Xian Regency Holiday Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

SIGHT & ATTRACTIONS

Sights outside Xi’an

THE HUA QING POOL

EMPEROR QIN SHIHUANG’S MAUSOLEUM

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS AND HORSES MUSEUM

POTTERY FIGURES UNEARTHED IN YANGLING MAUSOLEUM

QIANLING MAUSOLEUM

FAMEN TEMPLE

-- Terracotta warriors and horses --	People from all over the world who know even a little about Chinese culture, all admit that Emperor Qin Shihuang was one of the most famous emperors in the 5,000-year history of China. Emperor Qin Shihuang was regarded as the supreme ruler of this world, and so he would remain in the next world. For this reason, his mausoleum, with its mountain-like
tumulus and underground palace, was designed after the palace in Xianyang, where he lived and reigned. In addition, he was fully aware of the importance of armed force. He had images made of his troops and had them buried near him to guard his soul. The terracotta army was thus formed.
In March 1974, several of China’s leading archaeologists gathered at a place l.5 kilometers east of Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum in Lintong County, Shaanxi Province, to excavate a l4000-square-meter vault in which thousands of terracotta warriors and horses had remained entombed for over 2,000 years. Thus, the terracotta army, known as another "Wonder of Ancient Civilization," was brought to light.
When these warriors and horses were shown to the world, everybody was impressed by the fact that they were life-size as well as by their huge number. Subsequent excavation of the first, second and the third vaults made clear their formation and battle array. The three vaults are magnificent, covering an area of 20,000 square meters. They mainly contain infantry, cavalry and war chariots, serving as life-size reproductions of the Qin army of ancient China.
In those days, armies consisted of a legion of the left, a legion of the right, a legion of the center and the command headquarters.

-- Pit No.1 --

　Pit No.1 is in an oblong shape, 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide from north to south and 5 meters deep, covering an area of 14,260 square meters. It is an earth-and-wood structure in the shape of a tunnel. There are five sloping entrances on the eastern and western sides of the pit respectively. Down inside the tunnel,

there are ten earth-rammed partition walls, across which huge and strong rafters were placed, then covered with mats and fine soil and filling earth. The floors are paved with bricks. The terra-cotta warriors and horses in Pit No. I are arrayed in a practical battle formation. In the long corridor to the East End of the pit stand facing east three rows of terra-cotta warriors in battle tunics and puttees, 70 in each, totaling 210 altogether. Armed with bows and arrows, they constitute the vanguard. There is one row of warriors in the south, north and west of the corridor respectively, facing outward. They are probably the flanks and the rear guard. Holding crossbows and arrows and other long-distance shooting weapons, they took up the job of defending the whole battle formation. The ten rammed partition walls divided Pit No. 1 into eleven latitudinal passage ways where stand facing east 38 columns of warriors with horse-drawn chariots in the center. The warriors armour-clad, holding long-shaft weapons are probably the main body of the formation and represent the principal force. There are altogether 27 trial trenches. According to the density of the formation in each trial, it is assumed that more than 6,000 clay warriors and horses could be unearthed from Pit No. 1, most of which are infantrymen.

-- Pit No.2 --	Pit No. 2 is located 20 meters to the north of the eastern end of Pit No. l. The Pit is L—shaped and consists of four different mixed military forces in four arrays. It is estimated that there were over 1,000 pieces of pottery figures, 500 horse-drawn chariots and saddled horses. The pit is measured 6,000 square meters. The first array, i.e.
the eastern protruding part of the pit, is composed of 334 archers.
To the south of the pit is the second array, including the first through the eighth passage ways, it is composed of 64 chariots, each of which carries three warriors. The third array, i. e. the middle of the pit,including the ninth through the eleventh passageways is composed of l9 chariots and l00 infantrymen. The fourth array to the north of the pit, including the l2th through the l2th passageways is composed of six chariots,l24 saddled horses and cavalrymen. The four arrays are closely connected to constitute a complete battle formation and can be divided up to act independently, capable of attacking and defending and of self-protection and quick response. Three of the four arrays in Pit No. 2 have chariots and warriors. The chariots took up most of battle formation. This proves that chariots and warriors was the principal fighting forces in the Qin Dynasty. The wooden chariots have become decayed with age, but the tongues and wheels left clear traces in the clay. The bronze parts of the chariots remained intact.

