China unearths ancient palace

Ah a good one but yeah the Chinese may not tackle that tomb for some time. I wonder if they'll get all sentimental and go with the Japanese idea of not opening their 'founders' tombs

reply to post by guohua


Thank you for the videos. I found the first one so fascinating with the 3D model depictions of the entire complex with its numerous excavation sites, including very crisp renderings of what's been mapped underneath all that earth with ground penetrating radar, I searched out the entire full-length video and watched it.

Wonderful documentary on the origins of China, even into why it's named Chin-a.
I found it all quite enlightening and all the information attached to the mausoleum complex utterly enthralling and spectacularly amazing.
It's quite astounding the sheer massiveness of it all.

reply to post by SLAYER69


What are you so impressed about? The level of abuse an emperor can lay on his people? The only reason these Chinese sites and artifacts impress is because they are so big, which is because the Chinese emperors acquired such absolute power and were so careless of their people's welfare, that they were quite prepared to sacrifice their people by the thousand in order to impress the world. The Chinese, as anyone who has actually visited the country will know, carry national superiority to heights as yet undreamt of by any other nationality. To quote Shelley:

"I am Ozymandius, king of kings,
look on my works ye mighty and depair"

Yes, that's what it's about. Is that really such an admirable sentiment? Is a work of art or a monument which is infused with that spirit, the spirit of cruelty, of undermining others, of inducing despair, is such a work really to be admired? (Not here that there is an absence of any sort of aesthetic.)

Originally posted by pantodragon
What are you so impressed about?

A possibly untouched 2 thousand year old tomb. One which may demonstrate just how advanced their understanding of Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics and of their view of the world around them.

The level of abuse an emperor can lay on his people?

No

The only reason these Chinese sites and artifacts impress is because they are so big

No.

which is because the Chinese emperors acquired such absolute power and were so careless of their people's welfare, that they were quite prepared to sacrifice their people by the thousand in order to impress the world.

True.
So what do you suggest? Blow the place up in protest? Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure all guilty parties involved are dead.

The Chinese, as anyone who has actually visited the country will know, carry national superiority to heights as yet undreamt of by any other nationality.

Trying to impress us with your version of social observation and Moriarty? It's a tomb. One which hasn't been disturbed.

Yes, that's what it's about. Is that really such an admirable sentiment?

For those who are so short sighted I suppose so. As I stated earlier it's their heritage but the site also belongs to humanity, Just like the Great Pyramids of Egypt and all the other ancient sites around the globe.

Is a work of art or a monument which is infused with that spirit, the spirit of cruelty, of undermining others, of inducing despair, is such a work really to be admired? (Not here that there is an absence of any sort of aesthetic.)

Those are other extremely valid reasons why this location should be explored, respected, understood and admired. I personally don't care about the Emperor. I'm more interested in the site itself. The works of the Craftsmen, the Engineers, the Architects, the Masons, the Metallurgist, The Fabricators etc etc etc.

When the bodies of all those who gave their lives for their emperor are found they will after 2,000 years be able tell their story as well.

The common people.

Oh c'mon man ruins are cool

reply to post by pantodragon


I suppose we should tear down all the ancient Roman monuments? The Great Pyramids?
Destroy all the cathedrals built under the oppressive dominion of The Church?
Level all the Aztec, Mayan, and other PreColumbian sites that were bathed in blood from ritual human sacrifice?

What about the Hoover Dam, and the Panama Canal and other 'modern' mega-engineering sites where underpaid workers toiled in unsafe conditions, some to their deaths?
Example many a lofty bridge like the Golden Gate, and those connecting NYC to the surrounding mainland.
Subway lines and tunnels anyone?

Perhaps we should tear down all the historical palaces, castles and government offices around the world since not one is innocent of bloodshed, or someone's suffering somewhere, sometime?

Maybe we should just commit species suicide, leveling all our works, and every sign of man as our very existence is a testament to the extinction of thousands of species of animals as well as the atrocities and bloodbaths of our ancestors killing hundreds of millions of others that made their descendants possible to make more descendants and so on until you and I and all of us here came about?

How long and far do you want to take it?

Originally posted by Druscilla
reply to post by guohua

 

Thank you for the videos. I found the first one so fascinating with the 3D model depictions of the entire complex with its numerous excavation sites, including very crisp renderings of what's been mapped underneath all that earth with ground penetrating radar, I searched out the entire full-length video and watched it.

Wonderful documentary on the origins of China, even into why it's named Chin-a.
I found it all quite enlightening and all the information attached to the mausoleum complex utterly enthralling and spectacularly amazing.
It's quite astounding the sheer massiveness of it all.

edit on 3-12-2012 by Druscilla because: (no reason given)

Thank You for your kind reply and I'm very Happy You Liked the videos and documentary.
Just ignore people like pantodragon, his post shows that he is not knowledgeable of the old world rulers or of the world they created for themselves.
The Aztec's, Inca's, Pharaohs of Egypt claimed to be Gods and the peoples of their kingdoms were not only worked to death building the great cities but they also had ritual scarifies of selected humans or prisoners of war, is this not true, pantodragon?
So why would the First Emperor of China be any different?
If you actually study this mans history, you find out his own mother plotted to overthrow him at a young age, he did come from a Very Dysfunctional Family

If you truly would like to know more about China's first Emperor, watch the Chinese film 'Hero' , it is the closest film I've seen that even comes close to presenting the Emperor's life story.
He was only 13 years old in 246BCE he was giving the throne of the kingdom of Qin.
If your interested here is a go site: www.sacu.org...
Here is an excellent video: www.history.com...-of-chinas-first-emperor
SLAYER69 and others that are interested, this site has some very good pictures of the soldiers and other objects.
www.google.com... w&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1600&bih=761

Druscilla says: "Maybe we should just commit species suicide"

My point is that this is exactly what you ARE doing. You admire what is WORST in human achievement and ignore what is BEST. There can only be one outcome of such a value system: the worst survives, the best dies = species suicide. Take a look around you. Look at the little people. That's where you'll find things that are really worth valuing. That is where you will find life and hope.