Terra-cotta figures; soldier and horse figures)
The terracotta warriors and horses are mostly made by molding. First, use a pottery mold to make the first embryo, and then cover it with a layer of fine mud. For processing, marking and coloring, some are burned first and then connected, and some are connected first and then burned. The heat is uniform, the color is pure, and the hardness is very high. The overall style of Qin Shihuang's terracotta warriors and horses is vigorous, toned and refined. If you observe carefully, there are differences in face shape, hairstyle, body posture, and charm. It can be seen that Qin Bing came from different regions, had different nationalities, and had different personalities. Tao Ma's ears were erect, some opened their mouths and neighed, and some closed their mouths and stood silently. All these terracotta warriors and horses of Qin Shihuang are full of touching artistic charm.
The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is located at the foot of Lishan Mountain to the east of Lintong County, more than 30 kilometers away from Xi'an City. According to historical records: Qin Shihuang Yingzheng began building the cemetery when he came to the throne at the age of 13. Prime Minister Li Si presided over the planning and design, and General Zhang Han supervised the construction. The construction took 38 years. The vastness and grandeur of the project created the luxury of all feudal rulers in the past. A precedent for generous burials. At that time, the total population of the Qin Dynasty was about 20 million, and as many as 720,000 people worked to build tombs. The soil used for building the mausoleum was taken from the multi-level loess cliffs 5 to 25 meters high between Sanliu Village and the county quarry, 2,000 meters south of the current cemetery. A large amount of stones used to build the cemetery were taken from Zhongshan and Jun'eshan in the north of the Weihe River, and were transported to Lintong by manpower. The project was very difficult. It can be imagined that the amount of the project is huge. There are corpses at the foot of Zhongshan and Jun'e Mountains, which shows the cruelty of the entire project. It is also one of the "Eight Wonders of the World"!
The earthen tomb of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum is 43 meters high and has a base circumference of more than 1,700 meters. It is built with two layers of rammed earth walls inside and outside, symbolizing the imperial city and palace city of the capital. The inner city is slightly square in shape with a circumference of 3890 meters. Except for two gates on the north side, there is one gate on each of the other three sides. The outer city is rectangular, with a circumference of 6294 meters, and one door on each side. The tomb is located in the south of the cemetery.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit of Qin Shi Huang is the burial pit of Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum, located 1,500 meters east of the mausoleum. In the past, this was a cemetery, and local farmers discovered something that looked like a human when digging graves. In March 1974, when the villagers of Xiyang Village to the east of the mausoleum were digging wells to fight drought, they discovered the large-scale terracotta warriors and horses pit of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum between Xiahe Village and Wula Village, three miles east of the mausoleum. After excavation by archaeologists, Only then did they uncover the treasure of Qin terracotta warriors buried underground more than 2,000 years ago.
The burial pits of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang are located from west to east, with three pits arranged in a "pin" shape. The earliest discovery was the No. 1 Terracotta Warriors Pit, which is rectangular, 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide from north to south, and about 5 meters deep. It has a total area of ??14,260 square meters. It has slope doorways on all sides and a terracotta warriors and horses pit on the left and right sides. It is now called Pit No. 2 and Pit No. 3.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang are the largest underground military museum in the world. The layout of the pit is reasonable and the structure is unique. At the bottom of the pit, which is about 5 meters deep, east-west load-bearing walls are erected every 3 meters. The terracotta warriors and horses are arranged in the holes in the gaps between the walls.
