Volume 2, Issue 8
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Volume 2, Issue 8 |
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Archives The Pyramids of Xi'an published: January 14,2005 "Today, in the twentieth century, no architect could build a copy of the pyramid of Cheops, even if the technical resources of every continent were at his disposal." Erich von Däniken Until recently scant attention was paid to the great funeral mounds of China. Located deep within the country near the ancient capital of Xi'an, they remained inaccessible and unknown to western outsiders for a very long time. Then in 1947 an article appeared in the New York Times claiming that a Colonel Maurice Sheahan, Far Eastern director of Trans World Airline at the time had spotted an enormous pyramid that "dwarfed those of Egypt." Based on his over-flight estimations, the structure was at least 1,000 feet in height with a width of 1,500 feet. Curious readers were left with a now notorious photograph of the pyramid that has been the source of much speculation, but with the communist regime in the process of taking control of mainland China, any chance of an expedition to confirm the sighting quickly faded. Confusing the issue, the pyramid that Sheahan had described did not match the one in the photograph. The one he claimed to have seen had been located at the end of a valley, while the one in the photo was located in the middle of a plain.
Over time with no further proof available, the fantasists took over. Eventually it became known as the Great White Pyramid of China, "built of limestone with a crystal capstone." It was either located in China or Tibet depending on who was telling the account. Finally in 1994 a German research named Hartwig Hausdorf took it upon himself to look into the issue of the Chinese pyramids. By his own claim he ventured into the "Forbidden Zone" and surreptitiously took photos that can easily be discovered on the web with his claims. Basing his research on the diaries of Australian traders who supposedly were in the region in 1912, Hausdorf states that the pyramids were considered "very old" in the 5,000 year old records kept by a local Buddhist monastery. In the best tradition of the X-Files - he then goes on to claim a cover up on the part of the Chinese government. They "refused me permission to go there, is this. In the immediate vicinity the Chinese government have built a launch pad for their space program, and of course, the area is sealed off to all foreigners. The Chinese are even more paranoid than the Americans, I think!" Of course Hausdorf's next statement is "I am left to wonder what it is they are trying to cover up." and a credulous reader is left to believe that the pyramids of Xi'an are the work of extra-terrestrials. The conceit that the cultures of old were somehow incapable of building monumental structures by themselves is more an indicator of the lack of understanding and education on the part of modern commentators than anything else. What we are faced with is chauvinism towards the accomplishments of the past, with not a touch of racism. Erich von Daaniken and his kind insult the accomplishment of our forerunners. A critical customer reviewer of Hausforf's book on Amazon writes:
Regarding the claims of great age, pyramidal type structures that date back more than 5,000 years have been found in north China, the work of a neolithic people called the Hongshan whose culture flourished from 4500 to 2250 B.C. Unfortunately for Hausdorf's claims, the pyramids of Xi'an, while old, were erected within historical times. Nor can the Hongshan pyramid rival in size the later earthen tombs of the Qin and Tang Dynasties, being only three stories in height. While I have never travelled to Xi'an to view the Chinese pyramids, I did the next best thing. Since I am not as well versed in Chinese culture as I would like to be, I asked someone who was. A quick response followed.
- Yinan Wang and...
With permission of Yinan Wang
So much for the specious claim that these tombs are off limits! I'm not sure whether the Emperor shi Huangdi was the originator of the great funeral mounds in China, or if he was surpassing lesser creations previous rulers had built on the plains of Xi'an, (based on Yinan's remarks that would be the case then...). But there is no doubt that like the God Kings of Egypt, shi Huangdi had his mind set on something beyond the vagaries of a mortal life and death. Only eternity would satisfy the founder of the China we know, who apparently had a morbid fear of death. Emperor shi Huangdi is known in the occidental world as the builder of the Great Wall, the massive construction intended to keep the barbarians out and the Chinese people in. There are claims that over a million men worked on the Great Wall from 220 BC to 200 BC. Those who died on the job were buried within the foundations, "to appease the gods and demons of the north." His modern day fame grew when the terracotta army was discovered in the late 1970's. Archaeologists (and the world) were amazed when over 6,000 life size figures of horses and soldiers were uncovered in eleven parallel corridors, symbolically guarding the great tomb. The Egyptian pharoahs had armies of dolls, shi Huangdi had an army of statues! The details of the funeral tomb of the Emperor shi Huangdi, of the Qin dynasty are well documented in The Historical Records of Sima Qian, there is absolutely no mystery at all regarding it's age and construction. 700,000 laborers were employed to build the funerary site. Underground rivers were diverted and an immense mound raised up over the Emperor's burial chamber. The burial chamber if it is to be believed, was a scale model of the dominions of shi Huangdi, covered by a huge copper dome of the night sky. Rivers of quicksilver flowed through the model - representing the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers (hence the rumors of mercury poisoning at the site.) And in the best Indiana Jones fantasy, lethal traps such as automated crossbows at the very least have been built into the burial chamber. It should also be pointed out that the funeral mounds of Xi'an were meant to have trees and shrubs planted on them. The modern conceit that the Chinese government is trying to hide them doesn't have any validity. There is even a cgi reconstruction of Emperor shi Huagdi's tomb online at: For more on the Chinese pyramids I strongly recomend Yinan Wang's website, which he updated in the wake of my questions. Without Yinan's knowledge and gracious response, this article would not have been possible. Thank you!
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