Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi's Tomb: Site of Many Bodies

                                       Emperor’s Tomb, Site For Many Other Bodies

                                                        By: Christa Knell                       

                                                       China Times Staff           

XI’AN- The Great Emperor Qin is far into his project of building his magnificent tomb. His grand resting place is in the heart of the city of Xi’an. The tomb requires over 700,000 workers, many which have been reported missing, some even dead. A few eyewitnesses have reported that last week on June 18^th, 230 B.C, the emperor ordered that a large group of workers and artisans must be sentenced to death, for the safety of China.

        

Seventeen years ago, on May 7^th 247 B.C, Qin’s father, King Zhuangxiang died and the throne was handed over to Qin Shi Huangdi. Emperor Qin was only 13 when he had to take over the throne. Also at the age of 13 he started to plan and build his masterpiece. The tomb he planned was to be extremely elaborate and the perfect resting spot. After many years, workers have been working very hard to finish the tomb. The tomb has been said to be the home of many rare jewels and valuables. In order to keep the valuables safe and not to mention the emperor’s body, the emperor proposed that all of the artisans and workers must be killed in order to keep his valuables and body safe.

Close friend and Prime Minister to Emperor Qin is Li Si who others claim that he is the one who helped kill all of the workers. It has been said that they killed the workers by locking them in one of the gates in the tomb. Inside they were left with no food and water. Inside the gate were over 100 mercury rivers. We spoke to Li Si, who said “ I may have helped kill all of those hardworking men but I did it for a very reasonable purpose. The emperor is a very close friend of mine and I would do anything to protect him, and help him succeed.”

There are also many people who see this as a very serious crime. Li Li Kong is a women who lives about 2 miles from the tomb. It was required that all of the men over the age of 18 must be sent to go work on the tomb. Ms. Kong assumed that he would return home in under a year but almost 8 years later she realized that he husband may never returned home. “ There is so much I wish I could say, but that would risk my life.”

Lastly we spoke to a general who wishes to stay anonymous. “ No matter what happened what the emperor says, goes no matter how big his wishes are. Im positive that no one would appreciate the consequences that you could face is you denied the great emperor. The faith and power of Emperor Qin shall last for forever!”