More than 500 warrior figurines, 6 chariots, 24 driving horses, as well as bronze swords, Wu hooks, spears, arrows, crossbows, bronze halberds, etc. have been unearthed in Pit No. 1. Bronze and iron weapons. At the east end of the pit, there are 210 human-height pottery warrior figurines with different facial expressions, clothing styles, and hairstyles. They are all lifelike and realistic in form. They are arranged in three horizontal lines, with 70 people in each line, except for 3 leaders. In addition to wearing pin armor, the rest of the soldiers wore short brown clothes, leggings, string shoes, no helmets, hair tied, bows and arrows, and crossbows in hand, like a vanguard unit ready to set off. After that, there is the main force composed of 6,000 armored figurines, each holding a spear, a spear, a halberd and other long weapons of about 3 meters, separated by 35 four-horse chariots in 11 east-west passages, arranged in 38 Road column. On the north and south sides and at both ends, there is a row of warrior figurines, which seem to be guards to prevent side attacks. This team has a complete lineup, complete equipment, majestic and majestic. It is an artistic reproduction of Qin Shihuang's mighty army and has a strong artistic appeal.
Pit No. 2 is located on the northeast side of Pit No. 1 and the east side of Pit No. 3. It is a square square array with a length of 96 meters from east to west and a width of 84 meters from north to south. The total area is about 6,000 square meters. The buildings in the pit are the same as those in Pit No. 1, but the formation is more complex and the types of troops are more complete. It is the most spectacular military formation among the three pits. Pit No. 2 has an exhibition hall of 17,000 square meters, which is currently the largest and most complete modern heritage exhibition hall in my country. Yuan Zhongyi, director of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, explained: "Firstly, it is to better protect the cultural relics, and secondly, because it will take at least 5 to 7 years to clear the entire military formation from the ground. The advantage of this is that tourists can You can not only visit the local style of Pit No. 2, but also see the excavation work of Pit No. 2 with your own eyes.”
According to preliminary estimates, there are more than 1,300 pottery figurines and horses and 80 chariots in Pit No. 2. There are more than ten vehicles and tens of thousands of bronze weapons, among which the general figurines, the pommel horse figurines, and the kneeling archer figurines are discovered for the first time. There are four slope doorways at the east and west ends of Pit No. 2, and two slope doorways on the north side. The figurine pit faces east from the west, and the main entrance is on the east side. The layout of the pit is divided into 4 units.
The first unit is located at the east end of the pit. There are 60 standing crossbow warriors in the surrounding corridor. The core of the formation is composed of 160 squatting and kneeling crossbow warriors on the east side of the eight road. The crossbowmen were arranged in a formation within a formation, standing, kneeling, rising, and shooting in turns to avoid the risk of the crossbows being drawn slowly.
The second unit, located on the right side of the pit, consists of 64 chariots (the chariots are made of wood and only the remains remain). Each column is multiplied by 8, so there are 8 columns. In front of the car are four pottery horses the size of real horses. Three terracotta warriors are arranged in a row behind each cart. In the middle, there is a hand pulling a horse's bridle. The other two stand on the left and right sides of the cart, holding long-handled weapons.
The third unit, located in the middle, consists of 19 tanks, 264 infantry figurines and 8 knight figurines forming a rectangular array, divided into 3 columns. There is a knight figurine standing in front of each horse, with one hand holding the horse's reins and the other making a bow gesture. In addition to the three chariots, each vehicle is equipped with 8 to 36 infantry figurines.
The fourth unit is located on the left side of the military formation. 108 knight figurines and 180 pottery saddle horse figurines are arranged in 11 horizontal lines to form a rectangular cavalry formation. Among them, there are 6 tanks in columns 1 and 3. In front of each horse, there is a figurine of a knight in Hu costume, holding the horse with his right hand and pulling the bow with his left hand.
Pit No. 3 is located 25 meters from the west end of Pit No. 1, with an area of ??about 520 square meters and a concave shape. There is a chariot in front of the door with 68 warrior figurines inside. Judging from the layout of Pit 3, it seems to be the general headquarters, commanding the left, right and center armies, but it has not been completed.
There are no figurines in Pit No. 4, only backfilled soil.
Judging from the layout and formation of the two pits, pit No. 2 has a complex formation and a complete range of troops, making it the backbone of the battle. This method of formation is called in the military book "a large formation enclosing a small formation, a large camp enclosing a small camp, occasionally connected by hooks, and zigzag facing each other." "Sun Bin's Art of War" said: "Those who are riding and fighting are divided into three, and one is divided into three. One is on the right, the other is on the left. If it is easy, it will have more chariots; if it is dangerous, it will have more cavalry; if it is more dangerous, it will have more crossbows." Only by the organic combination of the three can we be invincible in a hundred battles. Pit No. 2 is the theoretical illustration of this ancient military strategist.
