Chapter 4 Chapter 3 Wonders of Civil Engineering in Qin and Han Dynasties

After Qin merged with the Six Kingdoms, it established its capital in Xianyang and established a unified dynasty.Promote a common text, develop national transportation, and unify currency and weights and measures.In addition to building the Great Wall, repairing Chi Road, and Tongshui Road, Qin Shihuang also built the Afang Palace and built a tomb for himself in Lishan.Due to the excessive expropriation of people's power, the Qin Dynasty was overthrown by a peasant uprising led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang in only 15 years.However, during its short reign, it left behind several great projects, which have now become world-renowned attractions.

Although this name originated in the Qin Dynasty, the Great Wall already appeared around the 7th century BC.During the Warring States Period, the Great Wall built by various countries for mutual defense covered the vast areas of the Yellow River and Yangtze River Basin in China.After the unification of Qin Dynasty, most of them were demolished.In the 33rd year of the First Emperor (214 B.C.), General Meng Tian led 300,000 people to conquer the Xiongnu in the north, divided the land south of the Yellow River into 44 counties, and built the Great Wall.Mengtian took advantage of the terrain to set up pavilions and fortresses along the Yellow River and Yinshan Mountains. The north and east were along the old Great Walls of Zhao and Yan, and the west was connected by the old Great Wall of King Qin Zhao. Tao River), east to Liaodong, the Great Wall stretches for more than ten thousand miles.The Great Wall of Qin Dynasty, far north of today's Great Wall, was built with rammed earth.During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the Hexi Great Wall, which was more than 2,000 miles long, was built, and when added to the Qin Great Wall, it was more than 11,500 miles from Dunhuang to Liaodong.After Emperor Wu, Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan continued to build the city, and finally built a Great Wall stretching from Xinjiang in the west to the north bank of Heilongjiang in the east, with a total length of nearly 20,000 li.The castles are connected along the way, and the beacon fire faces each other. Half of the Silk Road is along this Great Wall.

But the Great Wall we see today was mainly built in the Ming Dynasty.In order to resist the Tatars in the north and the Jurchens in the northeast, the Ming Dynasty hardly stopped the construction of the Great Wall and consolidated the defense of the Great Wall for more than 200 years. There were as many as 18 large-scale constructions before and after.The Ming Great Wall has a total length of more than 12,700 miles, starting from the Yalu River in the east and reaching Jiayuguan in the west.Important parts are built with bricks and stones.Several heavy city walls were also built around Juyongguan, Shanhaiguan and Yanmenguan.The best preserved Ming Great Wall is Badaling Juyongguan in Beijing.There is a complete Guancheng here, and the wall foundations of the Great Wall on both sides are about 6.5 meters wide.Three or four layers of city bricks are paved on the top of the wall, and square bricks are added on the surface.There are also two-meter-high crenels built with bricks on the outside. Each crenel has a lookout on the upper part and a shooting hole below it, which can shoot the enemy.There are also drains and spouts on the wall.Since this is an important barrier to the north of the capital, the engineering requirements are particularly strict, and the city wall is very strong, which has been called "natural danger" since ancient times.In addition, Shanhaiguan and Jiayuguan at both ends of the Great Wall are known as the "No. 1 Pass in the World". They were both built in the Ming Dynasty and have remained intact to this day. They are also important scenic spots.

"There is the Great Wall in the north, and Lingqu in the south." Located in Xing'an near Guilin, Guangxi, the Qindi Lingqu is another great project initiated by Qin Shihuang to develop Lingnan.From 223 BC to 214 BC, it lasted 10 years, under the auspices of Qin County Supervisor Shi Lu, the oldest canal in the world was dug.It has a total length of 34 kilometers, and its main works are composed of Huazui, water diversion dam, discharge dam, Doumen, Qin embankment, etc. It diverts the river water into the north-south channel, which can block the river and discharge flood, adjust the water level and balance the water volume.Since Tang and Song Dynasties, gates have been repaired and added many times.Qin Dike is about two kilometers long, and it is the embankment from Nanqukou to Xing'an City. It was built by Qin when he dug the canal.There are many monuments left by the canal builders on the embankment.It is one of the most attractive scenic spots in Guilin with dense trees along the embankment and quiet environment.

