Xianyang Palace
Xianyang Palace, in Xianyang, now 15 km/9 miles east of modern Xianyang, Shaanxi province, was the royal palace of the state of Qin before the Chinese unification, and then the palace of the First Emperor when China was unified.
The palace was a complex terraced building, and had elaborate murals inside. Three sites were discovered.
It was burnt down by Xiang Yu after the fall of the Qin dynasty.
In replacement of the Xianyang Palace, the First Emperor Qin Shihuang started to build a second palace, the Epang Palace, 20 km/12 miles south of Xianyang, now 15 km/9 miles west of Xi'an. It may not have been completed at the fall of the Qin dynasty.
In January 1988, the State Council of the People's Republic of China officially designated the "Site of Qin Xianyang City" as part of the third batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.
Following the Qin dynasty, most Chinese imperial capitals constructed fortified city walls beyond the palace complexes for military defense. However, no archaeological evidence of such walls has yet been found at the site of Xianyang. Whether the city was ever walled remains a subject of scholarly debate, with opinions varying widely—even contradicting one another.
History
According to the Records of the Grand Historian, in the 12th year of Duke Xiao of Qin, the "Jique" gate was built and Xianyang became the capital, initiating the second Shang Yang reforms. Construction of the "Jique Palace Court" followed, ultimately described as “halls, corridors, and surrounding pavilions from Yong Gate to the Wei and Jing Rivers”.During the 144 years that Xianyang served as Qin capital, the early political center lay north of the Wei River around Jique palace, lasting until about the 4th year of King Wu ; during King Zhao's reign, political focus shifted south of the Wei River.
After Qin Shi Huang unified the six states in 221 BC, he initiated cosmic-inspired city planning in Xianyang—building the “Zigong Palace” to correspond with the celestial Purple Palace, erecting bridges across the Wei River symbolising the Milky Way and Altair, and constructing the Xing Palace as an earthly counterpart to the Northern Dipper. He also commissioned the Epang Palace as a southern “morning palace,” signifying a full shift of political authority.
The Shiji records that after unification, Qin Shi Huang melted various state weapons into twelve colossal bronze figures—each weighing about one thousand shi —and placed them in the Epang Palace.
In 207 BC, Liu Bang captured Xianyang and the Guanzhong plain, seizing Prince Ziying. According to Shiji, “no one dared approach; he sealed the palaces and withdrew to Bashang.” Shortly after, Xiang Yu entered Xianyang, killed the prince, looted and set the palaces ablaze for three months.
Archaeological Excavation
Since 1959, the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Administration have carried out excavations at the site of Xianyang. From 1974 to 1975, the remains of the Xianyang Palace were discovered.Archaeologists surveyed a 72 square kilometer area of the ruins. Centered on Yaodian in Weicheng District, more than 230 sites were found, including palace complexes, workshop remains, and other structures from the Qin dynasty. Major excavations were carried out on Palaces No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 of Xianyang Palace, covering a total of 15,000 square meters.
Architecture
City Walls
There are several theories regarding the city walls of Xianyang. Although no remains of the walls have been found, ruins of earlier capitals such as Yongcheng and Liyang have been discovered. Scholar Wu Bolun suggested that the city walls might have been washed away due to changes in the Wei River's course; however, other ancient cities like Luoyang and Bianliang also experienced river changes but still left behind traces of city walls.Scholarly opinions include:Palace-only theory: Wang XueliPalace and wall theory: Wu Bolun, Wang Pizhong, Liu QingzhuWalls without palace: Sun DerunUncertain: Shi Xingbang
Palaces
- The palace district was built at the highest elevation of Xianyang.Xianyang Palace : Located in Yaodian Subdistrict, Weicheng District. The Qin Xianyang Palace Ruins Museum was established on the western side in 1995.Lanchi Palace : Located near Yangjiawan and Baijiazui; although ruins were found on the west bank of the "Lanchi" pond, they were later damaged.Yongmen Palace : Once situated around Ta'erpo, Weicheng District. The site has been destroyed by years of earth removal; however, copper artifacts and compacted soil remains were reported.Wangyi Palace : Found near Fulongzhuang, Yujiabao, and nearby villages. Rammed-earth platforms and building remains are visible.Xingle Palace : Constructed on the site of the later Han-dynasty Changle Palace.Zhangtai Palace : Located within the front hall of Weiyang Palace in modern Xi’an.Ganquan Palace or South Palace: Found within the ruins of the former Gui Palace of Han Chang’an.Ba Palace or Zhiyang Palace : Near Youtian Village, Hanyu Township, Lintong County.Huangshan Palace or Hengshan Palace : In Hou Village, Tianfu Township, Xingping County.