西汉帝陵

　　汉武帝在位54年，是中国历史上卓有建树的一位封建皇帝。同时，汉武帝又是一位好大喜功的皇帝，最突出表现在修造自己陵墓上。
　　汉武帝茂陵有七个之最：
　　一是修造工期最长，历时53年；
　　二是规模最大，目前已经探明的从葬坑已达400多处；
　　三是随葬品最多，当汉武帝死后下葬时，陵墓中的随葬品已经塞不进去了，据史书所云“不复容物”；
　　四是耗费最巨，修陵经费占武帝时期每年赋税的三分之一；
　　五是茂陵城邑最为繁华；
　　六是陵区最为宏阔，数十座陪葬墓大都各具特色；
　　七是茂陵本身最为高大，在西汉11座皇帝陵中独树一帜。
　　中华人民共和国成立后，茂陵是西汉帝陵中唯一被列入第一批全国重点文物保护单位的名胜古迹。汉武帝茂陵，作为历史文化遗产，已经受到国家和世界有关文化遗产保护组织的高度重视，并列为申报世界文化遗产的重要项目之一。
　　西汉自文帝以后，皆预建陵寝。汉武帝在建元二年(前139年)就开始为自己营建“寿陵”。汉武帝茔地，选在汉都长安城西北的台原上，这个地区属汉时槐里县之茂乡，后来陵墓建成，称为“茂陵”。
　　据史书记载，汉武帝每年动用全国赋税总收入的1／3，作为建陵和征集随葬物品的费用。《晋书·索琳传》云：“汉天子即位一年而为陵，天下贡赋三分之，一供宗庙，一供宾客，一充山陵。”
　　在西汉的11座帝陵中，茂陵是最高大的一座。高46.5米，顶端东西长39.25米，南北宽40.60米。底边长：东边243米，西边238米，南边239米，北边234米。按《关中记》载：“汉诸陵皆高十二丈，方一百二十步，惟茂陵高十四丈，方一百四十步。”上述与今测量数字基本相符。茂陵营建至今历经二千余年的风吹雨打及水土流失，所差甚微，占地面积5.68万平方米，封土为85万立方米，全部夯筑。陵墓四周呈方形，平顶，上小下大，形如覆斗状，显得庄严稳重。
　　封土下的地宫是陵园的主要建筑，派有专人负责监修。《汉书·张汤传》说：“张汤调茂陵尉，治方中(即地宫)。”《汉旧仪补遗》(汉议郎卫宏撰，清孙星衍校辑)卷下：天子即位(案：注引本作“《汉旧仪》略载诸帝寿陵曰：天子即位”云云)，明年，将作大匠营陵地，用地七顷，方中用地一顷，深三十丈(案：《汉书·霍光传》如淳注引作“天子陵中命中丈二尺四”。)内梓棺柏黄肠题凑(案：《霍光传》注引作“内梓宫，次楩，柏黄肠题凑”。)，以百官藏毕。墓室四面各设有能通过六匹马所驾之车的墓道，各墓道的门叫羡门，墓道门埋设暗剑、伏弩等机关以防盗掘。“已营陵，余地为西园后陵，余地为婕妤以下，次赐亲属功臣”。
　　在张汤任总指挥的茂陵工程指挥部，可以想见，是相当庞大的。起码设置有专管工程设计、后勤保障、采石运料、土木施工、质量监理、财务收支、葬品统筹、安全保卫等各类组织机构。由于工程巨大，施工人员和监管官吏众多，茂陵工地周围很快成为繁华闹市。
　　据《陕西省志·文物志》记载：“这是西汉诸陵中规模最大的一座。陵墓形如覆斗，全用夯土筑成，高46.5米，顶部东西长39.5米，南北宽35.5米；底部东西长213米，南北宽234米。”
　　A Maoling Mausoleum
　　Emperor Wudi(reigned 140-87 B.C.)of the Western Han(206 B.C.-25 A.D.)was on the throne for as long as 54 years.As a feudal emperor,he made outstanding contributions in China's history.Meanwhile,he craved for the grandiose.The most typical of it was construction of his mausoleum.
　　The Maoling Mausoleum ranks the first in seven aspects:
　　1.construction period lasting 53 years;
　　2.largest in magnitude.Burial pits discovered so far exceed 400;
　　3.most burial objects.When Emperor Wudi of the Han was buried,the mausoleum had‘no more vacant space left to accept any burial objects’,as was recorded in The Annals of the Han History;
　　4.huge expedition amounting to 1/3 of the annual collected taxes of the dynasty in the reign of Emperor Wudi;
　　5.most prosperous site at Maoling Township;
　　6.most spacious and magnificent mausoleum area,at which dozens of satellite tombs mostly bear different features;
　　7.The Maoling Mausoleum itself stands the highest among other 11 counterparts of the Western Han Dynasty.
　　After establishment of the People's Republic of China,the Maoling Mausoleum was placed on the first batch list of key spots of interest for cultural relics to be protected by the State Council.The Maoling Mausoleum,as cultural heritage of history,has been highly attached by the nation and cultural heritages protection organizations of the world.The mausoleum is listed as one of vital items to apply for world cultural heritage.
　　Since Emperor Liu Heng(Wendi,reigned 179-164 B.C.)of the Western Han Dynasty,all successors began construction of their mausoleums.Emperor Wudi started construction of his mausoleum in the 2nd year(139 B.C.)after the emperor changed his reign title into Jianyuan(140-135B.C.).The site of the mausoleum was chosen on a raised terrace northwest to Chang'an,the capital of the dynasty.The locality belonged to administration under Maoxiang Township of Huaili County in the Han Dynasty.After the mausoleum completed construction,the place name was changed into Maoling County.