The water conservancy projects built by the Qin people were not limited to Lingqu.As early as King Qin Zhao of the Warring States Period, Li Bing, governor of Shu County, built the famous Dujiangyan.This weir is near Guanxian County, Sichuan today.It is composed of three parts: Yuzui, Feishayan and Baopingkou, forming a long embankment, lying vertically in the middle of the river, splitting the Minjiang River into two.The side near Zhaogong Mountain is called Waijiang, which is mainly used for flood drainage.The side of Yulei Mountain is called Neijiang, which is an artificially constructed river channel, mainly used for irrigation.The top of the embankment is flat like a fish's mouth, which is a key part of dividing the river.At the end of the embankment is a low dam, more than 200 meters wide.When the inflow of the Neijiang River is small, this dam can stop the water from entering the Neijiang River.When the water inflow exceeds the dam surface, the sediment and pebbles carried by the flood will be released, so it is called Feisha Weir.There is a rock pile on the left side of Feishayan, called Lidui.There is a gorge at the bottom, which is split and chiseled by manpower. It is named Baopingkou. It connects the Neijiang River at the top and divides into four main canals at the bottom. This is a subsidiary part of the Dujiangyan project presided over by Li Bing.The water of the Minjiang River flows out from Baopingkou and enters the western Sichuan plain.Dujiangyan not only relieved the water damage of the Minjiang River, but also benefited the irrigation and navigation of the Chengdu Great Plain.This project has been preserved to this day. Now there is an Erwang Temple at the foot of Yulei Mountain on the east bank of the Minjiang River in Dujiangyan, and a Fulong Temple at the north end of Lidui. They were all built by later generations to commemorate the achievements of Li Bing and his son Erlang in water control.

It's an astounding piece of engineering.According to "Historical Records", when King Qin Yingzheng came to the throne in 246 BC, he built his own tomb in Lishan.After the annexation of the six countries, 700,000 prisoners from all over the country were expropriated to continue the construction, which took 36 years to complete.The height of the grave is more than 50 feet, and the surrounding area is more than five miles wide.The ground was dug extremely deep, poured with copper liquid, and the tomb was made of rivers and seas with mercury, and the machinery was rotated, and the mercury flowed.The wild geese in the sky and the wild ducks in the water are made of gold.The craftsmen were also ordered to make special bows and crossbows. If someone pierced through the tomb and robbed the tomb, the crossbow would automatically release arrows.The ground buildings of the cemetery used to have two layers, the inner city and the outer city, which no longer exist.Only in the center of the cemetery is a rammed earth hill with a height of 40 meters.In recent years, a large number of cultural relics have been unearthed from around the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, especially the excavation of the burial pit of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, which shocked the world. In 1977, the Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor was built on the site of the No. 1 Terracotta Warriors and Horses Burial Pit.The area of ​​this pit is 14,620 square meters. According to measurements, there are more than 6,000 terracotta warriors and horses. The warriors, chariots, and horses that have been unearthed are all made of imitated people and original objects. , Archers, Xiao (Xiao Xiao) Cavalry, Wu Zu and other different ranks are arranged in an orderly manner, showing the mighty military capacity of Qin Shihuang who shocked the universe and unified the six kingdoms.The unearthed weapons are made of finely smelted bronze, and some are plated with chrome, shining silver and as sharp as new.In addition, two groups of bronze chariots and horses and bronze figurines were found next to the mausoleum, which are exquisitely carved.The discovery of the Qin Terracotta Warriors Pit proves that the craftsmanship of the Qin Dynasty has reached a very high level, and scholars at home and abroad attach great importance to it, calling it "the eighth wonder of the world".

