Eight Mysteries of The Qin Shihuang Mausoleum

Qin Shihuang (259-210BC) is one of China's most remarkable emperors with a long list of achievements to his name. He is credited with unifying the vast territories of China under one centralized state, standardizing the Chinese script and weights and measures as well as establishing the system of prefectures and counties. He was also responsible for beginning the construction of the 5,000km long Great Wall. But it is perhaps the creation of his enormous tomb that is the most intriguing of all his feats.

The deep, quiet underground palace and mausoleum of Qin Shihuang is shrouded in mystery. For thousands of years it has led to speculation among scholars. What is the structure of the underground palace? How many rare and precious treasures are buried underground? Are there any anti-theft devices inside the palace? Such questions have puzzled experts for many years. At present, only preliminary explorations have been carried out using available archaeological materials and historical documents...more

　The Western Han Mausoleums

Traditionally, constructing imperial tombs was one of the most important projects for Chinese emperors; and the emperors of the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD) were no exception.

Nine of the 11 Western Han emperors built their mausoleums -- Xianyangyuan -- on the northern bank of the Wei River, overlooking the capital Chang'an (today's Xi'an in Shaanxi Province) on the south bank.

When appreciating those grandiose tombs, one can't easily dismiss a slew of lingering questions. For instance, what were the criteria of site selection and the sequential arrangement of these imperial tombs? more

　Qian Ling Tomb-China's First Mausoleum

On the lofty peak of Mt. Liangshan, some 80 km northwest of the Tang Dynasty capital Xi'an, lies the only joint burial ground of two Chinese imperial rulers. Tang Dynasty Emperor Gao Zong (628-638) and his Empress Wu Zetian (624-705) are buried together in Qian Ling Tomb, also known as Qian Mausoleum.

The mausoleum is considered to be the most representative and best preserved of all 18 Tang mausoleums. Over the past 1,300 years, countless people have tried to find the entrance to this fabled underground palace, but its secrets remain veiled in mystery...more

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