The Emperor Jing of Han Yangling Museum is located on the banks of the Wei River in the northern suburbs of Xi’an. It was established based on the national key cultural relic protection unit, the Yangling Mausoleum of Han, and was completed and opened in 1999.
Han yang ling Museum is a cemetery where Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Qi, and Empress Wang were buried together in a different tomb. It was first built in 153 BC and completed in 126 BC. The total area of the cemetery is 20 square kilometers, and the construction time lasted for 28 years. Hanyang Mausoleum is the most well preserved imperial tomb of the Han Dynasty discovered to date.
Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi (188-141 BC), was the fourth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty and reigned for 17 years. During his reign, he revered the “Huang Lao technique”, reduced corv é e and taxes, reduced corporal punishment, befriended the Xiongnu, rested with the people, and together with his father, Emperor Wen of Han Liu Heng, created the “Wenjing governance” that was praised by later generations as the golden age of governance and peace in China’s early feudal society. He also laid a strong economic foundation for his son, Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che, to expand his territory.
01 – Overview of Hanyang Mausoleum Venue
The Hanyang Mausoleum primarily consists of the Emperor’s Mausoleum, the Mausoleum for Empresses, the Burial Pits in the South and North Areas, ceremonial buildings, accompanying tombs, the burial site for prisoners, and the Yangling City.
— Imperial Mausoleum Cemetery —
The imperial mausoleum is square in shape, facing west to east, surrounded by 81 radiating burial pits; The divine path outside the east gate of the cemetery is 900 meters long and connects with the 110 meter wide Sima Road, leading eastward to Yangling City 5 kilometers away. More than 10000 accompanying tombs of nobles, generals, and civil and military officials are neatly arranged on both sides of Sima Road.
The terracotta warriors unearthed from over 200 accompanying burial pits in the mausoleum area are dressed in sturdy and sharp armor, ready for battle; The terracotta warriors of noble women are dressed in wide clothes and adorned with ribbons, their beautiful eyes flowing with anticipation; The animal figurines are countless and vivid. Its rich burial objects are a true embodiment of the funeral concept of “treating death as life” of Chinese feudal emperors.
—Exhibition Hall for the Protection of the Imperial Mausoleum Outer Pit Site—
The Waizang Pit is an important component of the imperial mausoleum, with a total of 81 pits surrounding the imperial tomb. The Imperial Mausoleum Outer Pit Site Protection Exhibition Hall is a fully underground building constructed on 10 outer pits in the northeast of the imperial tomb’s sealed soil. It is the world’s first fully underground site museum built using advanced cultural relic protection technology.
The museum is separated from cultural relics and visitors by hollow electroplated electric heating glass curtain walls and passages in two completely different temperature and humidity environments. Under the premise of maximizing scientific protection of cultural relics, visitors can enjoy a large number of cultural relics from close range and multiple angles in a mysterious environment, appreciate world-class cultural relics protection technology and display methods, and learn about the latest achievements in cultural relics archaeological excavation and protection utilization.
—Archaeological Exhibition Hall—
The Hanyangling Archaeological Exhibition Hall is a comprehensive exhibition hall with unique architectural style and innovative display methods. The exhibition “Magnificent Scenery – Basic Display of Hanyang Mausoleum Archaeology Exhibition Hall” in the museum has a clear theme and main line, showcasing nearly a thousand exquisite cultural relics, dazzling and beautiful.
—Nanquemen Site Protection Department—
Nanque Gate is the southern gate of the four gates in the imperial tomb city, also known as Zhuque Gate. It consists of two sets of symmetrically connected “three out gates” buildings and is currently the earliest, highest level, and largest discovered imperial tomb gate architectural site.
The appearance of the Nanquemen Site Protection Exhibition Hall is a Han style gate building, which not only fully protects the existing site, but also presents the magnificent and tall style of the three high platform buildings that only Han emperors could enjoy to tourists; At the same time, in the nearly 2000 square meter exhibition hall, rich image materials systematically introduce the history of the development and evolution of ancient Chinese Quelou architecture.
—Ancestral Temple Site—
The Ancestral Temple Ruins (also known as the “Deyang Palace” ruins) are an exceptionally important architectural relic within the Yangling Mausoleum complex. Covering an area of 60,000 square meters, the structure features a double-corridor layout in the shape of the Chinese character “回” (hui), characterized by its regular form and grand scale. Comparable to the ceremonial buildings of the Han Dynasty’s Chang’an City, it is the most completely preserved imperial mausoleum temple ruins discovered to date.
For its protection and display, a method of partially reconstructing the ruins at a raised level while implementing extensive greenery has been adopted. This approach allows visitors to appreciate the majestic grandeur of the Western Han ancestral temple architecture while ensuring the effective preservation of this precious historical site.
