Chinese archaeologists find Epang Palace built over former pond or lake

XI'AN, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese archaeologists have confirmed that the site of Epang Palace, built during the reign of Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC), was constructed atop what was once a vast body of water, shedding light on engineering prowess more than 2,200 years ago.

The Epang Palace ruins lie in Xi'an's Xixian New Area in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Historical records show that construction began in 212 BC under Emperor Qinshihuang, the first emperor to unify China, but was halted after the short-lived dynasty collapsed.

Continuous archaeological surveys since 1994 have established that the ruins of Epang Palace consisted of a massive rectangular rammed-earth platform, and that only the unfinished foundation of its front hall was ever constructed.

In 2025, a joint archaeological team from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Xi'an institute of cultural relics and archaeology excavated an area of about 1,000 square meters near the eastern central section of the platform.

According to Liu Rui, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the excavation precisely identified the southern edge of the platform, about 407 meters from its northern edge, clarifying the palace's overall width.

"Combined with earlier findings that the site stretches roughly 1,270 meters from east to west, the total area exceeds 500,000 square meters, making it the largest known palace foundation in ancient China," Liu said.

The latest discoveries also show that before construction began, the area was occupied by either a large pond or lake. The palace platform was built directly atop the lakebed silt after the water was drained, demonstrating the complexity of large-scale construction during the Qin Dynasty.

Jiao Nanfeng, a researcher at the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, said that the palace's location reflected both Emperor Qinshihuang's grand vision for imperial planning and practical considerations.

"At the time, the capital of Xianyang lay north of the Weihe River, but shifting political and administrative needs prompted the emperor to consider moving the capital south," Jiao added. Enditem