I am sure you all know the story - in the spring of 1974, in the eastern suburbs of XiĄŻan in Shaanxi Province, a local farmer named Yang was drilling a water well. He and other peasants uncovered some pottery near the royal tomb. This caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC). One can only wonder what other treasures remain to be discovered i this blessed land.
To this day the descendents of the twenty original villages remain in the immediate vicinity of the mausoleum (one of them the hamlet where the Yang family lived) make it conceivable that the terracotta army may have been rediscovered by the direct descendants of the people left to guard it by the emperor.
The Terracotta Army is a form of funereal art buried with the First Emperor of Qin in 210-209 BC. The Army's purpose was to help rule another empire with Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. Consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Armies."
It is said construction of this mausoleum began in 246 BC and involved 700,000 workers. The geographer Li Daoyuan, six centuries after the death of the First Emperor, explained that Mount Li had been chosen as a site for its auspicious geology: it once had a gold mine on its north face and a jade mine on its south face, demonstrating not only its sacred value, but also perhaps how the tunnels had come to be dug in the first place. Qin Shi Huang was 13 when construction began. He specifically stated that no two soldiers were to be made alike, which is most likely why he had construction started at that young age. Sima Qian, in his most famous work, Shiji, completed a century after the mausoleum, wrote that the First Emperor was buried with palaces, scenic towers, officials, valuable utensils and "wonderful objects," with 100 rivers of mercury and above this heavenly bodies below which he wrote were "the features of the earth." Some translations of this passage refer to "models" or "imitations," but he does not use those words.
Recent scientific work at the site has shown high levels of mercury in the soil on and around Mount Lishan, appearing to add credence to Sima QianĄŻs writings. The tomb is under an earthen pyramid 76 meters tall and nearly 350 meters square. The tomb remains unopened, in the hope that it will remain intact. Archaeologists are afraid that if they do excavate the tomb, they might damage some of the valuables buried with emperor Qin Shi Huang. Only a portion of the site is presently excavated, and photos and video recordings are prohibited in some areas of the viewing. Only few foreigners, such as Queen Elizabeth II, have been permitted to walk through the pits, side by side with the army.
The terracotta army figures were manufactured in workshops by government labourers and by local craftsmen. The heads, arms, legs and torsos were created separately and then assembled. Studies show it to be most likely that eight different face moulds were used, and then clay was added to provide individual facial features. Once assembled, intricate features such as facial expressions were added. It is believed that their legs were made in much the same way that terracotta drainage pipes were manufactured at the time. This would make it an assembly line production, with specific parts manufactured and assembled after being fired, as opposed to crafting one solid piece of terracotta and subsequently firing it. In those times of tight imperial control, each workshop was required to inscribe its name on items produced to ensure quality control. This has aided modern historians in verifying that workshops that once made tiles and other mundane items were commandeered to work on the terracotta army. Upon completion, the terracotta figures were placed in the pits in precise military formation according to rank and duty.
The terracotta figures are life-like and life-sized. They vary in height, uniform and hairstyle in accordance with rank. The coloured lacquer finish, individual facial features, and actual weapons and armour from battle used in manufacturing these figures created a realistic appearance. Robbers stole the original weapons shortly after the creation of the army and the colouring has faded greatly. However, their existence serves as a testament to the amount of labour and skill involved in their construction. It also reveals the power the First Emperor possessed, enabling him to command such a monumental undertaking.
As my tour guide, Liaoyun booked our flights to and from Xi'an, the hotels (even changed one she didn't think was up to standard). Xi'an was totally unknown to her but on arrival she set out to find her way around. As a registered tour guide it seems she belongs to a national sisterhood of guides and their advice led us to all the local sites we wished to see. He most effective decision was the selection of the local tour guide to take us through the excavation site to see the real soldiers as they have been uncovered.
There was, however an interesting little side drama when this new lady ran foul of a volunteer security guard on special duty for the 60th anniversary celebrations. He lost his cool when she attempted to take her little brood through an extrance which, unbeknown to her, had been closed. A screaming match ensued when the volunteer showed his contempt for her official status when he snatched her guide's identification and threw it on the ground.
At this point the local police appeared to save the day: everyone was given face, feathers smoothed and our local guide agreed to take her brood by the newly approved route while the young hero with the red arm band stamped off, proving himself unbowed. I love China! |