Judging from the year numbers engraved on the weapons unearthed from the Qin Terracotta Warriors pit, it can be seen that the Terracotta Warriors and Horses burial pit was built before and after Qin Shihuang unified China. Qin Shihuang relied on his ability to "swipe his sword to cut through the floating clouds" and "to control the talents of a group of people" to destroy the six kingdoms and rule the world. The terracotta warriors and horses reflect the Qin Dynasty's powerful soldiers and horses, and its all-powerful momentum. After the death of Qin Shihuang, Hu Hai, the second emperor of Qin, succeeded to the throne and continued to overhaul Afang Palace and Chidao. The taxation and corvee became more onerous than before, which caused a peasant uprising. In this situation, pit No. 3 was terminated midway, and pit No. 4 was hastily filled before the terracotta warriors and horses could be placed. During the excavation, traces of fire were found, which may be related to the fact that King Chu Ba entered the Pass and burned Epang Palace.
In 1961, the State Council of the People's Republic of China designated the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang as a national key cultural relic protection unit. In 1987, the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang and the Terracotta Warriors and Horses were approved by UNESCO to be included in the World Heritage List. The "Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum" was established in the arched exhibition hall built on the site of Pit No. 1 of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, which is open to Chinese and foreign tourists. On May 8, 2007, Xi'an Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum of Qin Shihuang was officially approved by the National Tourism Administration as a national 5A tourist attraction.
Over the years, the majestic terracotta warriors and horses have been silent for thousands of years. Today in the 20th century, through the unremitting exploration of generations of archaeological workers, the ancient terracotta warriors and horses have taken on new life and moved towards new glory.
There are more than 8,000 pieces of terracotta warriors and horses, which is very large in scale.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum of Qin Shihuang is located in the east of Lintong County, 37 kilometers away from Xi'an, leaning on Li Mountain to the south and the Weishui River to the north.
In 1974, three large pits of terracotta warriors and horses were discovered in the east of Qin Shihuang’s tomb, and they were successively excavated and museums were built for protection. The three pits are finished in the shape of a glyph, with a total area of ??22,780 square meters. There are more than 7,400 pottery figurines and horses in the pits that are the same size as real horses. The three pits are named Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit No. 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
Pit No. 1 is the largest, with a depth of 5 meters and an area of ??14,260 square meters. There are more than 6,000 pottery figures and horses in the pit, arranged in a circular square array in an orderly manner. At the east end of the pit, there are three horizontal rows of warrior figurines, holding long-range weapons such as bows and crossbows, which seem to be a vanguard force. Behind them is the main force composed of 6,000 armored figurines, holding spears, halberds and other long weapons, fighting with 35 horses. Cars are arranged in 38 columns in 11 passages. rearguard units on the north and south flanks.
The No. 2 Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit is in the shape of a ruler with an area of ??6,000 square meters. It is a large military formation facing east from the west and composed of cavalry, infantry, crossbowmen and chariots. It can be roughly divided into four relatively independent units: the phalanx of crossbow warriors, the phalanx of four-horse chariots, the mixed rectangular array of chariots, infantry and cavalry, and the phalanx of cavalry warriors. There are more than 1,300 pottery figurines and horses, more than 80 chariots, and a large number of metal weapons.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit No. 3 has a concave shape in plan and covers an area of ??about 520 square meters. It is an organic whole with Pit No. 1 and Pit 2. It seems to be the headquarters of the three armies. 68 terracotta warriors and horses were unearthed. 4 horses and 1 cart.
The Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is the largest ancient military museum in China. The formation of terracotta warriors became a sensation around the world after it was excavated and opened to the public.
