Mausoleum of the First Emperor

The 51-meter truncated pyramid earthen mound sealing the subterranean palace and mercury cosmos of China's first unifier.

Dedicated museum displaying the two magnificent 1980 imperial bronze chariots and teams of four horses, known as the Crown of Bronze.

The world-class national museum complex preserving and presenting the complete archaeological landscapes of the Qin imperial necropolis.

The largest excavation vault exhibiting the main vanguard battle array of over 6,000 life-sized warriors and chariots.

The specialized combined-arms combat pit comprising cavalry squadrons, war chariots, and kneeling archers.

The subterranean command headquarters pit coordinating the underground legions, featuring ceremonial guards and officers.

Excavation pits revealing hyper-realistic court entertainment acrobat figurines and thousands of meticulously crafted stone armor plates.

Part of Mausoleum of the First Emperor's history: Mausoleum Construction. King of Qin who conquered the six rival states by 221 BC, took the title First Emperor and imposed commanderies, one script and uniform measures

Part of Mausoleum of the First Emperor's history: Chu-Han Contention. Founding emperor of the Han, a village head from Pei who rose against Qin, destroyed Xiang Yu in 202 BC and made Chang'an his capital

Part of Mausoleum of the First Emperor's history: Chu-Han Contention. Chu commander who broke the Qin army at Julu, made himself Hegemon-King of Western Chu, and killed himself at the Wu River after losing the war with Liu Bang

Part of Mausoleum of the First Emperor's history: Chu-Han Contention. Han general from Huaiyin who conquered Wei, Zhao and Qi for Liu Bang, was made king of Qi and then of Chu, and was put to death by Empress Lu on a charge of treason

Part of Mausoleum of the First Emperor's history: Chu-Han Contention. The favored Lady Yu who answered Xiang Yu's song at Gaixia and became central to the later Farewell My Concubine tradition.

Mausoleum Construction

Qin Shihuang built his subterranean mausoleum at Mount Li, where life-size terracotta armies preserve the formations and equipment of Qin forces.

Thirty-eight-year construction of the colossal mausoleum at Mount Li, mobilizing hundreds of thousands to build an underground imperial realm.

Two painted bronze chariots made during the Qin mausoleum period were deposited in the imperial complex, preserving Qin vehicle, harness, and metalworking details.

Peak of Qin military organization and monumental realism

After Qin Shi Huang died in 210 BCE, he was buried in the mausoleum complex guarded symbolically by terracotta infantry, chariots, cavalry, and crossbow formations.

In 206 BCE, after Xiang Yu's forces entered the Guanzhong region, fire destroyed surface buildings of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum and collapsed timber roofing over the Terracotta Army pits.

Chu-Han Contention

Liu Bang's coalition defeated Xiang Yu at Gaixia, ending the Chu-Han struggle and clearing the way for the Han dynasty.

Six Sites Join the World Heritage List

China became a State Party to the World Heritage Convention in December 1985, and in December 1987 six Chinese properties, among them the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Mogao Caves, were inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 as a supreme monument of early Chinese imperial civilization.