Discovering the Secrets of Emperor Qin's Mausoleum

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  • čas přidán 5. 02. 2023
  • Discover the massive terracotta army, buried for centuries and revealing the grandeur of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Uncover the history, mythology, and mystery of the tomb complex and its impact on our understanding of ancient China
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Komentáře • 751

  • @georgecristiancripcia4819
    @georgecristiancripcia4819 Před rokem +946

    The ironic thing is that this tomb fullfiled the emperor ambition of eternal life.Even now we speak his name and research him,so in a way he is truly immortal.

    • @iceman26541
      @iceman26541 Před rokem +60

      Nah, dude is still dead in the literal sense.

    • @georgecristiancripcia4819
      @georgecristiancripcia4819 Před rokem +108

      @@iceman26541
      Yes,but his name is remember 2000 years later and he still is studie to this day.Will someone remember our names and lives in 2000 years?

    • @adamkipling7365
      @adamkipling7365 Před rokem +6

      You guys are being books

    • @craigpoer
      @craigpoer Před rokem +12

      It will still be amazing 1000 years from now. Long after the internet is gone

    • @SuperPope69
      @SuperPope69 Před rokem +25

      @@adamkipling7365 "you guys are being books" -🤓

  • @me0101001000
    @me0101001000 Před rokem +505

    Studying Chinese history is incredibly fascinating. Emperor Qin commissioned this masterpiece, but this man, oh boy, he was crazy. Idk if Simon did a Biographics video on him, but he should if he hasn't.

    • @xenondestiny
      @xenondestiny Před rokem +31

      Until you find out that the history book has half of the pages taken out because it "never happened" and 😂

    • @bloodandempire
      @bloodandempire Před rokem +22

      Simon did a "biographics" video about him and several "side projects" videos.

    • @bloodandempire
      @bloodandempire Před rokem +1

      czcams.com/video/b2FUmD1pyVM/video.html

    • @dwchen1
      @dwchen1 Před rokem

      Many of his insane policy during his reign must have something to do with mercury poisoning that affect his brain, his performance of governance, and his sanity.
      New revelations of Hitler's evil and mad policy and behavior by historians also reveal new informations like Hitler's addiction to drugs from his personal doctor's prescription that one way or another affected his behaviors. That doesn't mean Hitler will be less evil if he wasn't a drug addict.

    • @112313
      @112313 Před rokem +21

      The qin emperor was and is the most maligned, misunderstood, hated, loved , highly respected, and feared emperor in chinese history. Later dynastic historians vilified him, but every later emperors owed so much to him.

  • @ToudaHell
    @ToudaHell Před rokem +413

    I've actually been there. I was so ready to be monumentally bored because I've seen pieces of it from other museums. But the necropolis itself was so old and vast, you can actually feel the history. It's so fricking unique that it blew my mind. Pictures and videos do not do it justice. It really is a once in a lifetime experience.

    • @GreatSageSunWukong
      @GreatSageSunWukong Před rokem +41

      my mother went there on a guided tour (it was the only way they didn't let foreigners just go where ever they pleased), she went to the museum and got me a little terracotta warrior figure I still have in a box, she said they asked the tour guides if they could climb up the hill and were told no, she had no idea the hill was the tomb until I told her as I had watched many videos about it. I always hoped they'd open it in my lifetime but I don't think they will, personally I think its less about technology and more superstition I have heard several times they have this myth/curse idea that if they disturb him, China's unity will collapse.

    • @ToudaHell
      @ToudaHell Před rokem

      @Sun Wukong there is a curse. I remember it in the circular cinematic documentary playing there. But I'd be more worried about people's safety. That's a lake of mercury. Being exposed to that much mercury even on the sidelines is super poisonous. Who knows what else toxic is down there. If they aren't prepared before going in, they kinda could die.

    • @jwawrzon
      @jwawrzon Před rokem +9

      @@GreatSageSunWukong Neat story, but you wrote it out in the longest single sentence I have ever seen.

    • @bakedstreetyt
      @bakedstreetyt Před rokem +10

      @@jwawrzon unless he modified his comment it is not a single sentence.

    • @GreatSageSunWukong
      @GreatSageSunWukong Před rokem +3

      @@jwawrzon plenty of , and 2 . there so I don't know what you be talking about.

  • @TheGenericavatar
    @TheGenericavatar Před rokem +65

    The standardization of the written language and wieghts and measurements for trade purproses, and other standardizations at the time was actually the work of one of the most important advisers that Qin listened to.

  • @arlen_95
    @arlen_95 Před rokem +51

    I really hope I live long enough to see the tomb finally be excavated and its secret revealed!

  • @jamisonr
    @jamisonr Před rokem +93

    The importance to the historical record has to be the real treasure here. Such an intimate, albeit scary, look at an ancient culture.

  • @randallsavage13
    @randallsavage13 Před rokem +235

    It’s baffling that each statue has a different face and each one is unique bravo to the creator

    • @vic5015
      @vic5015 Před rokem +27

      Just goes to show how much work webt unto these. With each one possibly intended to be an individual.

    • @Iknowtoomuchable
      @Iknowtoomuchable Před rokem +10

      I think it would be far more impressive if all the statues were exactly the same.