In 1978, former French Prime Minister Chirac said after visiting: "There are seven wonders in the world, and the discovery of the Qin Terracotta Warriors can be said to be the eight wonders. If you don't see the pyramids, you don't have a visit to Egypt, and if you don't see the Qin Terracotta Warriors, you don't have a visit. China. "The Qin Terracotta Warriors have since been hailed as the eighth wonder of the world."
In 1974, an underground structure and pottery figurines were discovered in Xiyang Village, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province, located 1,000 meters east of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum. meters. This is the Qinling Terracotta Warriors and Horses that shocked the world and is known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
The Qinling Terracotta Warriors and Horses have three pits arranged in the shape of a "pin". The pit is for the infantry unit. It is 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide from north to south, about 5 meters deep, and has an area of ??14,220 meters. It was dug by a farmer when digging a well. 2 Pit No. 2 is in the shape of a ruler, with an area of ??5,000 meters. It is a multi-service special force composed of cavalry, chariots and infantry (including crossbowmen). Pit No. 3 is in the shape of a concave shape with an area of ??520 meters 2. It seems to be the command organ commanding Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2*. **There are more than 7,000 pottery figurines, more than 100 chariots, more than 400 pottery horses and hundreds of thousands of weapons.
The Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses are grand, majestic and neatly lined up, showing the strength of the Qin army. The terracotta warriors of the Qin Dynasty are all made of human figures and real horses. They are 1.75 to 1.95 meters tall and are mostly shaped like soldiers of the Qin army. They are tall and well-proportioned. According to the different types of soldiers, they are divided into infantry figurines, cavalry figurines, chariot warriors, crossbowmen, generals, etc. The infantry figurines wear war robes and carry bows and arrows on their backs; the cavalry figurines mostly hold a rope in one hand and a bow and arrow in the other and wear shorts. Armor, tight pants, long riding boots, ready to mount a horse and fight at any time; the chariot terracotta warriors have two types: driver and sergeant, the driver is in the middle, driving the chariot, and the sergeant is divided into two columns of chariots to protect the driver; crossbowmen Bows and arrows are drawn, staring ahead, either standing or kneeling; the generals are calm and calm, showing the demeanor of a general who is not frightened in battle. The pottery horse is 1.5 meters high and 2 meters long. It has a strong body and plump muscles, standing with its head held high. The manes are flying, the expressions are alert and agile, and the horses are like horses galloping on the battlefield. These all show the majestic military appearance of Qin Shihuang who conquered the world and unified the six countries. They show extremely high plastic arts and are a unique culture in the world. A treasure trove of art.
In 1961, the State Council of the People's Republic of China designated the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang as a national key cultural relic protection unit. In 1987, the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and the Terracotta Warriors and Horses were approved by UNESCO to be included in the World Heritage List. "Heritage List". The "Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum" built on the site of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit No. 1 was opened to Chinese and foreign tourists.
The excavation process
1974. In the spring of that year, local farmers dug a well 1.5 kilometers east of the tomb of Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum and accidentally dug out a ceramic warrior head. After organized excavations by the state, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum were finally discovered, which shocked the whole world. .
Introduction
The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is located at the northern foot of Lishan Mountain, 30 kilometers east of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province (the other two information are: The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is located at Xiashan Mountain, 5 kilometers east of Lintong) Hecun. The Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin is located in Lintong District, 35 kilometers east of Xi'an City. It is surrounded by the cascading peaks of Li Mountain in the south and lush forests; in the north it is adjacent to the shore of the Wei River, which twists and turns like a silver snake. The tall tomb is surrounded by towering peaks and is integrated with Lishan Mountain. It has beautiful scenery and unique environment. The mausoleum is large in scale and majestic. The total area of ??the cemetery is 56.25 square kilometers. The original height of the seal on the mausoleum was about 115 meters, and it is still 76 meters high. There are two layers of inner and outer city walls in the cemetery. The inner city has a circumference of 3840 meters, and the outer city has a circumference of 6210 meters. There are walls about 8-10 meters high inside and outside the city walls, the ruins of which still remain today. The tomb area is in the south, and the dormitory and toilet buildings are in the north.
