Forbidden Gardens, in Katy, Texas,is a fascinating outdoor museum replicating some of China's major historic scenes. Guided tours take you back to the third century BC to view the first Emperor's amazing 6,000 piece terra-cotta army replicated in 1/3 scale. The tour continues to the intricately detailed miniatures of the famous Forbidden City in Beijing which served as palaces for nearly 500 years of Imperial rule.
Forbidden Gardens is a must - see for everyone who wants to embark on an unforgettable journey to a faraway land without stepping outside of Texas.
History
At the beginning of the third century B.C.E., China as we think of it today did not exist. In its place were seven warring states who had been fighting one another for five hundred years. Yeng Zheng (later Qui Shihuang Di) was the ruler of the state of Qin. He became ruler at the age of thirteen, although his mother and an advisor acted as regents for him until he turned twenty-one. During his reign, Qin (pronounced "chin") amassed huge armies of soldiers and began conquering the six other states one at a time. He ruled the states with an iron fist. Qin conquered all six states, unifying to the nation of China and giving it it's name.
Qin unified the states by standardizing the laws, weights and measures, the currency, and the writing system. He built roadways and a canal system linking the states. He established a bureaucracy that endured until the early 1900's, perhaps the longest reigning government in the history of mankind. Qin has also been credited with the start of the Great Wall of China. Qin is considered by most historians to be the greatest emperor in Chinese history, although few would call him a great man. His brutal reign was filled with death, betrayal, punishment, and horror.
During his reign, Emperor Qin began construction of a magnificent tomb where he would be buried upon death. To protect his body, Qin began construction of four pits, each of which would contain an army of soldiers. All records and historical documents of the tomb were lost or destroyed over the last 2,000 years. When the tomb was accidentally discovered in 1974, historians found that only three of the four pits had been filled with terra-cotta soldiers. The fourth pit was empty. The historians believe the Emperor either died or a military disruption occurred which ceased production.
Now lets jump ahead to the 15th century. Between 1406 and 1420, over two hundred and fifty acres of palaces and government buildings were built in Beijing. These palaces became known as the Forbidden City because the general populace was not allowed inside past the gates. The Forbidden City was exclusively for use by the Imperial family, the emperor's military personnel and his support staff. For 500 years, it served as home to the Emperor and the seat of government. In 1949, the Forbidden City was opened to the public as a Chinese National Museum.
