Tomb of Emperor Jingdi (Hanyangling)

Welcome to Hanyangling, the final resting place of Emperor Liu Qi, the fourth ruler of the Western Han Dynasty. As a scholar of ancient Chinese philosophy, I find this site to be one of the most significant archaeological…

As we begin our journey through the museum, the most striking feature is the innovative glass-floor walkways. This design allows us to look directly down into the 2,000-year-old burial pits, seeing the artifacts in situ, just as…

Look closely at the pottery figurines in the pits below. You will notice that they have no clothes and no arms. …

Not all the figurines in Hanyangling are human. A significant portion of the pits is filled with pottery animals, representing the livestock that would provide a constant meat supply for the emperor's feasting in the afterlife. …

The entire Hanyangling complex is a monument to the Taoist principle of 'Wu Wei,' or non-interference. Emperor Jingdi followed the philosophy that a ruler should govern by doing nothing against nature. …

The clothing of the Han Dynasty, known as 'Hanfu,' is central to the identity of the figurines found here. Though the silk has decayed, reconstructed models show that the clothes were beautiful and distinct. …

The story of Hanyangling's discovery is almost as fascinating as the tomb itself. It was in 1990, during the construction of the highway from Xi'an to the airport, that archaeologists first began clearing up the site and…

As we conclude our journey through Hanyangling, we leave with a deeper understanding of the Western Han Dynasty and the benevolent rule of Emperor Jingdi. We have walked over the silent corridors of his afterlife, seeing…