Secrets of the Emperor’s Tomb 

A report published in China Daily (a newspaper) on Friday, December 13, 2002, attracted my attention. I, too, have researched unsolved mysteries of a very remarkable Chinese ruler who lived his dangerous life over two thousand years ago. This research has begun over thirty years ago, when I, a Soviet teenager at the time, read about an ancient Chinese mirror used to diagnose illnesses (like many of my peers, I was interested in what we call in Russian “zagadki istorii or enigmas of history”). And what a fascinating enigma the life of Emperor Shihuangdi turned out to be! But let us start with the article in the Chinese newspaper, and go step by step. 

 

MYSTERIOUS MAUSOLEUM

The article was titled Survey to solve tomb mystery. According to its author, the

Chinese scientists will use remote sensing and geophysical techniques to survey the mysterious Mausoleum of the First Qin (pronounced Chin) Emperor. I will add some of my commentaries to a rather brief report in the Chinese newspaper. 

 

The grand mausoleum is located 36 kilometers east of Xi'an (capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province). It was the eternal resting place for Ying Zheng, the emperor (Shighuangdi) of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), who unified China for the first time in its turbulent history. The Mausoleum was a creation mixed with both blood and tears of many people… 

 

Its construction started in the year 247 BCE. Chinese historical records stated that it took 700,000 people 36 years to build the luxurious underground tomb, where mercury was used to imitate rivers and lakes. The Mausoleum occupies about

56.25 square kilometers. Exotic treasures from all over the land and women (concubines) were buried with the deceased emperor. The Mausoleum was an elaborate construction, with jewels on the ceiling representing the constellations. Mercury was used to create imitations of the Yellow River and the Yangtze, lakes and the seas, assembled in such a way that they seemed to flow. Those who built the underground tomb were executed or walled inside the Mausoleum, lest they spread stories about its gold, gems, and secrets.  

 

The actual structure and position of the mausoleum are still a mystery despite the fact that several surveys having been conducted since the 1970s. Presently, Chinese scientists and archaeologists are carrying out a large-scale investigation of the tomb to get a general picture of it (according to Guan Haiyan, director of the Shaanxi Remote Sensing Center). He is also the project's senior engineer, and he revealed that the scientists would use aerial remote sensing and geophysical techniques to identify the position, depth and basic structure of the underground palace, as well as the 60-square-kilometre area surrounding the tomb. Reading the article I got the impression that the Chinese government is very much interested in finding out about the secrets the mausoleum may hold. The survey, listed as a key project of the National High Technology Research and Development Program of the People’s Republic of China, is by far the most comprehensive research ever on the mausoleum. The project was scheduled to be completed by September of 2003. We may discover a few more interesting details about the Mausoleum, if the Chinese scientists will share their discoveries with the world. In December 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization listed the mausoleum as a World Heritage Site, together with the Great Wall and the Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. 

 

Were there truly rivers and lakes of mercury underground? What other secrets are buried in the Shaanxi Province? 

 

BING MA YONG

Meanwhile, the discoveries already made at the site have aroused great interest throughout the world. Back in 1974 near Xi’an, a group of Chinese farmers from the Yen Tsai commune in Lintong County were digging a well and found, in the process, several terracotta figures buried deep underground. Future investigations uncovered burial pits of terracotta warriors and horses. The three vaults containing thousands of terracotta figures (known as bing ma yong) have been found 1.5 kilometers east of the mausoleum, and two sets of large bronze chariots and horses were excavated west of the mausoleum. 7000 life sized terracotta warriors, very detailed and painted like the soldiers of the Qin Empire, seem to guard many secrets of their dead Emperor. 

 

They represented chariot warriors, clay archers, infantry, and cavalrymen. The terra-cotta worriers were armed with real weapons. Each warrior was exquisitely and very accurately a built, and possessed unique features.

At the time of Emperor Shihuangdi's death, his Qin Empire stopped practicing burial of living human beings for some time. The terracotta soldiers would be replacement for the old funeral burial. But the Emperor’s son Huhai, according to ancient records, had ordered that all Shihuangdi's concubines who never bore children be buried inside of Shihuangdi's tomb. To prevent the builders of the tombs from revealing the inside of the tomb, Huhai also sealed off the tomb, with the builders inside. The tomb was said to have traps, crossbows and automatic arrows, to eliminate potential grave robbers. The tomb was decorated with precious stones and gems. Also, there were eternal lamps, lit by oil refined from mermaid fish from the East China Sea. A Chinese book from the fifth century BCE mentioned that moonlight pearls suspended in the tumulus (an ancient grave mound) light day and night.  