    • @LuisLopez2
      @LuisLopez2 Před rokem +40

      @@Iknowtoomuchable nah, you're just a contrarian cruising for a high

    • @chunliangzhang2506
      @chunliangzhang2506 Před rokem

      @@Iknowtoomuchable That is Star War's Clone war. All you need is a mold and put the production into a relication process, which is much easier task to do. Actually all Qin's army used the standard arrow heads made by this way. Instead of having you peasant's mind, the Emperor needed a luxury burial and didn't care about costs to make the "real" army guarding him in the underworld. What he wanted was individual artifacts not industrially produced junks. 😜

    • @everdinestenger1548
      @everdinestenger1548 Před rokem +3

      When you study the faces to paint them it is impressive how much their character is in them

  • @waywardmind
    @waywardmind Před rokem +48

    I saw the Terracotta Army back in 2007, and it was mind-blowing.

  • @garylefevers
    @garylefevers Před rokem +18

    My wife's favorite topic in regards to archeology. The Qin Dynasty is extremely fascinating.

  • @alexius23
    @alexius23 Před rokem +37

    I visited the Terracotta Army. It was an astonishing experience.

    • @alexius23
      @alexius23 Před rokem

      @osunlekekehinde I don’t “Do” what’s app

    • @alexius23
      @alexius23 Před rokem

      @osunlekekehinde I don’t do What’s App

  • @sjk6097
    @sjk6097 Před rokem +56

    Have been to the Terracotta Army site twice, once in 2011 and again in 2017. On the first visit I met one of the three farmers who actually discovered the first warrior (the last of the three alive) and had my photo taken with him. He also signed my tour guide. Awesome place to visit, as is the Gret Wall and the Forbidden City.

    • @waynegazard5038
      @waynegazard5038 Před rokem +5

      He now has a nice life signing the books at the museum site, but originally he was kicked off the family farm and given a small apartment . When a USA president visited he asked about the guy that found them the authority's searched him out to meet the president don't know if he's still there as he only did so many days a week.

  • @WhtAbtBob10
    @WhtAbtBob10 Před rokem +63

    There was a temporary exhibit at a museum near where I live. It had actual statues from the tomb. I made sure to go and it absolutely did not disappoint. The level of detail is insane.

    • @peepinR
      @peepinR Před rokem +4

      Me too. Mine was in Richmond VA. Well worth the visit but at the same time not quite like seeing the actual site. I hope in my lifetime we can find a way to excavate the mausoleum. It would make the treasures(and i mean no disrespect) in the Pyramids of Giza look like the treasure box one would find at the neighborhood dentist.

    • @usasstar
      @usasstar Před 8 měsíci +1

      Same me, and my cousin that love archaeology went to the exhibit when it was here in Chicago at the field museum

  • @firenter
    @firenter Před rokem +29

    I visited back in 2019, it's actually kinda nuts to see IRL. The pictures do not do justice to the immense scale of EVERYTHING.
    And we've only scratched the surface of the things to be found and knowledge to be gained.
    This place is going to be a treasure trove for both archealogy and history students for many decades to come!

  • @stolennimbus
    @stolennimbus Před rokem +61

    The terracotta warriors were individually modeled after the emperor's imperial guards. When the emperor died, the terracotta warriors were buried with the emperor and all the imperial guards breathed a sigh of relief because they were not buried instead.

  • @angelsinger4574
    @angelsinger4574 Před rokem +27

    I recently saw some photos of how the terracotta warriors looked like when first found: with gorgeous paint and details that sadly faded quickly after being exposed.

  • @semaj_5022
    @semaj_5022 Před rokem +109

    The best thing about Qin Shi Huang is that he gives builders an extra charge and let's them use charges to speed up World Wonder construction.

    • @guywithdacap4713
      @guywithdacap4713 Před rokem +12

      I see what you did there! 😄

    • @WindFireAllThatKindOfThing
      @WindFireAllThatKindOfThing Před rokem +10

      He also subjugated Lo Pan, and imposed on him that horrible curse of no flesh in 272 B.C.

    • @Michaelmackdonald
      @Michaelmackdonald Před rokem +1

      Civ 6 lol 😂

    • @peepinR
      @peepinR Před rokem

      Nice. I love using that faction. I dominate whenever I use them. I can just outspend every other civ and destroy them.

  • @GreatSageSunWukong
    @GreatSageSunWukong Před rokem +68

    The British museum extracted his mummy from the tomb long ago, and then he tried to kill brendan fraser, for me he crossed the line there and will never be forgiven for that.

  • @phranerphamily
    @phranerphamily Před rokem +33

    I was so very lucky to get to see these in person in April of 2021. My husband was working in China and we had been there throughout the pandemic and I told him there was no way I was coming back without seeing the terracotta warriors. Fortunately China had opened travel back up inside the country so we were able to hop a high speed train from Beijing go down to Xi'an for a couple of days and it was amazing. I wish everyone could see this. It's a definitely a wonder of the world.

    • @shanshan8129
      @shanshan8129 Před rokem

      Have you been to Lhasa and visited Potala Palace? If not, I highly recommend you take a visit, you won’t regret. It’s really amazing😭😭

    • @phranerphamily
      @phranerphamily Před rokem +3

      @@shanshan8129 unfortunately we're back in the US now. The only places we got to go because COVID happened while we were there We got to visit the summer palace, tiananmen square, and the forbidden City as well as some other fun places in Beijing like the astronomy spot up on the original Beijing wall. We did get to go to Shanghai where we visited Shanghai Disney and yu garden plus the district around it. And then we got to go to Xi'an where we saw the Muslim quarter the wall and the terracotta warriors. It was really hard to do travel with COVID and so many of the lockdowns. We had gone to the UK just prior to COVID in the early part of December 2019 and so I have lots of pictures of our travel there had I known that this was coming of course we would have done more travel inside of China. I hope that we are able to get back there sometime in my lifetime and do some of the places and see some of the things that we were unable to do. Especially getting down into Southern China which we weren't able to do it all. If you want to see some of my pictures you can do so I'm Mrs Phraner on Instagram.

