Situated near Wei River in the northern suburb of Xi’an city, Han Yang Ling Mausoleum is the historical site designated for state protection. This mausoleum which combines modern technology, ancient civilization, historical culture and garden scenery, is built at the base of the joint tomb of Emperor Jindi and his Empress. It is the top national museum in China.

Emperor Jindi (188BC—141BC), named Liu Qi, was the fourth Emperor of the Western Han Dynasty. During his 17-year reign, he adhered to the philosophy of Yellow Emperor and Saint Laozi, whose main doctrines were to follow the natural principles. He developed a peaceful relationship with the Huns through intermarriages, and reduced the burden of tax and penalty. According to the historical document, “the state revenue of the ancient capital was brimming with coins that the ropes used to tie them decayed, leaving them impossible to count. Foods in state storage was permeated, most of them decayed”.  Emperor Jindi, together with his father Emperor Wendi, opened a golden era of harmony in the early feudal society, which was later regarded as “the Great Reign of Wen and Jin”.

30 odd years of excavation shows that the Yangling Mausoleum is mainly composed of the Emperor and Empress’ graveyards, southern and northern burial pits, ritual building, the satellite graveyard and criminal’s graveyard, and ancient mausoleum town. To the west of them, lie the emperor and empress’ tomb, northern and southern burial pits and the remains of ancestral construction. The emperor’s graveyard is rectangular in shape and is surrounded by 81 burial pits radiating from the central mound. Outside the east gate of the graveyard is the Sacred Road, flanked by 8000 odd satellite tombs of ancient high officials, leads directly to the ancient mausoleum town. Objects unearthed from the 200 odd burial pits include armored Warrior figures with weapon, elegant palace maids with Han costume, countless animals with vivid expression. The HYLM is considered to represent the ancient burial custom, “ to attend to the dead as if to attend to the living”. HYLM is the most intact royal mausoleum of Han dynasty ever discovered. It is the most important tangible document in the research of burial customs and civilization of the Han Dynasty.

Referring to Hanyangling as "Oriental Venus" is no exaggeration. The tomb has almost certainly been identified by the discovery of 40,000 burial objects, including cavalrymen, infantrymen, painted nude pottery figurines, utensils, chariots, weapons, and a large number of pottery animals.

These excavations have brought history back to the public for a second time, following after Qin's Terracotta Warriors and Horses. Archaeological finds have proved it is the most well-preserved and integrated Western Han Imperial Mausoleum. Located in the eastern part of Xianyang City, about 20 kilometers from both Xian and Xianyang International Airport, it's easy for visitors to find.

Construction of the mausoleum took 28 years, beginning in 153 B.C. and ending when the empress died. The mausoleum covers an area of more than 10 square kilometers - nearly six kilometers east to west, and up to three kilometers north to south. The tomb complex is symmetrically constructed with the sacred road from east to west. Yang Ling mausoleum, standing at the western end of the sacred road, is about 32 meters high with circumferences of 670 meters and 238 meters at the bottom and top respectively. It looks like a topless pyramid. Beside it is the tomb of the Empress. In ancient China it was the custom that an Empress, although she held much power, be buried separately from her husband.

Around the mausoleum in all directions are 81 satellite tombs different sizes. From these tombs we have unearthed approximately 60,000 burial objects, including painted nude pottery figurines, utensils, chariots, weapons, and a large number of pottery animals. Also discovered was the largest human sacrifice graveyard ever found in China. A total of 5,000 sacrificial burial tombs have been verified, and the graveyard covers a total area of 3.5 square km.

Han figurines were first modeled as nude bodies, then painted with hair and skin, fitted with movable wooded arms and hands, and finally covered with beautiful clothes before being buried. Over the centuries, the clothing was damaged and the wooden arms rotted. But the colors remain as bright as when they were first painted. The figurines, including cavalrymen, infantrymen, court maids, and servants, are 62 centimeters tall. They have (male or female) sex organs, navels and all the functional bodily orifices. With different facial expressions, these pottery figures look relaxed but dignified. The animal figurines include strong and tough cattle, shrewd dogs, glazed cocks and hens, pigs, and sheep all made in a vivid and lively style.