 

In 1979, the Museum of Qin Shihuangdi was established in China. Visitors to the country have the opportunity to see the terracotta warriors of the Emperor’s long ago buried army. 

 

The discovery of the buried legion has created a stir all over the world, but according to the article in China Daily, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

As opposed to the Egyptian pyramids, which were constructed above ground level, the mausoleum is a huge underground complex designed to mirror the street plan of the Qin Dynasty's capital. It is the first and the largest imperial mausoleum in China.  

 

There are tens of thousands of statues and treasures undoubtedly still remain to be unearthed from the site. Chinese archaeologists believe that the statues will be extremely valuable to study the Qin Dynasty's society. What would the discovery of the crystal diagnosis device do to our medicine? What if the archaeologists find the legendary eternal lamps of the Emperor’s tomb?  

 

A HANDFUL OF HISTORY

Qin Emperor Shihuangdi was probably the most influential of the 300 emperors who ruled royal dynasties throughout Chinese history. He established China's first feudal empire. The founder of the first unified empire in the history of China was born in Handan, an ancient town in northern China. The future Emperor was said to possess high nose bridge, long eyes and “leopard” voice. His life was unusual, and his name is well known to the Chinese people, for he played an important part of their history. And yet, we still know little about the great and controversial ruler of ancient China. I have collected information about him for a number of years, mainly because of the amazing mirror he supposedly possessed. Many sources were used, including The Records of the Grand Historian, Sima Qian of the Han court. He had a great habit of collecting historical records during his travels on imperial service, and had excellent access to the imperial library. 

 

Ying Zheng (Emperor Shihuangdi) was crowned at the age of 13. Twenty-five years later he unified China, though a series of wars. Who was he? According to ancient legends, Ying Zheng was born after being inside of his mother's womb for 12 months.  

 

His childhood was less than happy, and very unstable. The seven states of China were warring between each other, and the bloodshed of China’s people inundated its cities and villages. Yi Ren, the boys’ father, was a hostage in the State (Principality) of Zhao. But the court gossip had it that his real father was Lü Buwei, Qin's future Prime Minister.  

 

He was a wealthy merchant doing business in Zhao, but foremost, a keen political observer, who recognized Yi Ren’s potential. Lü Buwei invested into Yi Ren (Zhuangxiangwang), and also gave him a favorite concubine, as a present. In 259 BC, King Zhaoxiangwang died and King Xiaowenwang ascended to the throne of Qin (the name China most likely originated in Qin Dynasty). Lü Buwei was responsible for making Zhuangxiangwang an adopted son of the Qin king. Not long after that becoming the King, Yi Ren -Zhuangxiangwang had dispatched his warrior-Prime Minister Lü Buwei against the Zhou Kingdom to crush a conspiracy by local nobles to restrict Qin's expansion. Zhou Kingdom was no more. Then a series of wars ensued against Haan Principality, Wei Principality and Zhao Principality. But later the Qin forces suffered a defeat at the hands of the united Yan-Zhao-Haan-Chu-Wei armies. 

 

In May of 246 BCE the Qin King Yi Ren -Zhuangxiangwang died, and Ying Zheng (better known as Emperor Shihuangdi) became the ruler of Qin, but in reality, Lü Buwei and his former concubine, now empress dowager, controlled the country. After Ying Zhen became the King of Qin, Lü Buwei served him as prime minister, and together with other worthy nobles, was responsible for all political and military matters of Qin court for the next 13 years. 

 

The young king wanted to create a powerful and united kingdom, and sought capable people to assist him.  

 

Zhong Fu or Uncle-Father was the name that Ying Zhen used to refer to Lü Buwei (a proxy, or second father was the proper meaning). By then Lü Buwei supplied the Queen mother with a new lover, and she bore him two sons, who were the King’s half-brothers. Ying Zhen ordered them to be killed after he learned of their existence. Their father, mandarin Changxin-hou rebelled in 238 BCE against the king and was defeated. His two sons (the king’s half brothers) were killed when their bodies were thrown on the ground in bags. The empress dowager was banished to a fortress away from her son. 