　　As was written in The Annals of Han History,Emperor Wudi spent 1/3 of the collected taxes of the dynasty on construction of the mausoleum and collection of burial objects annually.
　　The Maoling Mausoleum stands the highest among other 11 imperial mausoleums of the Western Han Dynasty.The mausoleum is measured 46.5m high,while the top extends length of 39.25m west-east and width of 40.60m north-south.The bottom is measured by length of 243m east,length of 238m west,length of 239m south and length of 234m north.The factual measurements basically agree with what was written in The Records of Guanzhong:‘all mausoleums of the Han Dynasty stand 12 zhang(Chinese unit of length equaling to 3.3333m)high and extend 120 pace(Chinese unit of length equaling to 1.6666m)long,but only the Maoling Mausoleum stands 14 zhang high and extends 140 pace long’.The mausoleum has survived stress of weathers and soil erosion for two thousand years after completion to result in minor difference.The mausoleum takes up an area of fifty-six thousand and eight hundred square meters and rammed earth of the grave mound reaches eight hundred and fifty thousand cubic meters.The mausoleum is shaped like an overturned square vessel,top being flat but upper wider and lower narrower.It looks majestic and magnificent.
　　The tomb chamber underneath the grave mound constitutes the main architecture of the mausoleum.Construction of the structure was under special supervision.Emperor Wudi,when dead,had five coffins and two outer coffins exclusively for him.The coffins were encircled by piling up 15880 polished cypress logs of 90cm long,10cm wide and 10cm high around.The five coffins were made of Chinese catalpa,sassafras or nanmu belonging to hardwood of moisture-proof and anti-erosion.Every path leading to the four sides of the coffin chamber allows of a carriage drawn by six horses to go through.Every path has an entrance,where invisible swords and crossbow arrows are disposed against theft.
　　The project of the Maoling Mausoleum was constructed under the chief supervisor Zhang Tang.It can be imagined that the project of immense scale included organizations responsible for project designing,logistics supporting,civil engineering,quality supervising,finance balancing,burial objects collecting and safety securing at least.Owing to the immense scale of the project,numerous builders and supervising officials,the construction site soon became a busy area.It was recorded in The Records of Shaanxi·Cultural Relics that“the mausoleum tops the other counterparts of the Western Han Dynasty in magnitude.The rammed mausoleum is shaped like an overturned square vessel.It stands 46.5m high,while the top extends length of 39.5m west-east and width of 35.50m north-south.The bottom is measured by length of 213m west-east and width of 234m north-south.”

茂陵文物/王志杰著．—西安：三秦出版社，2012.

茂陵文物/王志杰著．—西安：三秦出版社，2012.