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Qin Shi Huang

10 ancient unsung heroes reshaped history.	Source: W Parkinson/ CC BY-SA 4.0, Assassin's Creed Wiki/CC BY SA, CC BY-SA 3.0, Public Domain

10 Most Fascinating Unsung Heroes of Ancient History

History was built by heroes - both small and great. But heroes are not made only in battles. They can be scholars, sages, explorers, commanders, religious figures, and anything in between. And for...
Facial reconstruction of a Terracotta warrior. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Royalty Now Studios.

A Terracotta Warrior's Digital Transformation (Video)

The Terracotta Army , a remarkable archaeological marvel from ancient China, has long captivated the world with its silent army of clay soldiers. These soldiers , dating back to the Qin Dynasty (...
Image of several members of the Terracotta Army in Xian. Source: lapas77 / Adobe Stock

Finders of the Terracotta Army Think They Are Cursed

Archaeology lovers around the world have undoubtedly heard of the famed Terracotta Army which was discovered in the 1970s in Xian, in northwest China, and attracts millions of visitors each year. But...
Is the terracotta army created to protect the Chinese emperor imbued with a deadly curse? Source: lapas77 / Adobe Stock

Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army Are Guarded by a Deadly Curse

Archaeology lovers around the world have undoubtedly heard of the famed Terracotta Army which was discovered in the 1970s in Xian, in northwest China, which attracts millions of visitors each year...
Stone armor from the tomb of Qin Shi Huang. Source: CC BY 2.0

2,200-Year-Old Stone Armor Reveals Qin Shi Huang's Legacy

Excavations in 1998 and 2019 unearthed hoards of ancient stone armor in and around the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, offering insights into the emperor's military achievements and life. Now, a new...
The profiles of the some of the most powerful and influential Ancient Leaders.  Source: Ded Pixto by Adobe Stock

9 Ancient Leaders Who Changed the Course of History

The annals of history are filled with tales of great leaders who have left their mark on the world, shaping the course of human events through their actions, decisions, and vision. From conquerors...
These terracotta figurines were unearthed by archaeologists from the Datong Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology from a tomb dating to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) in Datong, Shanxi province. Source: China Daily

Wei Dynasty Terracotta Figurines Enrich Our Knowledge of Ancient China

Datong, Shanxi province has now yielded a large number of terracotta figurines, dated 1,500-years-old in the latest round of archaeological finds - all from the tombs of the upper class. Due to where...
The First Emperor of China was Killed by an Elixir of Immortality. Source:  ЮРИЙ ПОЗДНИКОВ / Adobe Stock

The First Emperor of China Took an ‘Elixir of Immortality’ Made of Mercury and it Killed Him

The First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, was terrified of death and much of his reign was focused on the search for immortality and the Elixir of Life. Ironically, Qin Shi Huang died from the toxic...
The terracotta figure represents an acrobat, created to provide entertainment in the afterlife for Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Source: Xinhua

One In 8,000! This Unique Terracotta Figure Is Unlike All The Rest

Let’s begin this story with an exercise. If you are not driving, lie down on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground about your hips-width distance apart. Now, place your right...
Chinese Find Ancient Xianyang, Lost Capital of the Qin Dynasty

Chinese Find Ancient Xianyang, Lost Capital of the Qin Dynasty

A team of archaeologists from the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology have been busy for the past few years working on an assignment worth envying, reports China Daily. Deep in the Chinese central...
The Xianyang International Airport construction site where some of the thousands of new Xian tombs were recently discovered.          Source: Cultural Heritage Bureau of Shaanxi

Thousands Of Tombs Found in Xian, Home of China’s Terracotta Army

The legendary Terracotta Army is a collection of 3rd century BC clay sculptured warriors that were designed to protect Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, on his journey to the afterlife. This...
Builders of Teotihuacan Had Remarkable Knowledge of Science and Engineering

Builders of Teotihuacan Had Remarkable Knowledge of Science and Engineering

In the heart of central Mexico, surrounded by majestic mountains and volatile volcanoes, is the Valley of Mexico Basin. There, hidden in plain sight stands Teotihuacan, a vast vexing complex of...
Penglai, depiction of one of the mythical islands ( Public Domain ), and Qin Shi Huang in a 19th century portrait ( Public Domain );Deriv.

