Discussion of the tomb of the Qin emperor, the first emperor of China whose tomb is filled with terra cotta soldiers

1. First Emperor
221-210 BCE

2. Qin Shi Huang & Unification of China
• King of Qin State (Zhou Warring States
Period) 247-221 BCE
• Emperor of Unified China, 221-210 BCE
• Major technological and social reforms
under his rule as emperor
• Invents title Huangdi (combination of
Three Sovereigns & Five Emperors of Xia,
plus di meaning heaven)

3. Major innovations
• Standardized weights & measures
• Standardized currency
• National Road System
• Defensive wall in north (against Mongols)
• Standardized script/characters
• Standardized chariot axles
• Moved court families to palace to
consolidate power

4. • Typical scale system. (Imperial salaries
paid in ‘stones’ of grain)

5. • Standard currency- shape in use until 20th
century

6. Remnants of the early defensive
wall, 6th
C BCE

7. • Remnants of Qin era Great Wall

9. • NASA photo:
wall is actually
hard to see from
space

10. • Tomb Mound of First Emperor

11. • Satellite view

12. • Terra cotta Army of the First Emperor’s necropolis

14. • Mingqi (spirit
objects)

17. • Traces of paint

19. • ½ size bronze Chariot from Tomb

20. • ½ size scale. Though buried underground
for over 2000 years, all its movable parts
still work well.

21. • Rob Cohen,
director of
the Mummy:
Tomb of the
Dragon
Emperor,
with re-
created
warriors on
set of the film