Ubuhlalu bengilazi bukhona kusukela ku-Western Zhou Dynasty. Baduma kakhulu phakathi neNkathi Yezizwe Ezilwayo. Cishe zonke izingilazi ezigqitshiwe ezivela emathuneni aseWarring States ambiwe aqukethe ubuhlalu bezingilazi. Intuthuko yabo ayinakuhlukaniswa nokuthuthukiswa okuqhubekayo kobuchwepheshe nemishini, okuholele ekuhlanzeni ingilazi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukusetshenziswa okulinganiselwe kwe-jade emihlobiso akukwazanga ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zabantu, okwaholela ekukhiqizeni ngobuningi kanye nokucwengwa kwezingilazi zobuhlalu.
Ngo-1978, i-Zenghouyi Tomb e-Leigudun, eSifundazweni sase-Sui, eSifundazweni sase-Hubei, yavumbulula isethi emangalisayo yezinsimbi ze-chime, kanye nezintambo eziningi zobuhlalu bengilazi. Izintambo ezimbili zobuhlalu bezingilazi eziboniswe lapha kwakuyizinto zokungcwaba ezivela kulelithuna. Iyunithi yezinhlamvu eyodwa iqukethe ubuhlalu bengilazi obuyisikhombisa be-monochromatic, iyindilinga ngayinye, insomi{3}}nsundu ngombala, enobuso obushelelezi kanye nesimo esivamile. Enye iyunithi yezinhlamvu ihlotshiswe kahle ngojekamanzi-obuhlalu bengilazi yamehlo, iningi labo oblate ngamasayizi ahlukahlukene, anombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka okhanyayo noma oluhlaza okotshani. Ingaphezulu lihlotshiswe ngamasongo amaningana agxilile amhlophe noma aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ngokukhanyayo, nendawo ephakathi iphakanyiswe kancane ngaphezu kwendawo ezungezile, okwenza umumo ophakanyisiwe. Lolu chungechunge lobuhlalu bengilazi kungenzeka lisebenzisa indlela yokugoqa-yentambo ukuze kwakhe isisekelo. Imibala eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka emhlophe nekhanyayo yabe isisetshenziswa esisekelweni ngephethini eyindilinga, yabe isixhunywa ndawonye ngaphambi kokuba lezi mibala ezimbili ziqine ngokugcwele.
Ujekamanzi-obuhlalu bengilazi yamehlo babuwuhlobo oluhamba phambili lobuhlalu bengilazi ngesikhathi seNtwasahlobo neNkwindla kanye Nenkathi Yamazwe Alwayo. Ziphinde zatholakala kulo lonke elase-Asia Ephakathi, eNtshonalanga ye-Asia, naseNyakatho Afrika, futhi ziwuhlobo oluvamile lwezingilazi ezitholakala kuwo womabili amasiko aseShayina nawaseNtshonalanga. Ubuhlalu obukulo chungechunge buyahlukahluka ngobukhulu. Ngaphandle kobuhlalu obulodwa obuluhlaza bedayimane{4}, obunye bunembobo, bunezimbobo, futhi bunomumo ofanayo. Lobu buhlalu, obunemibala egqamile kanye nezimo ezivamile, bubonisa izinga eliphezulu lobuciko futhi bubhekwa njengezibonelo ezivamile zobuhlalu bengilazi kusukela enkathini Yamazwe Alwayo.
