin army, but there are several views on the specific organization: the first view is that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the symbol of the Eastern Patrol Guard of the Qin Shihuang;The second view is that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses symbolize the army stationed outside the capital, which can be calledSu Wei ArmyThe three armies defended the capital;The third point of view is that the Terracotta Warriors' military array is composed of regular, extraordinary soldiers and headquarters;The fourth view is that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses are not the left, middle and right armies, but the three components of the central army of the Qin Dynasty.Pit 3 is not the headquarters, but the palace guard Langwei who symbolizes the commander of the doctor's order;Pit One is the palace guard under the command of the guard, or called the Southern Army;Pit No. 2 is the capital garrison led by the lieutenant, which can be called the Northern Army.[64]
Stolen in the Song Dynasty
According to Qing DynastyXu SongFrom the third to the fourth year of the ceremony of the Song Dynasty, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor has been stolen in the Song Dynasty[65]。In the historical documents of the past dynasties, there are also many accounts of the Qin Mausoleum being stolen and excavated.For this point of view, some scholars believe that Sima Qian compiled the "Records of the Historian", which is only a hundred years after the burial of the first emperor of Qin. There is a special chapter in the "Records of the Historian" on the first emperor of Qin, but there is no mention of the theft and excavation of the mausoleumLi DaoyuanHowever, it has made a detailed account, which cannot but be doubted.[17]
From Qin Shihuang MausoleumThe bronze chariots and horsesAccording to the location of the excavation, it is located in the ear chamber of the western tomb passage of the underground palace under the seal.If historical records show that the underground palace of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum was burned and looted repeatedly, the funerary objects beside the tomb should be destroyed first.The bronze chariots and horses are so large and valuable that they cannot be ignored by tomb robbers.[17]
Drilling data show that there are 4m thick palace walls around the underground palace of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum. The palace walls are also covered with bricks, and several passages leading to the underground palace have been found. It is found that there is no sign of man-made disturbance and destruction in the five flower soil in the passages.Only two robber holes with a diameter of 1 meter and a depth of less than 9 meters were found, but they were far away from the underground palace and had not yet entered the underground palace of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum.As for the sealing soil layer, it is basically complete except for a few trenches left by the Kuomintang army that year.Archaeologists also used advanced instruments to detect that there is a large amount of mercury and metal underground, which is a strong evidence that the Qin Mausoleum has not been stolen, because once the underground palace is stolen, mercury will evaporate along the stolen cave.It can be inferred from the above reasons that the underground palace of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum may not have been stolen.With the application of the latest technology, the truth of whether the underground palace was stolen and burned will be known to the world.
Water Galaxy
Records of the First Imperial Mausoleum taking mercury as rivers and seas can be found in the Records of the Historian, and there are similar words in the Hanshu.However, whether there is mercury in the mausoleum has always been a mystery, which has caused many disputes. The development of modern science and technology has provided the necessary prerequisite for verifying the eternal suspense of the burial of mercury in the underground palace of the Qin Mausoleum.
The Chinese Geological Survey Institute has proved through geophysical prospecting that there is obvious mercury anomaly in the underground palace, and the mercury distribution is strong in the southeast and southwest, and weak in the northeast and northwest.If the distribution of mercury represents rivers and seas, it is just in line with the distribution of the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea in China.[66]
《Historical Records, Biography of the Merchant Colony》It is Sima Qian's biography of outstanding people engaged in commercial activitiesBa Widow QingLi Yongming, an expert on Bayu culture, believed that only the widow of Bayu Qing was able to provide more than 100 tons of mercury at that time.
There was a good relationship between Qin Shihuang and the widow of Ba Qing: on the one hand, it was the supreme power, and on the other hand, it was the "big producer" of raw materials for underground palace construction and immortal medicine, which might be the link between the two mysterious relationships.[67]
Excavation of Qin Mausoleum
Over the years, there has been constant debate on whether to excavate the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. Those who agree to excavate the Mausoleum list many benefits, but their specific ideas have fallen into a misunderstanding.
first,State Administration of Cultural HeritageIt has long been clearly stipulated that it is an established policy that we must unswervingly implement not to actively excavate imperial tombs.
Second, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is a huge systematic project, with more than 180 burial pits found alone. This is a difficult long-term archaeological task, and each archaeological research achievement will increase the awareness of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.
Third, the protection and excavation of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin is a big project of archaeological science. In the case of insufficient understanding of local or peripheral areas and insufficient protection technology of cultural relics, any "idea" of the underground palace is against the spirit of science.
As far as archaeology is concerned, any kind of excavation of underground cultural relics will inevitably cause some degree of destruction or damage to cultural relics.Therefore, most of the excavations are rescue excavations. For example, if cultural relics are damaged due to construction, theft or other factors or natural disasters, rescue excavations must be carried out to protect cultural relics.Because cultural relics have been buried underground for hundreds and thousands of years, their interior has formed a balanced state.Once excavated, this balance will be broken, which will cause damage to cultural relics.Not only can we not actively excavate the imperial mausoleum, but even other underground remains can be explored and tried as long as conditions permit, but we will not actively excavate unless necessary.Especially for the most critical parts of the tomb, such as the tomb, the archaeological harvest so far is not enough to explain the scene of the tomb, its basic form, structure, layout, even the basic explanation can not form a system.In the case of insufficient cultural relics protection technology, any "idea" of digging underground palace is against the spirit of science and is wishful thinking.[68]
Honorary title
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time
honor
October 2021
It was selected into the list of "One Hundred Archaeological Discoveries in a Century".[72]
June 2022
The protection and exhibition project of the inner city wall and related sites of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin Dynasty was included in the list of outstanding cultural relics protection projects in Shaanxi in 2022.[74]
Tourism information
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Address:Shaanxi ProvinceXi'anNorth foot of Lishan Mountain, 5 kilometers east of Lintong District
the Mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang
Transportation:From the east side of the railway station, you can take the green 306 tourist shuttle bus. The fare is 20 yuan.
rideXi'an Metro Line 9Get off at Huaqingchi Station (Entrance/Exit C) and transfer to No. 613 to the Terracotta Warriors