  • @lenger1234
    @lenger1234 Před rokem +16

    Really amazing. I was super fortunate to go and see them in 2017.

  • @theresehopkins1581
    @theresehopkins1581 Před rokem +5

    Found a cure for being a bit under the weather:... bingeing Simon Whistler videos!!!! Added benefit:... acquisition of knowledge!!! Thanks Simon!!!

  • @BeyondEcstasy
    @BeyondEcstasy Před rokem +18

    There's many dozens of royal mousuleums in the area. China officially will not disturb actual royal tombs (the terracotta warriors are basically a decoration outside the actual tomb) after the fiasco of the Emperor Wan Li's tomb being excavated during the cultural revolution.

    • @raaf4678
      @raaf4678 Před 3 měsíci

      What happened to this tomb is not likely to happen again I think. Mostly I think they are trying to improve their preservation technology before excavating more royal tombs.

  • @MartinKPettersson
    @MartinKPettersson Před rokem +40

    As a former Buddhist monk I used to love to watch videos like these where i got to experience the world through well produced and easy to follow videos.
    Feels like I need to start doing this again.
    Thank you for sharing!

    • @NightRogue77
      @NightRogue77 Před rokem +4

      Greetings, Bhante. I recently began walking the path, but I struggle. Social anxieties and other issues make it very difficult for me to find a Sangha, and so for 3 years I have navigated alone - I also live in an area where Buddhism is not widespread. My practice suffers, and I need guidance.
      May I trouble you for some guidance? Thank you 🙏🏻

    • @jonhall2274
      @jonhall2274 Před rokem +7

      What happened for you to become a "former" Buddhist? Did you stop the practice, or is there some reason that you're unable to still "be"(as in currently) a Buddhist Monk?

    • @LostLargeCats
      @LostLargeCats Před rokem +6

      @@jonhall2274 he found the internet.

    • @jeraldbaxter3532
      @jeraldbaxter3532 Před rokem +3

      @@LostLargeCats "Let each websearch his own salvation with diligence."😉

    • @MartinKPettersson
      @MartinKPettersson Před rokem +2

      @@LostLargeCats 🤣

  • @ignitionfrn2223
    @ignitionfrn2223 Před rokem +13

    1:30 - Chapter 1 - The 1st emperor
    5:05 - Chapter 2 - Constructing the mausoleum
    9:40 - Chapter 3 - What lies beneath ?
    15:40 - Chapter 4 - Bound in blood
    18:05 - Chapter 5 - The end of the qin empire

  • @AudraK
    @AudraK Před rokem +93

    I saw the terra-cotta soldiers a handful of years ago. One example that stuck in my memory was how the roof tile builders had to put their mark on each tile, so if it failed they could track the creator down and punish or kill them

    • @Ealsante
      @Ealsante Před rokem +16

      That's a feature that has been passed down through the dynasties - Ming Dynasty Great Wall bricks also have factory marks stamped on them, for instance.

    • @levelazn
      @levelazn Před rokem +5

      ​@@Ealsante hence made in china :P

    • @jfletcher1029
      @jfletcher1029 Před 8 měsíci +4

      It was probably the first implementation of Quality Assurance for mass manufacturing.

    • @shawnn6541
      @shawnn6541 Před 8 měsíci

      Ooohhhh didn't know that

    • @DaddyBear205
      @DaddyBear205 Před 8 měsíci

      That’s where the QA from 😂

  • @Craftlngo
    @Craftlngo Před rokem +76

    Simon, you should consider making an episode on China's naval Fleet at the beginning of the fifteenth century also known as the _Treasure Fleet_ under the command of the Admiral _Zheng He._ He undertook seven expeditions to the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian sea and south-east Asia. The chinese Naval fleet was the largest fleet in the world at this time.

    • @Thinkofwhat
      @Thinkofwhat Před rokem

      And Simon will start with….the enormous Ming Dynasty DICTATORSHIP treasure fleets sail the south sea DICTATING south East Asian kingdoms:)

    • @tonbopro
      @tonbopro Před rokem +2

      He did

    • @pass3d
      @pass3d Před rokem +1

      郑和的纪录片够多了,可以找找CCTV的,以前有过。

  • @garethmurtagh2814
    @garethmurtagh2814 Před rokem +5

    This is amazing, the description of the mausoleum with Mercury rivers and crossbow booby traps sounds like an Indiana Jones movie!

  • @Hoo88846
    @Hoo88846 Před rokem +41

    Xi’an is definitely a beautiful ancient capital of many dynasties, including Qin, Han, Tang dynasties. I was there a few years ago and it was amazing seeing the whole terra Cotta Amy along with the museums there with great ancient artifacts.
    I am currently watching “Qin Dynasty Epic”, searchable on CZcams, on the life of Qin Shihuang Ying Zheng. Pretty interesting and amazing production done in Hengdian China World Movie Studios. Maybe you can do a video on Hengdian China World Movie Studios as well, another Chinese mega project.