Qin Shihuang is an outstanding politician in Chinese history. His surname is Ying Mingzheng. He is the son of King Zhuangxiang of Qin. He was born in Handan, Kyoto, Zhao State in 259 BC. He was established as King of Qin at the age of 13 in 246 BC. He was crowned and took charge at the age of 22. In the 15 years from 236 BC to 221 BC, the Qin State successively destroyed the six vassal states of Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan, and Qi, completely ending the history of the Warring States Period. In the blood and fire, , established the Qin Dynasty, the first unified, multi-ethnic, centralized feudal dynasty in Chinese history. "The Emperor of Qin swept across Liuhe, how majestic the tiger was; he wielded his sword to cut through the floating clouds, and all the princes came to the west." Qin Shihuang, this all-powerful monarch, not only left great achievements for future generations, but also left behind this mysterious and unpredictable place. of royal cemeteries.
According to historical records, the construction of the cemetery began the year after Qin Shihuang Yingzheng ascended the throne. It was completed in 208 BC and took 39 years. (Two other pieces of information: 1. He reigned for 37 years, and the construction of his mausoleum took 36 years; 2. The construction of Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum began when Qin Shihuang ascended the throne, and it lasted 38 years). Prime Minister Li Si at that time was the designer of the mausoleum, and the construction was supervised by General Zhang Han. The Communist Party recruited 720,000 people, and the maximum number of people used to build the tomb was nearly 800,000, which is almost eight times the number of people who built the Pyramid of Khufu.
The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is the first emperor’s cemetery in Chinese history.
Its huge scale and abundant burial objects rank first among the imperial mausoleums of all dynasties, and it is the largest emperor's mausoleum. In accordance with the principle that Qin Shihuang would continue to enjoy glory and wealth after his death, the cemetery was built after the layout of Xianyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty. It is generally in the shape of a zigzag. There are two layers of inner and outer city walls built around the mausoleum. The inner city wall of the cemetery has a circumference of 3870 meters, and the outer city wall has a circumference of 6210 meters. The large-scale ground-level buildings that have been discovered in the mausoleum area include the dormitory hall, the banquet hall, the Yuan Temple official residence and other ruins. According to historical records, Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum is divided into two parts: the cemetery area and the burial area. The cemetery covers an area of ??nearly 8 square kilometers, with an outer building and an inner city. The enclosure is in the shape of a square cone. The seal of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum forms a three-level staircase, shaped like an overturned bucket, with an approximately square bottom, with a bottom area of ??about 250,000 square meters and a height of 115 meters. However, due to more than two thousand years of wind and rain erosion and man-made destruction, the current bottom area of ??the seal has been reduced. It is about 120,000 square meters and has a height of 87 meters (another information: the initial height of the cemetery was 120 meters, "as tall as a mountain", but later it was reduced by more than 40 meters due to weathering erosion and man-made destruction). The total area of ??the entire mausoleum is 56.25 square kilometers. Building materials are shipped from Hubei, Sichuan and other places. In order to prevent the river from washing the tomb, Qin Shihuang also ordered that the north-south water flow be changed to east-west direction.
There is a mound in the south of the cemetery, 43 meters high. There are two rammed earth walls inside and outside. The inner city has a circumference of 3890 meters and the outer city has a circumference of 6249 meters, symbolizing the imperial city and palace city respectively. Between the inner city and the outer city, archaeologists discovered horse burial pits, pottery figurine pits, and rare birds and animals pits, as well as human sacrifice pits, stable pits, prison pits, and tombs of the people who repaired the tomb outside the mausoleum. More than 400 tombs have been discovered.
The tomb of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum is 55.05 meters high and 2,000 meters in circumference. After investigation, it was found that the entire cemetery covers an area of ??220,000 square meters and contains large-scale palaces and pavilions. The shape of the mausoleum is divided into two parts: inner and outer. The inner city is a square with a circumference of 2525.4 meters, and the outer city has a circumference of 6264 meters. The scale of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum is far beyond that of the Egyptian pyramids.
