Wender·Vista
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tilePeople's Republic of China
east of Xi'an, in Shaanxi Province

Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor

— — an army the earth was keeping.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“A burial complex the size of a small city, raised for the emperor who first unified China. The tomb mound has been left undisturbed since 210 BC. A kilometre east, three pits hold the Terracotta Army: roughly 8,000 soldiers, archers, cavalry, and horses, each face different, found by farmers digging a well in 1974. They face east, toward the kingdoms the emperor had conquered.

from the studio
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
— bring it home

Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor sits in Lintong District, about 38 kilometres east of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, China. The complex was built between 246 and 208 BC for Qin Shi Huang, who unified the warring states and took the title First Emperor in 221 BC. The central tomb mound rises about 76 metres above the surrounding plain and remains unexcavated. The site was inscribed by UNESCO in 1987 and covers roughly 56 square kilometres.

— informed by UNESCO, Wikipedia
— the stone

The Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974 by farmers drilling a well in a field outside Xiyang village. Three pits, opened in subsequent excavations, hold an estimated 8,000 life-sized figures: infantry, archers, cavalry, charioteers, officers, and horses. The figures were assembled from moulded parts and finished by hand, with individual faces, hair, and armour. Traces of original pigment in red, green, purple, and blue survived on some pieces and faded within minutes of exposure to air. Pit 1, the largest, runs 230 metres east to west.

— the visit

The site is reached from Xi'an by the dedicated 306 bus from the railway station, the Xi'an metro Line 9 to Huaqing Pool, or by taxi in about an hour. The site is open daily from 8:30 to 17:00, with shorter hours November to February. Admission covers all three pits and the bronze chariot museum. Pit 1, in a hangar-sized hall, holds most of the standing figures. The unexcavated tomb mound is 1.5 kilometres west of the pits.

— where
People's Republic of China · Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi
— position
34.3848° N · 109.2734° E
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
5 km W
Huaqing Hot Springs
imperial bathing complex
2 km S
Mount Li
forested ridge
38 km W
Xi'an City Wall
Ming-era fortification
40 km W
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Tang Buddhist pagoda
N
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Huaqing Hot Springs
Mount Li
Xi'an City Wall
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

Qin Shi Huang, born 259 BC and died 210 BC, unified the warring states of China and took the title of First Emperor in 221 BC. He standardised currency, script, and weights, and began the early Great Wall.

In March 1974, farmers drilling a well in a field outside Xiyang village struck pottery fragments. Excavation revealed three pits holding an estimated 8,000 life-sized figures. The site has been excavated and conserved continuously since then.

Excavators estimate about 8,000 figures across the three opened pits, including infantry, archers, cavalry, chariot horses, and officers. Pit 1, the largest, holds roughly 6,000 of them. New figures are still being uncovered and reassembled.

No. The 76-metre tomb mound itself has been left undisturbed since 210 BC. Historical accounts describe interior rivers of mercury and a vaulted chamber. Soil mercury readings around the mound are unusually high, consistent with the account.

The complex sits in Lintong District, about 38 kilometres east of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, central China. It covers roughly 56 square kilometres. It was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

— about the piece in your home

It carries weight for anyone with family history in Shaanxi or who has stood in the Pit 1 hangar. The piece holds the seriousness of the place. A Medium or Large with a studio note ships well.

The earth tones and ranked verticals sit naturally in Modern-Chinese, Japandi, and quiet Maximalist rooms. Dark wood, stone, and cream walls let the figures hold the eye. The piece needs space around it.

Yes. Current Modern-Chinese rooms anchor on one historical artwork rather than several decorative pieces. The mausoleum reads as that single anchor and connects the room to a specific place rather than a general aesthetic.

Above a standard sofa, the Large reads as one strong window onto the pit. Above a longer console or king bed, the 4-tile Mural opens the wall. The 9-tile Mural is for a feature wall.

Yes. Order the tile in Dura Satin for showers, backsplashes, or any place it meets steam. Matte works the same way with no sheen. The colour is infused into the surface.

A soft microfibre cloth and warm water. Avoid abrasive scrubbers and bleach. The colour is infused into the ceramic surface and will not lift with normal cleaning.

— if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.