    • @wingerding
      @wingerding Před 2 měsíci

      No one alive has seen the whole army.

  • @WayOfAges
    @WayOfAges Před 10 měsíci +11

    The first emperor appears to have pioneered the concept of mass production. The interchangeable metal crossbow parts found at this site were all cast from the same molds. As briefly depicted in the Jet Li movie “Hero”, the mass-produced crossbows required minimal training and enabled this army to overwhelm its opponents before ever engaging them in close combat.

    • @shycracker
      @shycracker Před 7 měsíci +2

      Not him, but someone who served under him.
      Qin Chi Huang is basically like Cao Cao, a pragmatic technocrat.

    • @WayOfAges
      @WayOfAges Před 7 měsíci

      @@shycracker Good point. We shouldn’t expect the emperor himself to have invented the whole concept.

  • @noreavad
    @noreavad Před rokem +1

    It is always fascinating to watch these videos. Such a good quality of information and images.

  • @EmilyJelassi
    @EmilyJelassi Před rokem +23

    Fascinating video! Ancient Chinese history is so interesting. Have you done a Biographics video on the first emperor? If not, please do that! Excellent video as always Simon and team!
    😊🙌🏻🔥👏🏻

    • @Hoo88846
      @Hoo88846 Před rokem

      Check out “Qin Dynasty Epic”, a Chinese historical drama based on Qin Shi Huang. Searchable on CZcams.

  • @Piperdogloveshats
    @Piperdogloveshats Před rokem +4

    The scale of the mausoleum is so beyond my compensation … the detail, size, artistry, labor… I’ve watched and read a bit on it and I can never seem to quite wrap my head around it. And the cruelty needed to enforce the labor necessary. I don’t know exactly how it compares with the pyramids in Egypt but in my mind this blows them away. Even as a kid i remember hearing about the rivers of mercury and not being able to get that mental image out of my head. I know it’s not proven but it seems that the written accounts have been under exaggerated more often than over… I’m rambling but my goodness!

  • @Yyxqq123
    @Yyxqq123 Před 7 měsíci +3

    Went there with the family last week, absolutely astonishing, like many have said, in person there is no word to describe what’s in front of you, and to think they did this thousands of years ago, amazing!

  • @carloswilliams9144
    @carloswilliams9144 Před rokem +3

    Definitely,aisan history is fascinating. Another great video Simon.

  • @gregwilson9523
    @gregwilson9523 Před rokem +1

    Thank you for your presentations

  • @Alan-pv2bi
    @Alan-pv2bi Před rokem +3

    Fortunately I was able to visit this site in 2010. Truly incredible.

  • @ronaldschultenover8137
    @ronaldschultenover8137 Před rokem +5

    China is the most incredible country I have ever visited

  • @Chrismina500
    @Chrismina500 Před 9 měsíci

    It would be so amazing to one day see inside of this tomb. I can imagine how beautiful the sky made of precious gems glistening would be.

  • @daning9764
    @daning9764 Před rokem +1

    Nice summary, even though a brush over and inaccuracies here and there, to be expected. Overall well done!

  • @kptyler5
    @kptyler5 Před měsícem

    Now this is how a tomb should be!!!!! Amazing stunning beautiful!!!

  • @directxxxx71
    @directxxxx71 Před rokem +10

    In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang also ordered the construction of Lingqu canal (simplified Chinese: 灵渠; traditional Chinese: 靈渠; pinyin: Líng Qú) connecting the Xiang and the Li rivers, in order to attack and conquer Vietnam. The architect who designed the canal was Shi Lu (Chinese: 史祿). It is the oldest contour canal in the world, receiving its water from the Xiang. Its length reaches 36.4 km and it was fitted with thirty-seven flash locks by 825 AD and there is a clear description of pound locks in the twelfth century, which were probably installed in the tenth or eleventh century. Its design also served water conservation by diverting up to a third of the flow of the Xiang to the Li.
    The canal has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative list.
    Thanks to this canal, he did successfully conquered Vietnam by building a water way chain for military supply all the way from central China to southern part of China near Vietnam. It connects li river, Xiang river, Yangtze river and Han river.
    China literally has had mega projects since before the birth of Jesus Christ to this day 😂😂😂

  • @anonymousrex5207
    @anonymousrex5207 Před rokem +14

    I've always been so curious as to what they are going to find when they finally get inside of the tomb and are able to explore it properly... should be fascinating.

    • @hisham1526
      @hisham1526 Před rokem

      Yeah, any plans to do that?

    • @sliceofheaven3026
      @sliceofheaven3026 Před rokem +1

      @@hisham1526 Think I read that it is thought that the actual tomb is filled with supposed "rivers of" mercury. So opening the tomb could be potentially pretty hazardous at the moment with current technologies for excavation. Some estimates say that there is: "Based on estimates of mercury production in the Song era, they believe that at most we would be talking about around 100 tonnes, approximately 7 cubic metres. We may never know the secrets of the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang."

