Attitude Towards the Afterlife
Photo to the left:
(Emperor Qin Shihuang)
Burial Practices of the Qin Dynasty
Chinese religion is not an organized, unified system of beliefs and practices. It has no leadership, headquarters, founder, or denominations. Instead, Chinese religion is a term describing the complex interaction of different philosophical traditions that have been influential throughout the culture of Ancient China. The ancient Chinese had a unique and complex perspective on the afterlife and how one was to achieve it. In Chinese culture it’s believed that death is the prolongation of life and instead of believing in individual salvation, the ancient Chinese believed that the dead would continue in the spirit life as much as they had done in their previous life on earth.
Throughout the Ancient dynasties of China, Emperors went to extraordinary efforts of ensuring their afterlife would consist of the same quality as their earthly existence. During the dynasties of Ancient China there were continual changes in the concept of burial practices. Each dynasty was marked by particular practises that set it aside from the previous Dynasties. While human sacrifices and chariot burials where a feature of the Shang times, the Qin period that followed is known for its impressive tombs and burial bits, such as those of the first emperors (Heinemann: Funerary practices, page 30). The discoveries that came from Emperor Qin’s tomb and burial bits have provided archaeologists with the insight into the rituals involved in burying the dead and shed light on the attitudes towards the afterlife in the period of the Qin Dynasty. It was believed that an individual’s social life in the afterlife replicated the life they lived throughout their earthly existence. This Belief heavily influenced Emperor Qin who was infatuated with trying to achieve immortality.
The Tomb to insure Immortality
In 1974 the fertile ground of Xi'an, China produced a spectacular discovery. Buried in the soil farmers came across a beautifully sculpted head, one by one figures of soldiers emerged until a complete clay army was unearthed. From ancient records this entire army was believed to have been created to escort the founding father of the Chinese empire into eternity. Qin Shi Huangdi came to power 246BC at the age of thirteen. Qin’s early reign was spent at war with the feuding states, eventually uniting most of what is now China. He standardised writing, currency, weights and measurements, built a series of highways and he commissioned the first version of the great wall. Despite Qin’s enormous achievements, he wanted more, he wanted immortality.
To achieve this he began building a second empire to accompany him into the afterlife. This underground empire was to become one of the largest burial pits on earth. Shi Ji (Records of the Historian) by Sima Qian provides us with evidence that Qin’s Tomb reflects his fixation of immortality (Wolff, 2007). This Document tells us what actually rests in the tomb with the Emperors body and though it has not been verified by visual evidence the fact that the terracotta army is not just legend lends some credibility to what Qian claims.
(Emperor Qin Shihuang)
Burial Practices of the Qin Dynasty
Chinese religion is not an organized, unified system of beliefs and practices. It has no leadership, headquarters, founder, or denominations. Instead, Chinese religion is a term describing the complex interaction of different philosophical traditions that have been influential throughout the culture of Ancient China. The ancient Chinese had a unique and complex perspective on the afterlife and how one was to achieve it. In Chinese culture it’s believed that death is the prolongation of life and instead of believing in individual salvation, the ancient Chinese believed that the dead would continue in the spirit life as much as they had done in their previous life on earth.
Throughout the Ancient dynasties of China, Emperors went to extraordinary efforts of ensuring their afterlife would consist of the same quality as their earthly existence. During the dynasties of Ancient China there were continual changes in the concept of burial practices. Each dynasty was marked by particular practises that set it aside from the previous Dynasties. While human sacrifices and chariot burials where a feature of the Shang times, the Qin period that followed is known for its impressive tombs and burial bits, such as those of the first emperors (Heinemann: Funerary practices, page 30). The discoveries that came from Emperor Qin’s tomb and burial bits have provided archaeologists with the insight into the rituals involved in burying the dead and shed light on the attitudes towards the afterlife in the period of the Qin Dynasty. It was believed that an individual’s social life in the afterlife replicated the life they lived throughout their earthly existence. This Belief heavily influenced Emperor Qin who was infatuated with trying to achieve immortality.
The Tomb to insure Immortality
In 1974 the fertile ground of Xi'an, China produced a spectacular discovery. Buried in the soil farmers came across a beautifully sculpted head, one by one figures of soldiers emerged until a complete clay army was unearthed. From ancient records this entire army was believed to have been created to escort the founding father of the Chinese empire into eternity. Qin Shi Huangdi came to power 246BC at the age of thirteen. Qin’s early reign was spent at war with the feuding states, eventually uniting most of what is now China. He standardised writing, currency, weights and measurements, built a series of highways and he commissioned the first version of the great wall. Despite Qin’s enormous achievements, he wanted more, he wanted immortality.
