Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum and the Terracotta Army (Shaanxi Nature and Culture Tour Series)

Author: Sun Weigang (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-10-01
Features: The Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin consists of an inner and outer city walls nested together, forming a "" (Hui)-shaped structure with a longer north-south axis than east-west axis. The mausoleum is located in the southern part of the inner city, occupying almost two-thirds of the southern area. Currently, the architectural ruins discovered in the mausoleum area include the Hall of Audience, the Private Hall, the Drinking Official's Residence in the northern part of the inner city, and the Fish Pool Building Site, Zheng Zhuang Stone Material Processing Factory, and Liyi Ruins outside the outer city. The pits (burial pits) include the well-known Terracotta Army pits, the Mausoleum Pit of Horse Stables at Shangjiaocun, the Pit of Bronze Chariots and Horses, and animal pits, as well as the stone armor pits, acrobatic terracotta pits, civil servant terracotta pits, and bronze waterfowl pits recently excavated in recent years. The tombs (burial tombs) include 33 tombs within the small city in the northeastern part of the inner city, tombs between the west inner and outer cities, the Qin Tombs at Shangjiaocun, and the large tomb near the Terracotta Army pits. The (burial grounds) include the Mausoleum of the Laborers who Built the Tomb at Zhao Beihu, the Tomb of Criminal Laborers at Yao Chitou, and the Tomb of Criminal Laborers at East Five Residential Area. Within the mausoleum area, there are the dual-walled city of Bi Ruo, the magnificent mausoleum buildings, making it easy to imagine the grandeur of the sacrificial ceremonies held at that time. The various pits (burial pits) inside and outside the mausoleum vividly recreate the official institutions of the prosperous imperial era, with (burial artifacts) including animal sacrifices, chariot processions, military formations, and neatly arranged weapons. The Terracotta Army pits are well-known. The military formation of the No. 1 Terracotta Army Pit alternates between chariots and infantry, representing the right army; the No. 2 Terracotta Army Pit is composed of chariots, cavalry, and crossbowmen, representing the left army; the unfinished No. 4 pit represents the center army; and the No. 3 Terracotta Army Pit serves as the command post for the right, left, and center armies. The four pits together fully recreate the military formations of the Qin dynasty. Anyone who has visited the Terracotta Army will be filled with boundless imagination and understanding, touched to some extent, and each person will find a topic of interest here. This is a true "Eighth Wonder of the World," attracting millions of visitors every year.