Maoling, located 45 kilometers from Xi'an, is the Mausoleum of Emperor Wudi (140 B.C. - 87 B.C.) the fifth emperor of the Weste Han dynasty.
In 112 B.C., to strengthen feudal centralization, he revoked the titles of 106 feudal lords and established the Imperial College to train qualified officials. He also strength the govement control over the economy by only allowing coins mintey by the centeral govement to circulate. Govement business enjoyed exclusive privileges while heavy taxes were imposed on industrialists and businessmen. Thus, Weste Han govement became extremely rich and powerful.
Emperor Han Wudi fought against the barbarian invaders on the northe border. In 138 B.C., he appointed Zhang Qian as Chinese ambassador to jouey westward into Central Asia opening up the historic Silk Road and initiating the first cross-cultural exchanges between East and West.
During his reign, he also made advances in culture by setting up a conservatory called Yuefu to collect folk songs and poems. Emperor Han Wudi ended the period of 'contention among one hundred schools of thought' by rejecting all other school of thought and only accepting Confucism. This is how Confucianism became a popular theory in China and worldwide.
At age 71, Emperor Wudi died and was buried in Maoling Mausoleum with an area of over 54,000 sq meters. This is the largest and granded of the Weste Han Mausoleums costing one third of the yearly income of the state. Over 20 other Mausoleums of officials and nobles were built around it. This is how they showed respect. There were also houses built around the Mausoleum for the keepers.
A trip to Maolin Mausoleum will open your eyes to all the wonders and exquisite object the Emperor took to him to his grave.