02 – Basic Display of Hanyang Mausoleum
—Weihu Shengjing—
Chapter One: “The Silent Emperor and the Dawn of Prosperity” introduces Emperor Jing of Han’s governance philosophy, historical contributions, and the planning and construction of the Yangling Mausoleum against the backdrop of the “Rule of Wen and Jing” (a golden age of peace and prosperity in the Western Han Dynasty).
Chapter 2 “Reproduction of the Glorious Scenery of the Miniature Empire” adopts the research results of nearly thirty years of archaeological excavations, focusing on the historical layout and cultural connotations of the Hanyang Mausoleum through a large number of exquisite unearthed cultural relics, comprehensively presenting the material culture, political system, and spiritual life of the Han Dynasty.
Chapter 3 “The Eternal Scenery of the Majestic Imperial Mausoleum” presents a new method of protection, management, exhibition, and utilization of the Hanyang Mausoleum site in the form of graphics and text, conveying a new concept of cultural heritage protection.
03 – Hanyang Mausoleum – Treasures in the Collection
—General’s Seal on Chariots and Cavalry—
The General’s Seal of Chariots and Cavalry, unearthed from a burial pit in the southern part of the Imperial Mausoleum, is the only gold seal currently unearthed in the Hanyang Mausoleum. Turtle button, square, button shaped like a turtle, with a head but no tail, no limbs, the glans extends forward, the back is slightly raised, the turtle shell is clear, and there is a circular button hole on the turtle abdomen. From left to right, it reads as the reverse character ‘General of Chariots and Cavalry’, which is just a one-third reduced burial object. The font strokes have raised points at the beginning and end, and have not been polished. The font is relatively messy, not as neat as the practical official seal font. It is highly likely that the method used is chiseling.
—Dance figurines—
Dance figurine, 55 centimeters tall, with a hair style centered on the forehead. Long hair is tied in a hanging bun at the back of the neck, with a strand of green silk hanging down from the bun. The Ji Le figurines have a delicate face, wearing a long sleeved dance gown with a cross collar inside and a long sleeved skirt with a right lapel on the outside. Their right arm is raised as if swinging their sleeves over their shoulders, and their left arm is slightly lowered as if their long sleeves were stretching out, making a wonderful dance freeze in an instant. The shape of the Ji Le figurines is vivid and delicately depicted, reflecting the superb sculptural skills of Han Dynasty craftsmen.
—Sculpted Clothing Style Polychrome Kneeling Attendant Figurine—
The Sculpted Clothing Style Polychrome Kneeling Attendant Figurine stands at 41 centimeters tall. She is dressed in a purple, cross-collared, right-lapped, curved skirt deep robe. Judging from the neckline, she is wearing three layers of clothing. The cuffs, neckline, and lapels are all decorated with brocade edges in yellow, red, and black. Her hairstyle features a center part at the forehead, with long hair gathered at the back of the neck into a hanging bun, and a strand of black hair cascading down beneath it. The kneeling attendant figurine has regular features and delicate eyebrows and eyes. Her hands are stretched forward horizontally, possibly originally holding some items, as if she were attending to her master’s banquet or watching a song and dance performance.
— Sculpted Clothing Style Polychrome Standing Attendant Figurine —
The Sculpted Clothing Style Polychrome Standing Attendant Figurine is approximately 51 centimeters tall. She is dressed in a cream-colored, cross-collared, right-lapped, curved skirt deep robe. Judging from the neckline, she is wearing three layers of clothing. The cuffs, neckline, and lapels are all decorated with brocade edges in red, brown, and blue. The attendant figurine has a hairstyle with a center part at the forehead, and her long hair is gathered at the back of the neck into a hanging bun, with a strand of black hair cascading down beneath it, which is a popular hairstyle known as the “fallen horse bun” in the early Han Dynasty. The female figurine has a face like a bright moon, willow-leaf eyebrows, clear and bright eyes, cherry-red lips, a plump and smooth face, and a well-proportioned figure, which is likely the image of the tomb owner’s personal attendant.
— Sculpted Clothing Style Polychrome Scholar-Official Figurine —
The Sculpted Clothing Style Polychrome Civil Servant Figurine stands at 63 centimeters tall. He is dressed in a yellow, right-lapped, cross-collared, curved skirt deep robe. Judging from the neckline, he is wearing three layers of clothing. The collar, cuffs, and lapels are all decorated with red brocade edges. He wears boat-shaped shoes with upturned tips. The figurine’s hands are clasped inside his sleeves, and his body is upright with a slight forward lean. Judging from the damage on the top of his head and the silk ribbons hanging down to his chin, the figurine originally wore a hat, but it was damaged upon excavation, so the style of the hat is unknown. The hairstyle features a center part at the forehead, with hair gathered at the back of the head, folded upwards, and tied under the hat into a bun. The figurine has a full forehead, round face, delicate eyebrows and eyes, outward-pointing beard, and tightly closed lips, presenting the image of a civil servant who is dedicated to his duties and respectful of orders.