The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is the first royal cemetery in China. Among the nearly 100 imperial tombs in China, it is famous for its large scale and rich burials. In 1956, the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government announced it as a provincial key cultural relics protection unit. In 1961, it was announced as the first batch of key cultural relics protection units by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huangdi as the first batch of key cultural relics protection units. It is included in the world cultural heritage protection catalog and has become the common wealth of all mankind. In 2002, the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang was awarded the national AAAA level tourist attraction.
The pyramids of ancient Egypt are the largest above-ground royal tombs in the world, and the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang in China is the largest underground royal tomb in the world.
The Qin Dynasty is a glorious page in Chinese history, and the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang embodies the highest achievements of Qin Dynasty civilization. Qin Shihuang took all his glory and wealth underground. The underground palace of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum is the core part of the mausoleum building and is located under the mound of earth. "Historical Records" records: "Three springs were passed through, and copper was lowered into the coffin. The palace was visited by hundreds of officials, and strange utensils were moved and hidden. The mercury was used to infuse hundreds of rivers, rivers and seas, and the mechanism was instilled. The upper part was astronomy, the lower part was geography, and the The mermaid's ointment is a candle, and it will last forever. "The archaeological discovery of the underground palace covers an area of ??about 180,000 square meters, and the depth of the center point is about 30 meters. The cemetery is centered on the mound of sealed earth, surrounded by numerous burials. It is rich in content and unprecedented in scale. In addition to the famous burial pits of terracotta warriors and horses, and the pits of bronze chariots and horses, large-scale stone armor pits, a pit of 100 opera figurines, and civil official figurines were newly discovered. There are more than 600 pits and accompanying tombs, and more than 100,000 cultural relics have been unearthed during the archaeological work of the Qin Mausoleum over the past few decades. There are many cultural relic exhibition booths set up in the cemetery, displaying some of the cultural relics unearthed from the Qin Mausoleum in the past 20 years; a waterway exhibition area is arranged to reproduce the scientific and thorough drainage facilities in the cemetery at that time; I believe that with the progress of archaeological work, there will definitely be Bigger unexpected discoveries.
Among the dignified green and tall tombs, in order to allow visitors to experience the honor and majesty of the king immersed in the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, a large-scale "reappearance of the honor guard" was staged at the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang—— The "Changing of the Guard Ceremony" performance of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum guarding troops and the sand table model display of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum area, cemetery and underground palace integrating "sound, light and electricity" reproduce the spectacular scene of the mysterious cemetery more than 2,000 years ago, and display dozens of The archaeological results in recent years have vividly and intuitively revealed the secrets of the Qin Mausoleum and demonstrated its rich connotations.
The Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin is the first imperial cemetery in Chinese history. It is the crystallization of the diligence and ingenuity of our country’s working people. It is a treasure house of history and culture. It is famous for its large scale and rich burials among all feudal emperors’ tombs. In the world.
According to "Historical Records? The Chronicles of Qin Shihuang", the tomb was dug down to the underground spring, the base was reinforced with copper, and the coffin was placed on top... The tomb was filled with rare treasures. The key points in the tomb are equipped with crossbows with sharp arrows. Anyone who robs the tomb will be shot to death as soon as they get close. The tomb is also filled with mercury, symbolizing rivers, lakes and seas; the top of the tomb is inlaid with luminous pearls, symbolizing the sun, moon and stars; fish oil is used to burn lamps in the tomb to ensure eternal light...
Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin*** 10 city gates were found, and the north and south gates were on the same central axis as the south gate of the inner wall.
The north side of the tomb is the central part of the cemetery. There are tomb passages on the east, west and north sides leading to the tomb chamber. There are also the remains of four buildings juxtaposed on the east and west sides. Some experts believe that they are part of the dormitory building. The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang embodies the etiquette system of "death as life". It is large in scale, majestic and has a unique structure.
