Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor China
No doubt thousands of statues still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological site, which was not discovered until 1974. Qin, the first unifier of China, is buried, surrounded by the famous terracotta warriors, at the centre of a complex designed to mirror the urban plan of the capital, Xianyan. The small figures are all different; with their horses, chariots and weapons, they are masterpieces of realism and also of great historical interest. The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is the largest preserved one in China. It is a unique architectural ensemble whose layout echoes the urban plan of the capital, Xianyang, with the Imperial Palace enclosed by the walls of the city, themselves encircled by other walls.
Continent: Asia
Country: China
Category: Cultural
Criterion: (I)(III) (IV) (VI)
Date of Inscription: 1987
Extraordinary dimensions
The first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang arranged for his burial place long before his accession to the seat of supreme power. When he became king of Qin in 247 BC, Zheng had his geomancers choose a favourable site at the foot of Mount Li. Work was commenced and was carried out more energetically with each new political and military success over his rivals Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Qi. Following the proclamation of the Empire of Ten Thousand Generations in 221, work at the burial place took on extraordinary dimensions.
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| Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor Army |