    • @kuchikopi4631
      @kuchikopi4631 Před 8 měsíci

      Mercury

    • @KidaRosado
      @KidaRosado Před 4 měsíci

      Im surprised no one has suggested drones or robots. You could only briefly open it for them to go in and have an extremely long wire attached to prevent signal problems after you close it back up. Then we can at least have an idea of what is in there and what all we would need to figure out how to preserve before potentially truly opening it. It would also be a good way to safely set off any potential traps.
      Although Im not sure how the high levels of Mercury could affect such delicate machinery…

  • @conservativemike3768
    @conservativemike3768 Před 8 měsíci +2

    Calling Ch’in a crazy, murderous bastard is a monumental understatement, but the unrivaled historical treasures left behind in his wake are testament to Asian culture and art.

  • @jeremythornton433
    @jeremythornton433 Před rokem

    This is amazing! Weird hats though.

  • @truemoayyed8482
    @truemoayyed8482 Před rokem

    Thanks Simon

  • @TangoLima1
    @TangoLima1 Před rokem +4

    Sima Qian the grand historian. His surname is Sima. Qian is his name. Sima is one of about a dozen compound Chinese surnames. Most Chinese surnames are of one character. Our host Simon Whistler seem to think "Qian " is the last name.
    Emperor Qin's full title is Qin Shi Huangdi which translate to First Emperor of Qin. Previously all other states rulers used the title "king" or "huang". But this Qin guy one upped everybody and gave himself the title of "huangdi" or "emperor".

  • @solo2r
    @solo2r Před rokem +1

    I have been there and IS the most amazing place I have ever seen!

  • @sferris33
    @sferris33 Před rokem +3

    Very well done. Maybe consider doing a video on Japan's maglev bullet train.

  • @theposguy1435
    @theposguy1435 Před rokem +4

    I have been thinking about this over the past few days, but I could not think where it's located ... crazy !
    Thanks for the video

  • @andreagriffiths3512
    @andreagriffiths3512 Před 7 měsíci +1

    Fascinating.

  • @amritbanga380
    @amritbanga380 Před rokem +1

    I remember hearing about this tomb in 2nd grade, about 17 years ago. I’ve been waiting for them to get inside there ever since

    • @PEOPLE393
      @PEOPLE393 Před rokem

      😂我也想要看看陵墓里面有多少好东西,整个帝国的好东西可能都在里面

  • @TanyaLairdCivil
    @TanyaLairdCivil Před rokem +37

    Now I need to see a horror movie where Qin Shi Huang actually did succeed in his quest for immortality. The "tomb" is just his house. He's still alive, just hanging out down there! He was content to mind his own business, until some archaeologists busted down his front door...

    • @infinitsai
      @infinitsai Před rokem +13

      Ever heard of mummy 3?

    • @TanyaLairdCivil
      @TanyaLairdCivil Před rokem +6

      @@infinitsai Apparently not. Well I'll be damned. Looks like they already made it!

    • @MrLyons77
      @MrLyons77 Před rokem +3

      Sounds like the beginning to a great dark comedy lollll

    • @anngo4140
      @anngo4140 Před rokem +3

      "The Myth" by Jackie Chan is loosely similar to that, albeit the movie wasn't great, lovely song though.

    • @capricorn839
      @capricorn839 Před rokem +2

      I think you watched too much of The Mummy movies that you had lost touch of reality

  • @JohnnyWednesday
    @JohnnyWednesday Před rokem +47

    How can you do an entire episode on the Mausoleum and not even talk about the Emperor's unopened tomb?!

    • @jeffreyyoung4104
      @jeffreyyoung4104 Před rokem +9

      I believe the delay is due to the unknown tomb contents. If the rumors are true, then there is going to be a pool or lake of mercury, and other dangerous stuff may be the major deterrent.

    • @craigmoran893
      @craigmoran893 Před rokem

      I bet they opened it in secret, and sealed it up again. Where dealing with the Communist Party here

    • @jeffreyyoung4104
      @jeffreyyoung4104 Před rokem +3

      @@craigmoran893 Perhaps, but, the opening of the tomb would be too obvious to do now, as there is too much security and tourism at the site for authorized or unauthorized digging without the announcement to the media.
      We may not see the opening until the government decides who and what happens with the contents. As they botched the original opening of the site for the digging of the terracotta army.
      The strange thing about the tomb is, there may be many more of them, but the government does not allow any excavations of those either.

    • @SMDoktorPepper
      @SMDoktorPepper Před rokem +3

      The fear of booby traps literally thousands of years old is going to be hilarious when it collapses in one of the fairly frequent earthquakes

    • @craigmoran893
      @craigmoran893 Před rokem

      @@jeffreyyoung4104 were talking about The ccp, i reckon its been plundered in secret. but if not - i think the traps are a lame excuse. just send in robots.

  • @L.Kramaric965
    @L.Kramaric965 Před 8 měsíci

    FINALLY OPEN IT !!! DAMN

  • @ac1455
    @ac1455 Před rokem +4

    4:09 a little misleading, complex writing has been around at least a millennia by then though probably older than that, he just standardized it. Now that I think about it, that maybe partially why he burned so many historical texts

  • @vic5015
    @vic5015 Před rokem +29

    My mom is an art historian and she believes that Sima Qian's claims of booby traps and the Chinese government's refusal to permit a full excavation are to hide the tomb already having been looted. Not recently, but probably some time in antiquity.

    • @therearenoshortcuts9868
      @therearenoshortcuts9868 Před rokem +11

      this is actually quite likely
      the uprising that followed his death were by those who hated his rule
      i mean the tomb is right there just finished a short while ago... why wouldn't they take revenge by opening it and destroying everything inside?