Management Practices Of The School Of Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu's Art of War was, one is told, written by an ancient Chinese soldier - except there is no evidence that there ever was a General Sun Tzu. In general, the commentary on Art of War just guesses...
A 19th century ukiyo-e by Kuniyoshi 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, the Mount Penglai, and retrieve the elixir of immortality. (Public Domain)

Sacred Islands Of Exotic Eastern Gods And Elixir Of The Immortals

Classic works such as Odyssey by Homer, The Tempest by William Shakespeare and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe tell about mysterious distant islands. These islands are usually exotic and inaccessible...
The Deadly Elixir of Life – Was a Shot at Immortality Worth the Risk?

The Deadly Elixir of Life – Was a Shot at Immortality Worth the Risk?

The elixir of immortality (known also as the elixir of life) is a mythical substance believed to grant those who consume it eternal life. Various civilizations throughout human history have their own...
Representative image for Queen Mother of the West. Source: wichansumalee / Adobe Stock

Queen Mother of the West and Her Peaches of Immortality

Xiwangmu (西王母), whose name means ‘Queen Mother of the West’ is a goddess in the Taoist pantheon, and worshipped in Chinese folk religion. Xiwangmu is considered to be one of the most prominent female...
Terracotta Warriors from Tomb of First Emperor, China. Credit: Lukas Hlavac / Adobe Stock

220 More Terracotta Warriors Found in Chinese Emperor’s Tomb

Chinese archaeologists have found over 220 terracotta warriors in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, adding to his enormous army of soldiers for the afterlife. The find is...
Chinese jade dragon seal (representational)

The Lost Heirloom Seal of China's First Emperor

The Heirloom Seal of the Realm (known also as the Heirloom Seal of the First Emperor, or the Imperial Seal of China) is a Chinese artifact that is now lost. This artifact was a jade seal created by...
The Feast of Attila by Ede Heinrich (1863) (Public Domain)

Attila The Great, Reviled as a ‘Barbarian’

Qin Shi Huang , first emperor of China and Genghis Khan have received what one might call a ‘bad rap’. They were of far greater honor and integrity than history has reported, and their achievements...
A pair of bronze pots, one containing the first real example of an ancient Chinese elixir of life, were unearthed from a Western Han Dynasty tomb in Luoyang, Henan Province.

Elixir of Life Found: 2,000-Year-Old Bottles Contain First Known Chinese ‘Immortality Medicine’

Who wants to live forever? This has been a dream for many people all around the world for a very long time. It was written about in several ancient texts, and legends and myths suggest some people...
The former temporary palace of Genghis Khan in Fengning County, Hebei, China.

Disputed ‘Barbarians’: Genghis Khan and Qin Shi Huang

Some years ago somebody is reported to have said: "The victors write the histories”. Though this chestnut has no attribution, it nevertheless appears in many works including school textbooks. Whether...
Gibbon skull found in China (Credit: Samuel Turvey/ZSL); Luohan, hanging scroll, ink and color on silk (Public Domain); Apes and Horses (Public Domain)

New Gibbon Genus Discovered in Ancient Chinese Royal Tomb?

A gibbon skull recovered from an ancient tomb in China was possibly driven to extinction in the last two millennia and researchers told reporters at Science “it might be an entirely new species.” In...
Detail of Qin Shi Huang's imperial tour across his empire. Depiction in an 18th century album.

How the Search for Immortality Killed the First Emperor of China

No man had ever risen as high as Qin Shi Huang. He was the first emperor of China - the first man to conquer its seven kingdoms and rule them all. There was only one threat left for him to overcome:...
The Secret Tomb of the First Chinese Emperor

The Secret Tomb of the First Chinese Emperor Remains an Unopened Treasure

The tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, despite being involved in one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all times, endures as a mystery to archaeologists and historians as...

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