After the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty entered the first heyday of Chinese feudal society.Liu Bang took advantage of the anti-Qin forces across the country to establish the Han Dynasty in 206 BC, with Chang'an (now Xi'an) as its capital, known as the Western Han Dynasty in history.In 25 A.D., Liu Xiu rejuvenated and established his capital in Luoyang, known as the Eastern Han Dynasty in history.Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty learned the lessons of the demise of the Qin Dynasty and rested with the people, resulting in social stability and economic prosperity, known as the "Government of Wen and Jing" in history.Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a vast territory and strong national power, and opened the "Silk Road" for cultural exchanges with the West.More than a dozen famous commercial cities have emerged across the country, and Chang'an is the most affluent.The Weiyang Palace and Changle Palace, where the emperor lived, are majestic and majestic.Outside the city, there are also magnificent palaces and gardens such as Jianzhang Palace and Shanglin Garden, and Kunming Pool, the largest artificial lake in my country before BC, was excavated.The area of ​​Chang'an City was four times that of the Roman capital at that time, and the ruins today have become one of the important historical sites in Xi'an.

Han, like Qin, was repeatedly invaded by the Huns, a powerful tribe in the north.This history of repeated wars and marriages with the Huns also left many relics, the most famous being the tombs of Huo Qubing and Wang Zhaojun.Huo Qubing was a general in the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He made great achievements in the war against the Huns. He died of illness in 114 BC at the age of 24.Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty regretted it very much, and specially built a tomb for him near his mausoleum. The shape of the tomb was made into the shape of Qilian Mountain to commemorate his achievements in conquering Qilian Mountain.The 14 large round sculptures in front of the tomb are masterpieces of stone carvings in the Han Dynasty. Each piece is made of a whole stone with a little bit of carving. The general tendency is relatively abstract, with refined knife skills and a simple and humorous style. ", there is a person stepping on the right front hoof of the horse, which probably symbolizes Huo Qubing's military exploits in conquering the Huns.These stone carvings reveal a vigorous and profound power in the pursuit of the overall artistic effect, which typically reflects the courage and self-confidence of the Western Han Dynasty in its heyday.

On the alluvial plain on the south bank of the South Dahei River in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.Wang Zhaojun, whose name is Qiang (qiang qiang), was born in Zigui (now Xingshan County, Hubei Province) in Nanjun County of the Western Han Dynasty.Entered the palace during the reign of Emperor Han Yuan.In 33 BC, Huhan Xiedan (chan cicada), the Huns, entered the court and asked for peace.Zhaojun voluntarily married to the Xiongnu, and soon gave birth to a son for Hu Hanxie.After Hu Hanxie's death, according to the customs of the Huns, he married the eldest son of Huhanxie's original wife and gave birth to two daughters.According to historical records, Zhaojun has been in the palace for several years and has not seen the emperor.At the farewell banquet to the Han Palace, Emperor Yuan found out that she was glamorous, and wanted to keep her, but he could not break his promise to the Huns, so he had to let her marry away.This story has aroused the speculation of many literati in future generations.Wu Jun, a scholar of the Southern Dynasties, said in "Xijing Miscellaneous Notes" that the Emperor Yuan could not meet each of them because there were too many maids in the harem, so he asked the painter to draw them and summoned them according to the picture.Wang Zhaojun refused to bribe the painter, so the painter made her ugly on purpose, so Emperor Yuan didn't see her.Later, someone said that Zhaojun missed the Han Dynasty very much after leaving the fortress, and when he came to Heishui, he threw himself into the river and died.These sayings are often found in later poems and dramas about Zhaojun, and spread so widely that people don't understand Wang Zhaojun in history.The tomb of Zhaojun looks hazy from a distance, but it is said that the grass outside the Great Wall is white, and only the tomb of Zhaojun is green, so it has been passed down from generation to generation, and it is called "green tomb".Today, the tomb of Zhaojun is still green with green grass and lush trees.In front of the tomb is Dong Biwu's stele of poem "A Call to the Tomb of Zhaojun", in which the two lines "Zhaojun has lived for a long time, Hu Han and his relatives have high knowledge", fairly evaluate her historical contribution to national unity.

