Xianyang

• Chinese/Japanese: 咸陽 (Xiányáng / Kan'you)

Xiányáng was the Imperial capital of the Qin Dynasty. Founded by Qin Shihuangdi, the city was conceived as a microcosm of the empire. It was located on the north side of the Wei River, a short distance away from where the Han, Sui and Tang Dynasty capital of Chang'an would later be built.

Like the capitals of the various Warring States of the era, the city was divided into political and commercial sectors, separated by high walls. The former consisted chiefly of an extensive complex of Imperial structures, including replicas of the palaces of each of the states or kingdoms defeated by the Qin. All were interlinked with tunnels, allowing the Emperor to move about in secret; cultural and political ideology dictated that a man of his incredible political power and cosmic significance go unseen by the common people.

References

• Ching, Francis D.K. et al. A Global History of Architecture. Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons (2011), 148-149.