To achieve this he began building a second empire to accompany him into the afterlife. This underground empire was to become one of the largest burial pits on earth. Shi Ji (Records of the Historian) by Sima Qian provides us with evidence that Qin’s Tomb reflects his fixation of immortality (Wolff, 2007). This Document tells us what actually rests in the tomb with the Emperors body and though it has not been verified by visual evidence the fact that the terracotta army is not just legend lends some credibility to what Qian claims.
During his life Qin had tried several ways to find the answer to eternal life: he drank elixirs of jade and mercury, he climbed mountains (the legendary resting places of the gods), and he even sent hundreds of children out onto the sea to search for the rumoured islands inhabited by wise men who supposedly knew the secret to immortality.
(Photo to the right- 19th century ukiyo-e depicting the ships of the great sea expedition sent around 219 BC by the first Chinese Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, to find the legendary home of the immortals)
(Photo to the right- 19th century ukiyo-e depicting the ships of the great sea expedition sent around 219 BC by the first Chinese Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, to find the legendary home of the immortals)
Photo to the left; (Illustration depicting Emperor Qins Tomb)
We are aware more than seven thousand warriors, archers, cavalry, charioteers and foot soldiers guard his tomb. It’s believed Qin envisioned his life after death to include civilians as well as government officials to serve him, acrobats, dancers, singers, animals. The Emperors burial mound itself, which, though unexcavated was described in detail in Shiji (Records of the Historian) an account written about a century after his death in 210Bc; “more than 700 000 conscripts from all parts of the country worked there” the text relates, “The tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions and offices as well as fine vessels precious stone and rarities. Artisans were ordered to fix crossbows so that any thief breaking in would be shot. All the country streams including the Yellow River and the Yangzi were reproduced in quicksilver and by some mechanical means were made to flow into a miniature ocean. The Heavenly constellations were shown above and the regions of the earth below”. (Brown, 2003). This account may seem unrealistic, but there may in fact be some truth in it. Tests on the soil near and under Mount Li have shown unusually high concentrations of mercury (Krasner 1995) which lends support to Shiji records.
We are aware more than seven thousand warriors, archers, cavalry, charioteers and foot soldiers guard his tomb. It’s believed Qin envisioned his life after death to include civilians as well as government officials to serve him, acrobats, dancers, singers, animals. The Emperors burial mound itself, which, though unexcavated was described in detail in Shiji (Records of the Historian) an account written about a century after his death in 210Bc; “more than 700 000 conscripts from all parts of the country worked there” the text relates, “The tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions and offices as well as fine vessels precious stone and rarities. Artisans were ordered to fix crossbows so that any thief breaking in would be shot. All the country streams including the Yellow River and the Yangzi were reproduced in quicksilver and by some mechanical means were made to flow into a miniature ocean. The Heavenly constellations were shown above and the regions of the earth below”. (Brown, 2003). This account may seem unrealistic, but there may in fact be some truth in it. Tests on the soil near and under Mount Li have shown unusually high concentrations of mercury (Krasner 1995) which lends support to Shiji records.
A total of 8000 clay soldiers all individually hand crafted to imitate the conquering army Qin lead during his reign not one of the two figures are the exact same, each depicts an individual with its own hairstyle, facial expression and painted details. The warrior’s craftsmanship and style astonishes scholars today, however there has been much debate over why an emperor would want each of his troops to be unique or was it Perhaps for Qin that beauty and individualism were as important as compliance and uniformity. We can only speculate based on the contents of the mausoleum for Qin himself left no records of the grand creation. There is, however, great debate over whether or not the soldiers were modelled on the actual members of Qin’s army, or if there were general patterns that the artists of the terracotta army followed (Wolff, 2007). Either or this archaeological find illustrates in depth the details of the sheer power and mass this powerful army held During the Qin Dynasty.
Records from the next dynasty indicate that Qin was not a popular ruler and was known for commanding his army with ruthless efficiency (capon 1983) His harsh politics made him many enemies among the feudal lords he conquered, and at least three assassination attempts were made on his life, these attempts are responsible for his paranoia about death and his obsession with finding the route to immortality. In 210 BC The Emperor died during one of his tours of eastern china, according to the records by Julian calendar it was reported that he died due to ingesting mercury pills made by his alchemists and court physicians. Ironically, these pills were meant to make Qin Shi Huang immortal.
Records from the next dynasty indicate that Qin was not a popular ruler and was known for commanding his army with ruthless efficiency (capon 1983) His harsh politics made him many enemies among the feudal lords he conquered, and at least three assassination attempts were made on his life, these attempts are responsible for his paranoia about death and his obsession with finding the route to immortality. In 210 BC The Emperor died during one of his tours of eastern china, according to the records by Julian calendar it was reported that he died due to ingesting mercury pills made by his alchemists and court physicians. Ironically, these pills were meant to make Qin Shi Huang immortal.