The economic prosperity of the Han Dynasty created a luxurious and luxurious life for the nobles. They not only wanted to enjoy themselves while they were alive, but also brought their gold and silver treasures underground to enjoy them after death.Therefore, the sacrificial objects excavated from the tombs of the Han Dynasty are very rich and valuable, and the carving art of the tomb is also very valuable. In 1968, two Western Han tombs were discovered on the east slope of the main peak of the Southwest Mausoleum in Mancheng County, Hebei.Both tombs are dug into mountains, and the layout is modeled after a palace. The tomb chamber is composed of a tomb passage, a carriage and horse room, a warehouse, a front hall and a back room, and has a perfect drainage system.The funerary objects include gold, silver, copper, iron, jade, pottery paint and other utensils, as well as more than 10,000 pieces of silk fabrics, silver bird seal pots and medical golden needles.The burial dress of the owner of the tomb is made of jade pieces and gold thread, which is the famous "Jade Clothes with Golden Threads".Liu Sheng’s jade clothes used 2,498 pieces of jade, and Dou Wan’s jade clothes used 2,165 pieces of jade.The inner wall of Dou Wan's coffin is also inlaid with 192 jade panels, which are the first major discoveries in China.

This is a Han tomb excavated in 1972, in which there are well-preserved female corpses and a large number of funerary objects.The female corpse was the wife of Changsha Fu (dai Dai) Hou Licang, who was buried around 166 BC.The structure of the tomb is extremely complex, with six layers of nested inner and outer coffins, filled with charcoal around it, with a thickness of 30 to 40 cm, and the charcoal was filled with white plaster and sealed with a thickness of 60 to 130 cm. This should be the main reason why the corpse does not rot.A large number of lacquerware, silk scripts, silk paintings, various musical instruments, bamboo slips, wooden figurines, agricultural and livestock products, and Chinese herbal medicines were also unearthed from Tomb No. 1 and Han Tomb No. 2 and No. 3.Both Liu Sheng and Fu Hou lived in the early Western Han Dynasty, and the cultural relics unearthed from the tomb show the development of social productivity at that time. Among the historical sites and tombs left over from the Han Dynasty, a large number of tomb murals and stone carvings have been preserved, reflecting the high achievements of Han Dynasty art.Tomb murals are the murals painted on the four walls, the top and both sides of the tomb passage of the tomb.There are many murals found in Han tombs in this century, the famous ones are the murals of Bu Qianqiu tomb in Luoyang, Henan, the murals of Western Han tomb in Wangcheng Park, Luoyang, the murals of Han tomb in Liaoyang, the murals of Han tomb in Yingchengzi, Liaoning, and the murals of Eastern Han tomb in Helinger, Inner Mongolia , Hebei Wangdu Mural Tomb, etc.Stone portraits in the Han Dynasty generally refer to portrait stones and portrait bricks. The stone carvings on the ancestral hall in front of the tomb, the lintel of the stone chamber in the tomb, and the coffin are called portrait stones.Portrait bricks are a kind of bricks inlaid on the walls of tombs and buildings. First, the concave and convex lines of the brick picture are pressed out by wooden molds, and then fired.The most stone carving portraits are found in Henan, followed by Shandong and Sichuan, and also in Hebei and Liaoning.The most famous stone carvings and portraits were unearthed in Nanyang Han Portrait Museum in Henan, Wuliang Temple in Jiaxiang County, Shandong Province, and Guo Family Tomb Temple in Xiaotang Mountain in Changqing County, Shandong Province.These tomb murals and stone murals reflect some common characteristics of Han paintings. There are three main categories of content: one is myths and legends, Yin and Yang and five elements, sun, moon and stars, etc., which are the deified nature and the fairy world that people yearn for; The first category shows the historical stories from ancient times to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period and the Qin and Han Dynasties; the third category shows the secular life of the nobility, such as feasts, operas, cooking, hunting, traveling by horses and horses, etc.The artistic style of Han paintings is also simple and naive, with human beings and gods mixed in the paintings, everything intertwined and full of vitality.The composition is always full, regardless of the distance, leaving no gaps, overwhelming, but colorful and dazzling, showing an open mind and a magnificent spirit.This kind of wild and exuberant painting style and vigorous and heavy power are unattainable by future generations of art.