    • @nanonano9971
      @nanonano9971 Před rokem

      Reasons why people think Qin Shi Huang Tomb has never been robbed.
      1. There are no signs of the theft inside Qin Shi Huang Tomb.
      In order to explore the Underground Palace of Qin Shi Huang’s Tomb, the archaeological team used remote sensing and geophysical methods. Probing data shows that there are 4-meter-thick (13 feet) walls around the underground palace, which are also surrounded by bricks. The team found several tunnels leading to the underground palace, and found that the soil in the tunnels was not damaged by human disturbance. They also found some stealing holes, but they were far from and never led to the underground palace.

      In addition, archaeological team found that there were high levels of mercury detected in the Underground Palace of Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, which was a strong evidence that Qin Shi Huang Tomb had not been robbed. Because once the underground palace was stolen, the mercury would evaporate along the stealing holes.
      more at the source: www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/tomb-robbery.htm#:~:text=They%20also%20found%20some%20stealing,Tomb%20had%20not%20been%20robbed.

    • @andrewsuryali8540
      @andrewsuryali8540 Před rokem +12

      @@therearenoshortcuts9868 The necropolis was looted at least twice during the fall of Qin a few years after the first emperor's death. The terracotta army actually carried real weaponry when they were interred, so when the Qin core territories were under threat from Liu Bang's army, it is possible the Qin themselves opened up the necropolis to grab the weapons (and treasures) kept in there. The second time it was probably rebels, because they burned down the entire edifice. There are still charred remnants of timber structures found with the warriors. There used to be ceremonial halls and gardens surrounding the tomb itself. All of them were destroyed during the fall of Qin.

    • @sallyjune4109
      @sallyjune4109 Před rokem +9

      See, this is why I read the comments. Thank you for the insights.

    • @imprisonedone8054
      @imprisonedone8054 Před rokem

      @@sallyjune4109 After Qi Shi Huang death the Xiognu tried to invade China. Luckily he builded a wall to stop them.

  • @vic5015
    @vic5015 Před rokem +16

    I once asked my dad, who is Korean, what he was taught about Qin Shi Huangdi in school. He said that students are told that Qin Shi Huangdi is regarded as a brutal dictator who was also a brilliant general, leader, and administrator. And his brutality seens to have been excused as necessary in order to unify China.

    • @ABC1701A
      @ABC1701A Před rokem +8

      In fairness he was hardly alone in that, many of the great unifiers/dictators were brutal, but in those days I'm not certain they could have achieved what they did without this. Different times.

    • @vic5015
      @vic5015 Před rokem +1

      @@ABC1701A ancient enmpires seem to have relied quite a bit on brute force and coercion. And China does not have much of a history of democratic rule based on the consent of the governed.

    • @user-qg8mp7vm5l
      @user-qg8mp7vm5l Před rokem

      @@vic5015 Absolutely, living in ancient India, you may be an untouchable low caste all your life. Living in Europe you could be killed for being gay and not agreeing with God. In modern Britain, there was a bloody law that if you stole bread, you might be beheaded. In China you can become the prime minister of the empire because of outstanding exam results.

    • @hyena8385
      @hyena8385 Před rokem +3

      Yeah let's face it, it's only in extremely recent times that empire building in the old fashioned sense of military conquest has ceased.
      I mean for example, let the gentlemanly demeanor of the Brits not fool anyone, democratic practices at home were not exactly exported to either the practice of conquering land which was done with lethal force or in governing them once conquered when rule on the natives was done with an iron fist.

    • @thisasiankidistrashfordram374
      @thisasiankidistrashfordram374 Před 10 měsíci

      TBF, the Akkadian, Persian, & Roman Empires were brutal too. Administering & taking control of previously Independent Kingdoms is a puzzle.
      If you're gonna try to Unify & keep those massive Kingdoms loyal & unable to separate from the new, centralized authority, using Fear & Brute Force were the most frequent solutions, especially in the 200 BCs.
      The previous Zhou dynasty had been run as a massive federation of Feudal states for 800 years (like Medieval Europe but Bigger) & had lost Centralized control because the Feudal States & Feudal lords got too powerful &/or because the Zhou rulers had gotten too weak. The 1st Emperor probably feared becoming like the later Zhou rulers. And in those days, Strength = Military Force.

  • @fajarn7052
    @fajarn7052 Před rokem

    I've read Kingdom, my body is ready for this...wooo..

  • @bellybutton6138
    @bellybutton6138 Před rokem +2

    If not for the belief of afterlife, we will never find these 'treasures' which tells us so much of the history and culture of the past. I am super curious about his final resting place. If the surroundings are already so grand, I cannot imagine what we will find.

  • @tophers3756
    @tophers3756 Před rokem +3

    Imagine the kind of domination such an emporer would exercised over his subjects to achieve such projects and wealth.

  • @starman6468
    @starman6468 Před rokem +1

    Imagine if we put this much dedication to our modern projects…

  • @karlnapp2740
    @karlnapp2740 Před rokem +1

    In 1991 you could still climb up stairs to the top of the mausoleum hill, just checked my old pictures with a row of vendor shacks at the base. You can still make out the old path in the middle of the video at 9:35.

  • @Malusdarkblades11
    @Malusdarkblades11 Před rokem +1

    I was lucky enough to visit there twice. It is really worth it. In my opinion more than the great wall.