The center of the mausoleum is where the coffin of Qin Shi Huang is placed. There are more than 400 burial pits and tombs around the mausoleum, covering an area of ??56.25 square kilometers. The main burial pits include the copper chariot pit, the horse pit, the pit of rare birds and animals, the stable pit, and the pit of terracotta warriors and horses. Over the years, more than 50,000 important historical relics have been unearthed. A group of two large painted bronze chariots and horses - Gaocha and Anche - were unearthed in 1980. They are the largest, most gorgeously decorated, most realistic and complete ancient bronze chariots and horses found in China so far. Known as the "Crown of Bronze".
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit is the burial pit of Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, located 1,500 meters east of the cemetery. It was discovered by local farmers digging wells in the spring of 1974. As a result, treasures that had been buried underground for more than two thousand years were revealed and were known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." It provides very precious physical data for the study of the military, politics, economy, culture, science and technology of the Qin Dynasty, and has become a valuable asset of human culture in the world. Three pits of terracotta warriors and horses have been excavated. The pits are arranged in the shape of "pin" from west to east. There are more than 8,000 pottery figurines and horses in the pits, as well as more than 40,000 bronze weapons.
The ceramic sculpture art works in the pit are imitations of Qin Su Weijun. Nearly 10,000 ceramic guards holding bows, arrows, and crossbows, or holding bronze swords, spears, and halberds, carrying crossbows to advance, or driving chariots and horses, formed four arms: infantry, crossbow, chariot, and cavalry. All guards in underground tunnels are placed facing east. According to drilling, it is known that there are three funerary pits in ***, of which the No. 1 pit discovered in 1974 is the largest. It is 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide from north to south, and about 5 meters deep. A long corridor and 11 passage holes make up the entire pit. More than 6,000 warrior figurines, the same size as real-life horses, arranged in a square formation, and pottery horses pulling chariots were placed in the pit. About 20 meters northeast of Pit No. 1 is Pit No. 2, which was discovered in the spring of 1976. It is another spectacular military formation. Pit No. 2, which is 84 meters wide from north to south and 96 meters long from east to west, covers an area of ??9,216 square meters and has a construction area of ??17,016 square meters. There is a combined lineup of multiple arms in Pit No. 2, including infantry, chariots, cavalry and crossbowmen. To the west of Pit No. 2 is Pit No. 3, which was only opened to tourists on October 1, 1989. Pit No. 3, which is 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 No. 3 is considered to be the military curtain used to command Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2. A chariot, 68 guard figurines and weapons are all kept in the pit.
Since 1974, three pits of terracotta warriors and horses have been discovered 1.5 kilometers east of the cemetery. The finished products are arranged in a glyph shape, covering an area of ??more than 20,000 square meters. 8,000 pottery figurines and hundreds of chariots have been unearthed. and tens of thousands of physical weapons and other cultural relics. Pit No. 1 is the "Right Army" and contains about 6,000 pottery figurines and horses as big as real horses. Pit No. 2 is the "Left Army" and contains more than 1,300 pottery figurines and horses, as well as chariots. 89 vehicles. It is a mixed formation composed of infantry, cavalry, and chariots. It is also the essence of the Qin Terracotta Warriors Pit. Pit No. 3 has 68 warrior figurines, 1 chariot, and 4 pottery horses. The headquarters that commands the underground army. This military formation is the epitome of the Qin army's organization. In 1980, a large bronze chariot and two horses were unearthed on the west side of the cemetery. Arousing shock and attention from all over the world, these pottery figurines and horses organized according to the military formations at that time provided vivid physical data for the study of the Qin Dynasty's military organization, combat methods, and cavalry and infantry equipment. The discovery of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses has been hailed as "the eighth wonder of the world" and "one of the great discoveries in the archaeological history of the twentieth century." The realistic techniques of Qin Terracotta Warriors have attracted world attention as an art that connects the past and the future in the history of Chinese sculpture. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum has been established in Pit No. 1, 2 and 3 and is open to the public.