-- Pit No.3 --

　　　Pit No. 3 is located 25 meters to the north of Pit No. 1 and to the west of Pit No. 2. The plane of the pit is of concave shape totaling about 520 square meters. Out of the pit were unearthed one chariot, four terra-cotta horses and 68 clay armored warriors. To its east, there is a sloping entrance, 11.2 meters long and 3.7 meters wide,

opposite which is a chariot and horse house. On both sides of the house, there is a winging room, in which were unearthed 64 pottery figurines. The arrangement of the pottery figurines is quite different from that in Pits No. 1 and No. 2 in which the warriors are placed in battle formation. But those in Pit No. 3 are arrayed opposite to each other along the walls, in two rows. Even the weapons held by the warriors in Pit No. 3 are different from those in Pits No. 1 and No. 2. The latter were armed with long-range across bows and arrows and short weapons such as spears, barbed spears, swords and axes. In Pit No. 3 were only discovered one kind of weapon called “shu”, which had no blades and are believed to be used by the guards of honor. Unearthed also in this pit were remaining deer-horn and animal bones. This is probably the place where sacrificial offerings and war prayers were practiced. Judging by the layout of Pit No. 3, it is most likely the headquarters directing the mighty underground army.

-- The bronze chariots --	In December 1980, two sets of large painted bronze chariots and horses were unearthed 20 meters west of the mount of Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum. They were listed as No.1 and No.2 respectively according to their discovery. They were then enclosed in a wooden coffin and buried in pit seven meters deep. When
excavated, the chariots and horses were seriously damaged due to the decayed wooden coffin and the collapse of earthen layers. No.2 bronze chariot and horses were found broken into l, 555 pieces. After two-and-half years of careful and painstaking restoration by archaeologists and other experts, they were formally open to the public on October 1,1983. No.1 bronze chariot and horses were also open to the public in l988.
The bronze chariots drawn by four horses, with a single shaft, were placed one before the other vertically. The front chariot, i. e. No.1 Chariot was named "High Chariot". The charioteers and passengers all stood in the chariot. The back chariot, i. e. No.2 Chariot was named "Security Chariot", and also called "air-conditioned chariot ". It has a front room and a back room, between which there is a partition. The front room is for the charioteer and rear one, for the master (emperor). In the rear compartment, there is a window on either side of the carriage as well as in the front with a door at the back. The windows and doors could close and open easily. The small holes on the windows were used for ventilation. On top of the chariot, there was an elliptical umbrella—like canopy. The chariot was color-painted against a white background. No.2 Chariot was fitted with more than l, 500 pieces of silver and gold and other ornaments, looking luxurious, splendid and graceful. Probably it was used for Emperor Qin Shihuang’s soul to go out on inspection. No. 1 Chariot was equipped with crossbows, arrow heads, shields and the charioteer wore a hat, which shows that this chariot was employed to protect the No. 2 Chariot behind.
The chariots and horses are exact imitations of actual chariot, horse and driver in half life-size. The main body is cast of bronze. There is altogether l, 720 pieces of gold and silver decoration on the chariots and horses, with a total weight of seven kilograms of silver and gold wares. One is compelled to appreciate the high technology, the real artistic modeling in great admiration. For instance, the umbrella-like canopy on the top is only four-millimeter thick, the window one millimeter thick, with many ventilation holes. The horse tassels were made of bronze thread as thin as a hair, the diameter of which is only 0.1I m. m. The horse necklaces were welded together with 42 nodes of gold and 42 nodes of silver. Archaeologists can see the welding joints only with the help of magnifiers. The horse halters, made of a gold tube and a silver tube, were joined with a form of snap fasteners. In the halters, there is a pin. When the pin was pulled out, the halters could be removed completely.
Most western people wonder at the great numbers of the din warriors, and they feel puzzled at their stylized shapes. Actually, din figures are of high artistic value as sculptures of human figures, and are a landmark in the historical development of ancient sculpture in China. Although they may not be as vivid as the sculptures of the same period in the West, they emphasize the revelation of the subjects’ inner world through their facial expressions and in a simple and vigorous style, characterized by a sense of a powerful internal force. The large numbers reflect the centralized authority in China’s feudal society, serving as a typical example of different art of sculpture between East and West.
It is worth mentioning that there is individuality in the costumes and expressions of the warriors and horses. The Qin warrior figures show distinctive individual personalities, with different facial expressions. For instance, a face with a broad forehead, high cheekbones, thick brows, large eyes and stiff beard is the face of a hardy and fearless man, whereas a round face with regular features reveals a frank and open- hearted character. An oval face with fine features shows a genteel disposition. Then there is a square face with honest simplicity clearly written all over it. The young soldiers generally have chubby faces, and are smiling naively. The older soldiers, with lined foreheads, appear to be weather-beaten veterans who have seen much of the world.
Different costumes and hair accessories serve as distinctions of rank and position, including those of senior, intermediate and junior officers, as well as of soldiers with various arms and duties. In addition, the stances assumed by the men of different branches of the army are also different: Some are standing infantrymen, some kneeling archers, some standing archers, and some cavalrymen. All in all, they portray the military power of the Qin Dynasty, and are invaluable material for the study of the history, military affairs and culture of China over 2,000 years ago. QIN Shihuang, great emperor history, made magnificent
contribution thedevelopment Chinese nation its culture, and his underground army remains as a testimony to the splendor of ancient civilization in East Asia.


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