The Birth of an Imperial Vision

In 231 BCE, during the 16th year of King Ying Zheng’s reign (later known as Qin Shi Huang), a monumental urban project took shape near Mount Li in modern-day Xi’an. The establishment of Liyi (丽邑) marked a pivotal moment in Chinese imperial history—the creation of China’s first dedicated mausoleum city. This was no ordinary settlement; archaeological evidence reveals it served as both an administrative hub for constructing the First Emperor’s tomb and a prototype for future imperial burial practices.

Historical records from the Records of the Grand Historian note that Ying Zheng began excavating Mount Li immediately after ascending the throne at age 13. By 212 BCE, he ordered the relocation of 30,000 families to Liyi, achieving dual purposes: maintaining the mausoleum complex (“to serve the garden tombs”) and consolidating central control through strategic population redistribution (“strengthening the trunk while weakening the branches”).

Engineering the Afterlife: Key Structures of the Mausoleum Complex

### The Fish Pond Administrative Center

North of the main tomb complex lay the sprawling Fish Pond Site, covering 1 million square meters. Excavations revealed:
– A walled compound (400m x 200m) with surviving walls up to 4m high
– Workshops producing bronze weapons (spears, knives), agricultural tools (iron hoes, plows), and construction materials
– Over 20 types of stamped pottery inscriptions naming regional workshops from Xianyang to Lan Tian, proving nationwide resource mobilization

Scholars debate whether this repurposed an earlier palace (possibly the Qin’s Bu Shou Palace), but its role as a logistics hub for 700,000 conscripted workers is undisputed. The mix of luxury items and penal tools (iron shackles) hints at the workforce’s diverse composition—from skilled artisans to convict laborers.

### The Five Ridges Flood Barrier

A marvel of hydraulic engineering, this 1.7km embankment protected the tomb from mountain floods:
– Constructed with layered earth and gravel, reaching 8.5m in height
– Strategically diverted water flows from Mount Li’s ravines
– Demonstrated Qin engineers’ mastery of large-scale environmental control

### The Stone Workshop Complex

West of the outer walls, a 75-hectare industrial zone processed limestone and marble:
– Three specialized areas: raw material storage, rough carving, and finishing workshops
– Tools discovered include iron chisels, hammers, and lifting hooks
– Finished products included drainage pipes, foundation stones, and decorative slabs

Notably, the presence of prisoner restraints confirms Sima Qian’s accounts of penal labor use—a sobering counterpoint to the site’s architectural grandeur.

Cultural Transformation Through Forced Migration

The mass relocation to Liyi created a unique social experiment:
1. Administrative Innovation: Han Dynasty records show Liyi later became Xin Feng County, with its 600m x 670m walled city becoming a model for subsequent imperial mausoleum towns.
2. Economic Impact: Pottery stamps like “Liyi 5 Sheng” and “Liyi 9 Dou” reveal standardized measurement systems enforced across the Qin Empire.
3. Artisan Networks: Inscriptions like “Mei Yang Workshop Cang” and “Lan Tian” prove craftsmen were brought from across China, facilitating technique exchange.

As noted in the Book of Later Han, “The garden-city system began with the mighty Qin”—a testament to how Liyi’s template influenced Han Dynasty practices.

Enduring Legacy: From Qin to Modern Archaeology

The Liyi precedent shaped Chinese traditions for centuries:
– Han Adoption: Western Han emperors established seven major mausoleum towns near Xi’an, housing elite families to weaken regional powers.
– Urban Planning: The “strong trunk, weak branches” resettlement strategy became standard for controlling provincial factions.
– Modern Discoveries: 20th-century excavations at Xin Feng’s ruins unearthed Qin-Han transition artifacts, including pottery matching those in the First Emperor’s tomb—concrete proof of Liyi’s continuity.

Today, Liyi’s archaeological remains offer unparalleled insights into early imperial China’s bureaucratic machinery. The site exemplifies how Qin Shi Huang’s obsession with death inadvertently created living systems that would structure Chinese society for generations. From standardized measurements to hydraulic engineering, the practical innovations born from this funerary city ultimately served the living as much as the dead.

As ongoing excavations reveal more about Liyi’s urban layout, scholars gain fresh perspectives on how China’s first emperor transformed burial practices into tools of statecraft—a legacy literally set in stone.