The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is one of the largest, most unique and richest imperial mausoleums in the world. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum are valuable treasures of the world's human culture comparable to the Egyptian pyramids and ancient Greek sculptures, and their discovery itself is China's most spectacular archaeological achievement in the 20th century. They fully demonstrate the ingenious artistic talents of the Chinese people more than 2,000 years ago and are the pride and precious wealth of the Chinese nation. French President Chirac praised it as the "eighth wonder of the world", making the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang known to more people. The crown of world cultural heritage adds even more luster to the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang.
The scale of Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum project is rarely seen in history
Shortly after Qin Shihuang (259 BC to 210 BC) succeeded to the throne, he began to build his mausoleum in Shaishan, unifying the After the Six Kingdoms, 700,000 people were recruited from all over the country to participate in the construction of the mausoleum. It took nearly 40 years, and the cemetery was not completely completed when Qin Dynasty died. According to historical records: the mausoleum is fifty feet high and surrounded by shes for five miles. There are various palaces built inside the tomb, and all kinds of rare treasures are displayed. The scale of the project is rarely seen in history.
The Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit is known as the eighth wonder of the world
From 1974 to 1977, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit was excavated one kilometer east of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum as one of the tombs accompanying the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum. .
- Pit No. is in the south, 2.6 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide, and covers an area of ??13,260 square meters. Pit No. 2 is 124 meters long from east to west, 98 meters wide, and covers an area of ??6,000 square meters. Pit No. 3 covers an area of ??520 square meters. In some parts that have been excavated, 800 warrior servants, 18 wooden chariots, and more than 100 pottery horses were unearthed. According to the current arrangement of soldiers and horses, there may be 7,000 warrior servants in these three pits, 100 chariots, and 100 war horses. From the simulated military formation, we can imagine the might and power of the invincible Qin army that swept through the six countries and unified the country two thousand years ago. The pottery servants are tall, usually around 1.8 meters, with different shapes and lifelike expressions. It reflects the superb sculpture skills of the Qin Dynasty.
Pioneering the ancient imperial mausoleum system
Before the Qin Dynasty, memorials to the deceased kings were no longer held in cemeteries. Qin Shihuang built the dormitory hall used for sacrifices in the cemetery for the first time. The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang has two layers of city walls, which are in the shape of a zigzag in plan. The mausoleum is located on the south side of the middle of the inner city wall. There is a sleeping hall 50 meters northwest of the mausoleum. The foundation that can be seen now is nearly square, covering an area of ??3,500 square meters, and there are other building sites nearby. In the dormitory hall, the statue of Qin Shihuang was enshrined and ancestors were worshiped. This mausoleum system had a profound impact on future generations and was imitated by the tombs of emperors in subsequent dynasties until the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This is also a development of ancient Chinese funeral culture.
Cemetery Project
"The Emperor of Qin swept Liuhe, what a majestic sight the tiger looked at, and sentenced 700,000 people to the mountains and hills."
This popular poem comes from Written by the great poet Li Bai, it eulogized the glorious achievements of Qin Shihuang and described the grandeur of the Lishan Tomb construction project. Indeed, the mausoleum project is unprecedented in its scale, number of workers, and duration.
The construction of the cemetery project accompanied Qin Shihuang's political career throughout his life. When he first ascended the throne of king at the age of 13, the construction of the cemetery began. Qin Shihuang was not the first emperor to build mausoleums during his lifetime. As early as the Warring States Period, it had become a common practice for princes and kings to build tombs during their lifetimes. For example, Zhao Suhou's "Shou Mausoleum was built in the fifteenth year", and the tomb of King Zhongshan in Pingshan County was also built during his lifetime. Qin Shihuang just advanced the time of building the mausoleum during the monarch's lifetime to the early stage of his accession to the throne. This was a slight improvement of Qin Shihuang. The construction of the cemetery took more than 30 years and was not completed until the death of Qin Shihuang. The second emperor succeeded to the throne, and it took more than a year to build the cemetery before it was basically completed.