— Sculpted Clothing Style Kneeling Figurine with Clasped Hands —
The Sculpted Clothing Style Kneeling Figurine with Clasped Hands stands at 41 centimeters tall. The hairstyle features a center part at the forehead, with long hair gathered at the back of the neck into a hanging bun, and a strand of black hair cascading down beneath it. She is dressed in a white, right-lapped, cross-collared, curved skirt deep robe. The collar, cuffs, and lapels are all decorated with brocade edges in red and yellow. The kneeling figurine sits on the ground with her upper body slightly inclined, her hands clasped inside her sleeves, and her sleeves slightly covering her face. She has a plump face, delicate eyebrows and eyes, a small nose, and a gentle and handsome appearance, exuding shyness and restraint. Her every movement displays the classical beauty of ancient Chinese women.
—Dressed female cavalry figurines—
Dressed female cavalry figurine, approximately 53 centimeters tall, naked, legs spread apart in a horseback riding posture. The female cavalry figurine is painted in orange red throughout, with black hair, eyebrows, and pupils. Hair split in the middle and tied into a bun at the back of the head. According to archaeological evidence, the female cavalry figurines were originally equipped with movable wooden arms, wearing silk or linen war robes and leather or leather armor. Due to their deep burial underground and age, their clothing decayed and their wooden arms turned gray. When unearthed, they appeared naked and without arms. The female cavalry figurine has a mountain like brow ridge, prominent cheekbones, a cold and stern expression, and a bold gaze, appearing both heroic and fierce. The craftsmen of the Han Dynasty demonstrated the brave and fearless spirit of female cavalry with their vigorous lines.
— Armor Warrior Figurine —
Armored warrior figurine, with an average height of about 62 centimeters, naked, with soil attached from the neck to the knees, leaving clear armor marks on the surface of the soil. The terracotta figurines are painted in orange red throughout, with black hair, eyebrows, and pupils. Hair splits from the forehead to the back of the head, passes through the two temporal regions, and is folded upwards. It is tied in a bun on the top of the head and tied horizontally. The wine has decayed. According to archaeological evidence, the armored warrior figurines were originally equipped with movable wooden arms, wearing silk or linen war robes, and leather or leather armor on top of the robes. Due to their deep burial and long age, the clothes decayed and the wooden arms turned gray, but some of the armor fragments were preserved on the pottery figurines. The armored warrior figurine has a plump face and looks ahead with a peaceful expression, showing a serene and joyful demeanor, as well as a strong and confident style of the times.
—Painted pottery horse—
Painted pottery horse, 70 centimeters tall and approximately 80 centimeters long. Strong limbs, plump and robust body. Tao Ma’s facial features are depicted in a concise and vivid manner, with ears like bamboo shavings, protruding eyes, slightly open mouth, fluttering nostrils, and cracked jaw. Although he stands still, he has a rushing and galloping momentum. During the Han Dynasty, craftsmen skillfully portrayed the loyalty, bravery, fearlessness, and quick witted instincts of horses.
—“Changyi Zisun” Regular Pattern Mirror—
The “Changyi Zisun” regular patterned mirror has a diameter of 21.2 centimeters and a uniform layer of green rust on the back. The overall layout is clear and the decoration is delicate and gorgeous. Half spherical button, round seat, with 9 small breast nails with seats between the double curved lines, sandwiched with flower bud patterns, and short lines embellished on the curved lines. There is a double lined square box on the outside, and the four inner corners are inscribed with the words’ Changyi Descendants’, decorated with white flower bud patterns. The main text area outside the box is decorated with eight double line arc-shaped breast nails, four sets of symmetrical “L”, “T”, and “V” regular patterns, paired with four god patterns and cloud patterns, and a short diagonal stripe and wide edge on the outside. The reason is that the inner and outer rings are decorated with a narrow sawtooth pattern and a dragon and phoenix pattern.
— Bronze Mirror with Four Nipples and Chi-Dragon Patterns —
Diameter: 9.7 cm. The back of the mirror bears red and green patina. The mirror features a three-string knob with a circular knob base, surrounded by a raised band. The main design consists of four nipple bosses and four coiled chi-dragon motifs, dividing the mirror into four sections. The background is decorated with spiral patterns, while the broad rim is plain and slightly upturned.
The presence of the background patterns retains characteristics typical of the Warring States period. Along with Figure 27, this mirror dates to the late Warring States period or the early Western Han Dynasty, serving as a crucial chronological artifact from a burial tomb.
04 Han Yang Ling Mausoleum Map Xi’an Tourist Map