After Qin Shihuang (259 BC ~ 2 10 BC) destroyed the six countries and unified the whole country, a large number of palaces and temples were built in Xianyang, the capital, and the largest palace was Epang Palace. According to Records of the Historical Records of Qin Shihuang, in the thirty-fifth year of Qin Shihuang (2 12 BC), Qin Shihuang thought that there were too many people in Xianyang, the capital city, and the former king's palace was small, so he ordered to build a new dynasty palace in the royal garden south of Weihe River between Feng and Gao, the capital city of Zhou Dynasty. This Gong Chao is a famous palace, which was later called Epang Palace.
Sima Qian, a historian of the Western Han Dynasty, recorded in Historical Records of Qin Shihuang that the front hall of Epang Palace is 500 steps from east to west and 50 feet from north to south, which can seat 10,000 people. In the Qin Dynasty, one step was six feet, three hundred steps were one mile, and the Qin foot was about 0.23 meters. In this way, the front hall of Epang Palace is 690 meters wide from east to west and 1 15 meters deep from north to south, covering an area of 80,000 square meters, which is more than enough to accommodate 1 10,000 people. Today, in the south of Sanqiao Town, the western suburb of Xi City, Shaanxi Province, from Jujiazhuang in the east to Gucheng Village in the west, the site of Afang Palace with an area of about 60 square kilometers is still preserved.
Ban Gu, a historian of the Eastern Han Dynasty, recorded in The Biography of Hanshu Jiashan: "In the west, from Xianyang to Yong, it is three hundred miles away from the palace, with bells and drums. It is also Afang Temple, which is tens of meters high, five miles from east to west, thousands of steps from north to south, riding from Cheluo and four Ma Benteng, and the flag is not scraped, which is the beauty of the palace. " In fact, from the beginning of Hanshu, the regulations of Epang Palace have been enlarged.
In the past, it was generally believed that Xiang Yu, the overlord of Chu, turned hatred to things and set fire to Epang Palace and all its affiliated buildings, reducing them to ashes. However, in Historical Records of Xiang Yu, it is only said that "Qin Gong will burn and the fire will not go out in March", and Epang Palace is not mentioned. Archaeologists found that the so-called "Xiang Yu burned Epang Palace" was a historical misinformation. Archaeologists did not find any traces of burning in contemporary archaeological excavations of Epang Palace sites. In recent years, archaeologists have spent more than a year exploring Epang Palace, covering an area of over 200,000 square meters, and only found a few charred clods. According to historical records, Epang Palace should be full of plant ash. Archaeologists concluded that Xiang Yu burned Xianyang Palace in Qin Dynasty because a large number of burnt remains were found in the ruins of Xianyang Palace.
According to legend, Epang Palace is unprecedented in scale and magnificent in momentum. It is said that the scenery is spectacular. It is said that Epang Palace has more than 700 halls, large and small, and the climate of each hall is different every day. Qin Shihuang visited palaces and stayed in one place every day, but he didn't live in all the palaces until his death. This brilliant imagination of later generations basically comes from the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu's "Epang Palace Fu": "It covers more than 300 miles and is isolated from the sun. Mount Li is built in the north and folded in the west, leading directly to Xianyang. Erchuan dissolves and flows into the palace wall. Five steps to the first floor, ten steps to a pavilion; Corridor waist back, eaves high; Each holds the terrain and intrigues. " Epang Palace became a very magnificent building complex at that time. It is conceivable that there are many palaces in Epang Palace, with a wide construction area and a grand scale. But these are legends, and the courtiers of later generations used the metaphor of Qin to advise the emperor of the dynasty. According to contemporary archaeological evidence, Epang Palace was not built.
The story of Epang Palace
The six countries collapsed and the world was unified. All the trees in the mountains of Sichuan were cut down and Epang Palace was built. It covers more than 300 miles, almost covering the sun. It starts from the north of Lishan Mountain and winds westward to Xianyang. Weishui and Fan Chuan, vastly flow into the palace wall. Five steps to the tall building, ten steps to the pavilion, promenade, twists and turns, high eaves, like a bird's beak flying in the air. These pavilions are surrounded by different terrains, cloisters are surrounded by hooks, and the cornices are towering, like battle horns. Winding around, dense as a honeycomb, interconnected as a whirlpool, magnificent. I don't know. Tens of millions. The long bridge lies in the water (like a dragon) and there is no cloud. Why is there a dragonfly? The passage between pavilions is in the air (like a rainbow), but it is not after rain. How can there be a rainbow? The high and low pavilions are vague, which makes people unable to distinguish between east, west, north and south. The singing on the high platform makes people feel warm, as warm as spring, and the dancing sleeves in the hall are fluttering, which makes people feel cold, as if it is raining cold. On the same day, in the same palace, but the climate is very different.
Maid-in-waiting concubines (of the six countries), daughters and granddaughters of princes and nobles, bid farewell to the palace attic of the old country and went to Qin by bus. Singing in the morning and playing the piano at night, they became the concubines of Qin Shihuang. (Early in the morning) I saw the stars twinkling. (It turned out to be them) I opened the dressing mirror and saw the dark clouds disturbing me. (It turned out to be them) I was combing my hair and sideburns early in the morning. There is a layer of greasy water on the Weihe River, which they spilled powder water. Light smoke fills the air, and the fragrance is filled with fog, which is the special fragrance of pepper and orchid they burned. Suddenly, the loud noise was deafening, and the palace car passed by. I don't know where it's going, because the sound of the wheels is fading away. (Maid-in-waiting) tries her best to show her charm. Every skin and gesture are extremely touching. They stood and watched for a long time, hoping that the emperor would be lucky to come; (Poor) Some people have not seen the emperor for thirty-six years. The treasures plundered by Zhao in Yan State, the gold and silver accumulated by Wei in South Korea and the treasures preserved by Chu in Qi State are all plundered from the people for years and generations, piling up like mountains. Once the country is destroyed and can no longer be occupied, it will be transported to Epang Palace. From then on, Baoding (as) iron pot, Baoyu (as) stone, gold (as) clods and pearls (as) rubble were littered, which was not a pity for Qin people to see. Epang Palace established by contemporary people according to their imagination.
Alas! One person's idea is also the idea of millions of people. Qin Shihuang liked prosperity and luxury, and the people also missed their homes. Why don't you even let go of a penny when you treasure, but treat it like sediment when you squander it? Even make (Epang Palace) has more pillars supporting the girders than farmers in the fields; There are more rafters on beams than weaver girls on looms; There are more nails on the house than rice grains in the open barn; Uneven tile joints, people wear silk thread; There are more straight railings and horizontal thresholds than the cloisters in Kyushu; The piano and flute are loud, louder than downtown. People all over the world are afraid to say it, but their hearts are full of anger. The tyrant Qin Shihuang became more and more arrogant and stubborn. So Chen Sheng and Guangwu rose up, and Liu Bang broke through Hangu Pass; Xiang Yu set a fire, but the luxurious palace became a scorched earth!
Alas! It was the six countries themselves that destroyed the six countries, not the State of Qin. It was the king of Qin himself who destroyed the state of Qin, not everyone in the world. Alas! If the monarchs of the six countries can caress their own people, they can resist the state of Qin; If we can also cherish the people of the six countries, we can pass it on to the third generation, or even to generations as emperors. Who can destroy him? The rulers of Qin had no time to lament their own demise, but let future generations lament; If future generations lament rather than learn from it, then it is necessary for future generations to lament.