Thirty-one pits containing bones of rare animals have been discovered, indicating the emperor was also fond of hunting. Each pit contains a kneeling pottery figure with a pottery basin or jar lying in front showing they were attending these animals. A pit of bronze water birds is thought to be the emperor's underground amusement park.

Mausoleum workers included criminals, unpaid peasants, craftsmen and slaves. A huge burial pit covering over 1,000 sq m and full of a thick layer of bones was discovered in a village near the mausoleum. That was the end result for many of the builders.

The tomb's construction required a lot of stones. Under primitive conditions without modem transportation, it was a gigantic task to push, pull and move the large stones. In a village northwest of the mausoleum, iron fetters, iron hammers and semi-finished stones were discovered, indicating that it was a stone-processing site.

An embankment about 3,500 m long and 40 m wide was built between the Mt. Lishan and the mausoleum to divert water from the mountain to the Weihe River and protect the tomb and the burial pits from water.

The mausoleum seems to depict the whole of the China in miniature. For anyone who wants to know more about China's past, this splendid necropolis is definitely not to be missed.

Author: Lency

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