 

Lü Buwei lost his power, prestige, and position. In 235 BCE, Lü Buwei died after drinking poison.  

 

The Emperor did forgive his mother later, and brought her back from the exile.  

 

HOW CHINA WAS UNIFIED

The actual process of unification of the huge country through military campaigns and conquest was started in 473 BCE. The Qin state was isolated in the west of China by a section of the Yellow river and a mountain range, and thus protected from invasion of other Chinese armies. At the same time, its military forces gained experience protecting the borders against foreign invaders. During the tumultuous Warring States period, the northern and western Chinese states of Qin, Zhao, and Yen had all to defend their borders by building fortified walls to prevent a Xiongnu (nomads) invasion. This fortified defense line became known as the Great Wall centuries later when the iron hand of the future Emperor connected the fragmented walls through the hard labor of thousands of prisoners. 

 

Ying Zheng (who became Emperor Shihuangdi after the unification) basically continued the process, and did so very skillfully, using military force, brutality and very cunning diplomacy. Qin became the strongest of the seven states, and after the other six were finally defeated, China became a unified empire, a feudal monarchy under a strong central bureaucratic government. All military and administrative powers of China were concentrated in the hands of the Emperor who ruled his country through twelve ministries directly responsible to him.  

 

He had a good advisor in the person of a keen observer and psychologist named Li Si (Li Szu), who came from a humble background. The Emperor had gathered other capable people around him: a strategist named Liao; and an irrigation expert named Zhengguo. He carried on his military conquest with determination and cruelty, year after year full of bloody battles. For instance, in a number of battles against Pingyang of Zhao (234 BCE), the Emperor’s forces killed over one hundred thousand of Zhao soldiers. The conquest was accompanied by intrigues, treachery, and natural disasters (earthquakes). 

 

In 240 BCE a strange comet was seen in the sky.  

 

Finally, by 221 BCE, Emperor Shihuangdi, during the 26th year of his reign, completed the unification of China. He established the so-called Jun-Xian System, that is, the prefecture system. He listened to Li-Si, his prime minister, and established thirty-six so-called prefectures or commandaries (administrative areas, something like our states) broken down further into counties, townships, rings and lis in China.  

 

The same prime minister advised Ying Zheng to assume the title of Emperor, and the King did so (he used the ancient word for Emperor, huangdi). He was now more than a mere king, he was an August Emperor of a nation unified by sword and blood. He was the First Emperor, and his realm and dynasty, according to Ying Zhen’s plans, were to last thousands of years…  

 

EMPEROR’S DEEDS AND MISDEEDS

The Emperor believed in and promoted balance and order throughout his empire.  

 

His monetary policy included abolition of the currencies of the defeated states, and establishment of the Qin coins as the main currency of the land. Then the Emperor introduced the official script of Qin throughout China, and thus unified the written Chinese language. He also standardized weights and measures in China.  

 

Besides his great and bloody military conquest to unify China, he was known for other momentous projects: paving the straight highways (zhi dao) across the country, building and linking the Great Wall (the wall took 10 years to build at the rate of around mile of wall a day for the total of 3000 miles), digging of numerous canals to link up the water system; pavement of a road to Inner Mongolia; creation of a great southern highway (and building of the exclusively imperial roads). He conducted military campaigns against the Huns, and populated the newly created administrative units with convicts and slaves from other areas of China. But the Emperor also moved and resettled a number of wealthy Chinese to develop the city of Xianyang. As one of his reforms Shihuangdi abolished aristocracy. The new Emperor believed in meritocracy; personal abilities made someone to be a leader, not hereditary titles.  

 

In his campaigns throughout China and northern Vietnam, the Emperor relocated hundreds of thousands of people from various areas to the south of China.  

 

The Emperor believed in arms control: his subordinates collected and confiscated weapons from all over China, and melted them into huge statues. There were 12 of those bronze statues; curiously, they were made to resemble strange giant humanoid creatures sighted in 221 BCE in Lingtiao. He also personally inspected his realm on many occasions; he climbed mountains and organized expeditions to foreign lands to look for medical cures.  

 

Apparently Shihuangdi, who believed that he possessed deifying powers, was also interested in alchemy. He was looking for a way to have a long and healthy life, or better yet, to achieve immortality. That is why he sent expeditions on sea voyages to find the secret of immortality abroad.  

 

Yet Shihuangdi also knew that death may be coming, and ordered the construction of his tomb early during his reign.