  • @GetInGarage
    @GetInGarage Před rokem +1

    Was there in 2009, amazing place

  • @RussellMillers
    @RussellMillers Před rokem

    The past was THE WORST! Great Vid :)

  • @waynegazard5038
    @waynegazard5038 Před rokem +5

    I was told by a guide when I visited it ,the Chinese will wait until they feel they have the technology to open up main tomb he explained early archaeologists used dynamite in Egypt to access sites and even used concrete to reinstate their version of how it could of looked in crete for example after a few thousand years another 50 or so isn't going to hurt as it's fully protected against robbery now.

    • @dayangmarikit6860
      @dayangmarikit6860 Před rokem +2

      Yeah, when they first discovered the terracotta army, they were painted with bright colors, but the paint quickly decayed when they got exposed to air.

    • @waynegazard5038
      @waynegazard5038 Před rokem +2

      @Dayang Marikit the amount of work needed to re assemble terracotta warriors mind blowing had always assumed they'd been found intact, the green faced kneeling archer for example even the detail on the soles of his shoes, armour weapons, hair and caps described their rank and status so much lost information come to light

  • @did4h2k
    @did4h2k Před rokem +4

    back in 2003 during sars i travelled china. when we got to xian we had the whole (visitable) mausoleum to ourselves! i am not shitting you, there were maybe 3 other visitors... most amazing experience ever

    • @miaomiaochan
      @miaomiaochan Před rokem

      Consider yourself fortunate to have had a tourist attraction in China all to yourself (almost). Under normal circumstances, if a tourist attraction isn't crowded to the point of you being able to smell people's breaths, then something is wrong.

    • @nicholasmacdonald1
      @nicholasmacdonald1 Před rokem +1

      2003? Yeah, I’ve heard the same thing from expats who lived there back then- during the SARS scare and it’s aftermath all the tourist attractions were empty, so it was a great time to go! :)

  • @Jtworthy1
    @Jtworthy1 Před rokem +1

    Oh my god yes I love this subject

  • @bankerdave888
    @bankerdave888 Před rokem +2

    There is a fresh new emperor in the making right now!

  • @williemcdowell6319
    @williemcdowell6319 Před rokem

    I want this guy's voice on everything I use I could listen to this guy all day

    • @nuntana2
      @nuntana2 Před rokem

      Really? He’s clearly very well read and intelligent, but tricky to understand on occasion I thought and I’m English.

    • @jameswatson5807
      @jameswatson5807 Před 8 měsíci

      @@nuntana2 You got to be joking are you from Liverpool😁

  • @fakshen1973
    @fakshen1973 Před rokem

    Anna sliding it in at the end like Indiana Jones saving his hat... damn... BURN...

  • @TheIndependentLens
    @TheIndependentLens Před 6 měsíci

    I went to the 1982 World’s Fair and the China exhibit had some of the figures and artifacts from the tomb along with pieces from the Great Wall.

  • @centurycountess4949
    @centurycountess4949 Před rokem +3

    This was years ago, so I am going from what i remember. i know it may never happen but i would love it if one day they found the tomb of consort Zheng Fei. According to the article i ready way back in junior year highschool she was Fusu's mother and that a song or poem she was asked by the emperor to sing continuously. there was a lyric in the song/ poem that the emperor got the idea to name his first born son Fusu from. We don't know of prince fusu's birth date but according to what I heard he was somewhere in his thirties. if this is true his birth had to of fallen somewhere around the time the first assignation attempt on the emperor happen and his own birth mother conspired with her lover and the help of the prime minster to dethrone him. the emperor's mother's lover was getting upset at the delayed plan it's know what was causing the cold feet but The Emperor mother's lover outed the crime during a drunken fit. this is just a theory but i wonder if Fusu's birth may have been the result of the delay. so it be interesting if that may have been the case but that;s just a theory i had years ago in junior high. it might also explain what happened to fusu's mother. she may have died at childbirth or since the incident was so traumatic for the emperor that he vowed to never have an empress so fusu's mother was killed to get rid of a weakness as much as i hate to say it that way. years later when Fusu went against his father for the burning of scriptures and scholars, The emperor's action of sending fusu out was possibly for three reasons. One, he still has a hidden secret affection for the consort and couldn't kill the last link to their love. Two, in a more modern way The emperor wanted his son to toughen up so he sent him away to give him a tougher character believing him too soft for pleading mercy for others. Three: both one and two. this was to help fusu toughen up for the future and to protect the last link he had before became the man who he had become. This is all just a theory that I just wanted to share. not fighting to prove just i just wanted to mention it since i never had the chance. But i digress. going back to earlier like I said if they did find that consort's tomb, imagine what we may find. not saying we will find anything big but at least a side of emperor that was lost long ago when a traumatic incident changed him.

  • @bryanschmidt7336
    @bryanschmidt7336 Před rokem

    This gives hubris and excess whole new meanings

  • @karinac.3378
    @karinac.3378 Před rokem

    I have been there just a week ago😂❤ it was amazing!!!

  • @schaind11
    @schaind11 Před rokem +8

    Currently, Jay Leno is the king of the chin. 😊

  • @evapaparisteidou9040
    @evapaparisteidou9040 Před rokem

    Thank you for being so kind to explain to me what the video was about. Those who made the video should have done a better job.

  • @deannaharper7589
    @deannaharper7589 Před rokem

    Could you do an episode on the Siberian mammoth ivory fields and trade please?

