China's Terra Cotta Warriors And Their Emperor

by Habeeb Salloum 

I could not believe my eyes when in Xi’an I first set sight on the Terra Cotta warriors, ranking with the Great Wall as one of China’s most important historic sites, Stunning and eye-boggling, the more than 2,200 year-old Terra Cotta soldiers with their chariots, horses and weapons are, without doubt, one of the world’s great wonders, reflecting the pomp and glory of the times.  Meant to accompany their Emperor after death, the more than 7,000 life-size clay soldiers, with their battle gear, marshaled in combat formation and facing east, ready for battle, give us a glance at one of China’s greatest wonders.

This great archeological treasure, one of the most sensational finds of all times in China’s long and illustrious history, is the handiwork of one of its most renowned emperors, Qin Shi Huang.  Ascending the throne at the tender age of 13, in 246 B.C., he set about making the six warring Chinese states into one nation. He conquered the six Chinese kingdoms in existence at that time and united China for the first time in its history, then set himself up as the first emperor of the Dynasty of Qin - the name from which China is derived.

One of the most important of China’s emperors, his rule became a landmark in Chinese history.  He is credited with standardizing the Chinese script, establishing a unified weight system, replacing hereditary rulers with a centrally appointed administrative system, instituting agricultural reform and uniting the country by building over 9,660 km (6,000 mi) of roads and 1,600 km (1,000 mi) of canals. Also, he joined previously built defense ramparts to form the first Great Wall of China - to some historians, the 7th wonder of the world.  However, enshrining his name forever is his Terra Cotta army, which his admirers fondly call the 8th wonder of the world.

Yet, even though he made tremendous contributions to the creation of a unified China, he is considered by most historians to have been a cruel tyrant who sacrificed some 700,000 forced laborers to build his enormous tomb. He began to build it as soon as he ascended the throne and it took 41 years to complete. It is believed that he ordered the architects and tomb workers to be buried alive in order to protect its secret. Of the 72 emperors buried east of Xi’an, only his tomb has not been robbed due, as folklore has it, to either mercury floating around his tomb and emitting poisonous fumes or to the Terra Cotta army guarding his grave.

After laying in slumber underground for centuries, the Terra Cotta army was discovered by chance in 1974 by some farmers. When digging a new well, they unearthed a pottery head, completely unaware as to the magnitude of their discovery. The find immediately caught the attention of archeologists and they have been working on the site ever since. In the last three decades, three pits have been uncovered and they are carefully and slowly being excavated. The army was not found whole. Almost all the soldiers were found in pieces and they had to be reconstructed. 

After the Emperor Qin died, due to his cruelty, a rebellion broke out and the rebels burned a part of the site. The remaining statues were shattered to pieces when the wooden roof, covered by earth rotted and collapsed, crushing the army. Almost every soldier had to be reconstructed - the work is ongoing. After their restoration, the warriors are replaced in the same place where they once stood. As yet, only a portion of the soldiers, found in each pit have been completely renovated.

A huge museum has been built covering the site, divided into three sections; Number One, Two and Three pits. The largest, Number One, houses 6,000 soldiers with their horses and battle gear; Number Two contains 1,000 warriors and 60 chariots; and Number Three holds 68 warriors with their bronze weapons and is thought to be the headquarters of the Terra Cotta army. Two of the chariots have been completely rebuilt and are on display in a separate chamber.

The Terra Cotta army, depicted in battle dress according to rank and unit, consists of vivid life-size figures of warriors about six feet high clad in armor or short gowns belted at the waist, with leggings and tightly lashed boots - their craftsmanship and size are extraordinary. None of the soldiers look alike - each has a distinctive individual expression and hairstyle, believed to resemble the people with whom the potters were acquainted. 

Well proportioned and exquisitely shaped, some are biting their lips, a number are gazing or glaring, while others show troubled looks, or with bowed heads, they appear to be meditating. A good number have crossbows under their arms and arrow quivers slung over their shoulders, while generals, with a hand at the tip of their swords, defuse a dignified bearing. As a whole, the superb workmanship and grandeur of the army is breathtaking.

However, these pottery soldiers, hand-manufactured to protect the emperor’s grave for eternity are not all this archeological site has to offer. Under a manmade mountain of dirt, trial digs are being made to locate his crypt and speculations as to the rich content of the tomb abound.

One of China’s most important historic sites, the Terra Cotta army, has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. A natural museum of history, the soldiers with their battle gear and chariots are the epitome of the 5,000 year-old history of China. Absolutely incredible to first time visitors, they have made Xi’an a favourite stopping place for an ever-increasing number of tourists. 

In the words of Joan, our guide, “I hate the emperor of the Terra Cotta soldiers for being so very cruel to his subjects, but I also love him since he continues to draw here tourists like yourselves and, because of this I have my job.”   She smiled, “His army is always on parade, waiting for visitors.”         

IF YOU GO

Facts

1) Foreigners travelling to China must apply to a local Chinese embassy or consulate for tourist visas.

2) The currency of China, the RMB or Yuan, is currently valued at about 7.68 to the U.S. dollar; and 7 to the Canadian dollar.  Conversion of foreign currency can be done in banks or hotels.  China is one of the few countries in the world where hotels give the same rates as the banks.  The exchange rate for travellers cheques is more favorable than that for cash.  Also, most credit cards are accepted. 

3) If one wants to buy Terra Cotta souvenirs, do not buy them from street vendors.  These are usually fake and do not last.  Buy them from retail outlets.  Also, Xi’an is famous for ceramics, Qin embroidery, jade, imitation bronze ware, lacquered furniture and peasant paintings. 

4) Sites not mentioned worth seeing in and around Xi’an are:

            City Walls, the best-preserved old city walls in China;

            Pan Po Neolithic Village, dating back to 4500 B.C.; 

Daqinzhan Si (Great Mosque), a superb example of Sino-Arab architecture, built in 742 A.D.;

            Shaanxi Museum, housing a fine collection of historic items;

            Big and Little Goose Pagodas, beautiful examples of Chinese architecture;

            Forest of Steles Museum, devoted to the history of the Silk Road; 

            Huaqing Pool (Imperial Hot Springs), once the winter playground of emperors;

            Qianling Mausoleum, the tomb of the Tang Emperor and his Empress Wu Zetian;

            Maoling Mausoleum, tomb of the Emperor Wu Di of the Han dynasty; and 

            Famen Temple, famous for housing the Buddhist relics of Sakyamuni.

5) Xi’an is an important hub of communication in northwest China.  It has excellent air, highway and railway connections with the remainder of the country.

6) Xi’an has a long history of specializing in the dishes of northwest China and those of the Chinese Muslims.  The city’s food is inexpensive and each dish has its own story.  Visitors usually leave with a deep impression of the city’s cuisine.  For tourists, typical Xi’an dishes can be found at the Xi’an, Tongshengxiang and Defachang Restaurants.

7) Everyone visiting Xi’an should not miss attending a dinner and show at the Great Opera Theatre.  The food is super and the Chang’an songs and dances by the Tang Dynasty performers has to be the best in China.

8) Only some tap water in China is potable.  However, bottled mineral water is on sale everywhere.

For Further Information, Contact:

China National Tourism Administration - e-mail: webmaster@cnta.gov.cn  or see

web site: http://www.cnta.com/lyen/index.asp