On January 26, the archaeological excavation of Tomb No. 1 of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang made a breakthrough, and countless precious cultural relics reappeared, including an almost complete "underground convoy" and a rare four-wheeled single-wheeled cart, which became a witness to history. Since 2011, the mainland has carried out detailed exploration work on the perimeter of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, but thirteen years have passed, and the mystery of Mausoleum No. 1 has still not been fully revealed. The archaeological community's persistent exploration of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is not only due to its rich cultural relics value, but also to the profound historical and cultural heritage behind it.
When it comes to the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, we have to talk about the folklore associated with it, which casts a veil of mystery over this ancient land. Legend has it that Qin Shi Huang once appointed a feng shui master to find a treasure of feng shui for him to build a mausoleum, and this treasure land is where the legendary "dragon vein" is located. In traditional Chinese culture, the dragon vein symbolizes endless power and eternal life, and the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang stands at the intersection of this mysterious power.
What's even more amazing is that there are two huge mythical beasts standing at the entrance of the mausoleum - Qilin and Pixiu. In traditional Chinese culture, they are symbols of good luck, and in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, they shoulder the heavy responsibility of protection. Legend has it that these two stone sculptures are not only beautiful and generous, but also have the wisdom to distinguish friend from foe, and can prevent ill-intentioned people from entering the mausoleum, and protect the resting place of Qin Shi Huang.
When it comes to Qin Shi Huang, many people may have the mystery of the elixir in their minds. Among them, the legend of "Xu Fu Dongdu" is a household name and has become a good story in the hearts of countless people. In later generations, this legend not only symbolized the first emperor's obsessive pursuit of immortal medicine, but also inadvertently became the historical basis for the people of neighboring countries to call themselves Chinese. Because of such legends, the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang seems to contain the secret of the "elixir of life" in the eyes of many people, attracting countless brave people to venture deeper.
As time passed, mysterious legends about the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang emerged. It has been said that anyone who dares to disturb the eternal sleep of Qin Shi Huang will suffer a curse from which there is no escape. Most of those who tried to find the elixir were said to have been punished by a curse. Doesn't that sound thrilling? However, legends are just legends after all, lacking scientific basis, and we still need to examine them from the perspective of modern science.
As we travel through these foggy legends and return to the real world, we will find that the truth of history is often more fascinating than the story. With the advancement of science and technology, the mystery of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is slowly being unveiled. The interior of the mausoleum is a treasure trove of ancient Chinese engineering techniques, and its construction and design demonstrate extraordinary innovation and ingenuity of the time. The main body of the mausoleum is a huge mound with an existing height of 76 meters. The layout of the cemetery is modeled after Xianyang, the capital of Qin, and is divided into two cities, the inner city is 2.5 kilometers in circumference and the outer city is 6.3 kilometers in circumference. The mausoleum is located in the southwest of the inner city, sitting west and facing east, and is the core of the mausoleum complex of Qin Shi Huang, which has not yet been excavated. The mystery and magnificence of this mausoleum are breathtaking, and it has become an important symbol of ancient Chinese civilization.
In 2002, the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang ushered in a glorious moment of scientific exploration, and the dawn of international cooperation illuminated this ancient imperial tomb. German archaeologists have joined hands with us to explore the Mausoleum of the First Emperor using cutting-edge MRI technology. This scan, like a mysterious picture scroll, gradually unfolded, allowing experts to have a deeper understanding of the mystery of the imperial tomb.
The underground palace, the imperial palace hidden deep underground, is as deep as a ten-story building, about 80 meters long and 50 meters wide, so vast that it seems to hold ten basketball courts. Its majestic structure is made of huge stone slabs, the top and walls are tightly wrapped in huge stone slabs, as strong as ancient dragon scales. The core of the underground palace, the Xuan Palace, is the resting place of Qin Shi Huang's body, mysterious and solemn.
Scholars have been debating the depth of the dungeon. It is speculated that it reaches a depth of at least 48 meters, as if to pass through the obstruction of three layers of groundwater layers. However, what is even more amazing is the waterproofing of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. In order to protect the underground palace, ancient craftsmen carefully built a huge underground waterproof dam in the shape of "ㄇ", which is like a guardian saint, tightly surrounding the south, east and west sides of the mausoleum, tenaciously resisting the invasion of groundwater from Lishan.
The technology of this project is breathtakingly advanced and still acts as an effective waterproofing to ensure the dryness and tranquility of the underground palace.
In the Qin and Han dynasties, the gods and the "sea" were closely linked to a community of destiny. The grand design and meticulous construction of the Qin Emperor's Mausoleum all reflect the Qin Dynasty's infinite longing for the world beyond and its desire for immortality. Qin Shi Huang's fanatical pursuit of the elixir of life, as well as his many feats of "entering the sea to seek immortals", show that he was deeply impregnated by this belief.
According to the "Historical Records", the underground palace is filled with rivers and seas simulated by mercury, as if the blood of life is rushing under the drive of machinery. The frescoes above depict the stars, while the veins of the earth are laid out underneath. The "sea of mercury" in the mausoleum is not only an imitation of the blue sea, but also a metaphor for the concept of "the world" or "one family from all over the world", reflecting the prosperity of political fortune and the supreme dignity of power after Qin Shi Huang unified the six countries.
In addition, the abundant bone artifacts unearthed in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang are also a microcosm of the cultural and craft history of the Qin Dynasty. There are many kinds of bone tools, including chariot and horse accessories, weapon accessories, musical instrument parts and daily necessities, etc., like a panoramic picture of life in the Qin Dynasty. Archaeological discoveries show that the production and use of bone tools in the late Qin Dynasty were still quite common. The bone artifacts in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang are not only distinctive and representative, but also a treasure in the archaeological discoveries of large-scale ancient sites.
The design and internal structure of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang resemble a mirror of Qin Dynasty society, reflecting not only the funeral customs and religious beliefs of the Qin Dynasty, but also the supreme power and immortal exploits of Qin Shi Huang. They are precious keys to our understanding of China today in that historical period, and open a window into the depths of Qin civilization.