  • @williamkeeton3793
    @williamkeeton3793 Před rokem +1

    How are we not calling Simon “Mister Whistler”

  • @joewright2304
    @joewright2304 Před 2 měsíci

    I'm actually surprised that no one has thought of drilling a hole from the top of the mausoleum and lowering a camera to see what is actually there.

  • @finstor3386
    @finstor3386 Před rokem

    China, Inda and the middle east are endlessly facinating.

  • @MikeBaxterABC
    @MikeBaxterABC Před rokem

    I vested at a mall somewhere in Toronto .. way off in a corner, with no pomp or circumstance ... are exact scale models of a dozen or so, of the terracotta army .. so you can touch them and get a pic taken. I don't remember what the models are made of .. concrete maybe?

  • @Lp-ze1tg
    @Lp-ze1tg Před rokem +2

    The man who only aimed at one goal and united many nations into one country. Millions death to fulfilled his goal and he went on to sacrificed millions more to finish the great wall. Those achievements are based on the blood and soul of the innocence.

    • @80130723
      @80130723 Před rokem

      Kill one man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill them all, and you are a God. Great achievement is never for small person like you.

    • @humanunknown4273
      @humanunknown4273 Před 8 měsíci

      "Nothing is free on this world, as everything has a price. It is up to you if you are willing to pay it"

  • @pmc2999
    @pmc2999 Před rokem

    I would love to see the contents of the actual tomb. Unfortunately I've read the archeologists have no plans to open the tomb until better archeological methods are available.

  • @UncleRosie
    @UncleRosie Před 2 měsíci

    Simon Whistler has a slant on everything

  • @antawn7174
    @antawn7174 Před rokem +3

    This has nothing to do with anything but this story is being adapted into a really good manga

  • @pamelahomeyer748
    @pamelahomeyer748 Před rokem +3

    This King sent huge ships out all over the world in search of Mercury and for some reason he was using mercury to prolong his life because for some reason early on it helped his health. People in South America were already saving Mercury also

    • @andyginterblues2961
      @andyginterblues2961 Před rokem

      Mercury poisoning has to be a nasty way to dy...

    • @Shin_Lona
      @Shin_Lona Před rokem +1

      Mercury is central in all alchemical traditions. China and India both use it in their traditional medicines. Supposedly when it is prepared correctly, it isn't toxic and is safe to consume. I wouldn't chance it, personally. 😆

  • @LuisLopez2
    @LuisLopez2 Před rokem +2

    For reference, the City of Pasadena, California is 22+ square miles.

  • @edkah5971
    @edkah5971 Před rokem

    Where did you get this information

  • @CeasarJames
    @CeasarJames Před rokem

    Simon please do a gobeki Teppei

  • @rogerpenske2411
    @rogerpenske2411 Před rokem

    SimonYou need to do a video on who invented the fortune cookie

  • @orin526
    @orin526 Před rokem

    Would there be a chance to make a video about the “Soviet battle mole”?

  • @user-cu9ju8cl1u
    @user-cu9ju8cl1u Před 8 měsíci +1

    The only difficulty in opening this tomb is oxidation, and without the technology to prevent oxidation, the information stored inside could literally disappear from this world

  • @pianoprimo1715
    @pianoprimo1715 Před 4 měsíci

    Good informative. The speaker, Simon - has an Uncanny resemblance to Ryan Reynolds.

  • @deannasutterfield5950

    You've missed the fact that some of the paint found on the terra Cotta warriors was a super conductor

  • @extraterrestrial7424
    @extraterrestrial7424 Před 5 měsíci +1

    I think this is the man from whom the creators of Stargate's Ra took inspiration.

  • @steveballmersbaldspot2.095
    @steveballmersbaldspot2.095 Před 6 měsíci

    I hope they're able to excavate the tomb proper in my lifetime. I imagine it'd be spectacular in there if it's still in one piece.

  • @hiimryan2388
    @hiimryan2388 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Idk if this was stated in the video (I didn’t watch it fully) but it is very likely the grave was robbed by Xiang yu which was why some of the spear heads and other weapons are missing.

  • @phillipstrait9387
    @phillipstrait9387 Před 2 měsíci

    Remember seeing a few of these on a field trip in elementary school they were displayed in a recently closed high school in Columbus Ohio, seeing them up close even as a kid you could see the detail each statue had to be modeled after an actual person, the teacher pulling a couple kids to walk with her and a chaperone so they wouldn't TOUCH anything had a few Chinese guards thru out the school next to I would guess were more important, it's very impressive

  • @wildsquirrelswildsquirrel7286

    There is a way to map the interior of Qin Shi Huang Di's tomb without having to use a pick or shovel ---- satellite ultrasound imaging & a Egyptologist has been using such technology to uncover buried buildings hidden beneath the sands in Egypt.
    Ultrasound imaging is certainly precise & showing the conturing footings of buildings walls to show the layout which is much better than the old ground penetrating radar which doesn't show buried buildings wall footings.

    • @hyena8385
      @hyena8385 Před rokem

      Sounds good (excuse ze pun)- I hope it works and more importantly isn't destructive in nature. Otherwise it's ultrasound turns tomb into ultra pile of poop

  • @imscaredandconfused
    @imscaredandconfused Před rokem

    Oh wow. English is my second language and i always thought that you write "Mausoleum" something like "Mussolium". I think it came to my mind from Mussolini :D