An Underground Wonder

Emperors and rulers in ancient times always sought wealth and power for this life and the next. Thus, Egypt has its world-renowned pyramids and China has the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang (259-210B.C.), the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206B.C.). The mausoleum itself remains a mystery, as it has not yet been excavated.

The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, covered with a pyramid-shaped mound of earth, nestles deep among tees some dozens of kilometers east of China's ancient capital city of Xi'an. It is a huge structure, built without stones by ramming layers of loess earth. Qin Shi Huang has been buried here for more than 2,000 years.

Qin Shi Huang is a noted historical figure in China. He ascended the throne when he was only 13 and took over the reigns of government at 22. Then he declared war to annex the six neighboring states and conquered them in ten years. In 221B.C., he brought the whole country under his rule and founded the Qin Dynasty, the first centralized feudal empire in China's history, and proclaimed himself Shi Huang Di (First Emperor).

The construction of Qin Shi Huang's tomb started immediately after he took over the government. With a mountain behind and a river in front, the tomb is favorably situated in terms of geomancy. More than 700,000 laborers were conscripted to build the tomb and the construction took 40 years. It was still not completed when the Qin Dynasty came to an end in 206B.C.

For more than 2,000 years, since the emperor died and was buried here in the autumn of 210B.C., the coffin pit has never been brought to light. According to Records of the Historian, written by Sima Qian during the Han Dynasty (206B.C.-220A.D.), the tomb was dug deep into the ground, below the water table, and was reinforced with bronze as waterproofing. In the coffin chamber, the ceiling was painted with the sun, moon, and stars, and the walls were painted with landscapes. The mausoleum contained a palace, places reserved for officials, and a large number of rare treasures. Mercury was used to create seas and waterways, and candles of whale fat illuminated the coffin chamber. Crossbows, mechanically triggered to shoot any intruder, were placed at strategic points.

Many archaeologists long to excavate the mausoleum, but because of the tomb's structure, gigantic scale, and position as a cultural heritage under special protection, they will have to steer a cautious course and wait for a future opportunity.

The area surrounding the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang was originally a cemetery, but most of the ground structures do not exist today. Investigations reveal that the mausoleum was constructed according to the layout of Xianyang, capital of the Qin regime. The underground palace symbolizes the imperial palace, the inner wall symbolizes the surrounding wall of the imperial palace, and the outer wall symbolizes the city wall. The whole park covered more than 60 square kilometers, an area larger than that of the present-day city of Xi'an.

In March 1974, local farmers came upon life-size terra-cotta warriors and horses while digging wells. After excavation by archaeologists, a powerful terra-cotta Qin army buried in formation was brought to light and soon acquired a reputation as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

The terra-cotta figures were arranged in three pits 1.5 kilometers east of the mausoleum. The pits cover 20,000 square meters and house nearly 8,000 terra-cotta soldiers and horses, more than 100 wooden chariots, and over 40,000 bronze weapons.

Pit No.1, covering 12,000 square meters, is the largest and contains more than 6,000 warriors and horses. Pit No.2 covers an area of 6,000 square meters, half the size of Pit No.1, and has 1,000 warriors and horses. Pit No.3 covers only 500 square meters and contains 68 warriors. According to archaeologists, all these warriors are imperial troops safeguarding the tomb of the emperor. They are deployed according to the art of war, and Pit No.3 is the headquarters.

Looking at Pit No.1, the visitor senses a strong battle-ready force. Two hundred and ten warriors in three rows make up the vanguard, holding bows and arrows, with quivers on their backs. They are followed by 40 columns of foot soldiers and chariots. There are also flanks and three rows of rear guards. The well-ordered, tightly knit military formation of combat-ready troops brings to mind a vast battlefield with weapons clanking and warriors charging and Qin Shi Huang's tremendous drive to unify the country.Most of the figures are individualized. The warriors vary in facial features, hairstyle, posture, and experiences. The horses are sturdy, some standing quietly, some pricking up their ears, and some raising their heads and neighing. The heads and bodies of the terra-cotta warriors and horses were modeled separately, fired, and then attached. The figures were originally painted with bright colors, but being soaked and eroded by underground water for many years, most of the colors have faded. The discovery of the Qin warriors and horses testifies to the fact that painted sculpture appeared in China during the Qin period and influenced the development of the art in the following dynasties.

Bronze chariots and other rare objects have also been unearthed from the area surrounding the tomb. Many people now look forward to the day when the mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor will be excavated.