Chinese emperors during the feudal period placed great importance on building tombs for themselves. The process of constructing a tomb could take several years to decades. After the tomb was completed, the workers were often killed.
Upon ascending the throne, many Chinese emperors began the process of building a grand tomb for their eternal rest. In addition to choosing a site with good feng shui, these emperors invested large sums of money and mobilized significant human resources to create impressive burial sites.
Consequently, hundreds to thousands of workers labored continuously for years or even decades to complete the massive tombs for these exalted rulers.
The tombs of Chinese emperors often contained many valuable treasures. (Illustrative image).
The emperor’s tomb is likened to an underground palace. With the belief of “as above, so below“, emperors desired their final resting places to be as extravagant and magnificent as their lives.
Thus, upon passing away, emperors were typically buried with countless gold, silver, jewels, and other valuable possessions. They were also accompanied in death by numerous concubines, palace maids, and eunuchs. Whether they wished to or not, these individuals had to follow the grim custom of burial if the emperor left a will or if the new ruler ordered it.
Researching the tombs of emperors through various Chinese dynasties, scholars have discovered a chilling truth: those involved in the construction process were often killed after the completion of the tomb.
The reason behind the emperor’s command to kill all those who built the tomb piques many people’s curiosity about their tragic fate. In response to this issue, some experts have provided explanations for the emperor’s brutal decision.
According to researchers, the tombs of emperors contained incredibly valuable burial treasures. This temptation led many, including tomb robbers, to covet these riches. They sought to break into the tombs to plunder the valuables and sell them for profit.
Gaining access to the emperor’s tomb was not easy. Therefore, tomb robbers could seek out the workers who built the tomb to intimidate, threaten, or torture them in order to extract the location of the tomb and the means of entry.
Even some construction workers might succumb to greed, secretly breaking into the tomb to “snatch” treasures in hopes of “changing their fortunes” overnight. Because they participated in the construction process, these workers had a clear understanding of the tomb’s structure, exit points, and more. This knowledge allowed them to easily infiltrate the tomb and steal the burial treasures.
To prevent such incidents, emperors ordered the execution of all individuals involved in the tomb construction once the project was completed.