Dont' be fooled - these are not the "real" terra-cotta warriors. Although they may have worn oversized sunglasses.
I think it is fair to say that all of us hope to leave our mark on this earth. Many do this by raising a family and carrying on their family name. Artists and authors become immortal through their works. Some offer endowments to their alma mater in order for a building that bears their name to be built. Recently, I discovered one person in particular who left 2 incredible legacies behind: one above ground – The Great Wall – and one underground (and therefore less well-known) – The Terra-cotta Soldiers of Xi’an. Known as the First Emperor in Chinese History (or to me as one of the most arrogant men to ever walk the earth) Emperor QinShihuang decided to have his “people” craft an estimated 8,000 life-size warriors and horses to be buried along the perimeter wall of his tomb in order to protect his corpse in the afterlife. A reasonable request, don’t you think?
Because Emperor Qin believed that life under the ground after death was a continuation of life on earth, he constructed (or rather had his people construct – over a 40 year period) a huge mausoleum for himself including 3 palaces and a resting hall with all the necessities of daily life, as if the emperor were still alive. And although a grass-covered mound stands 76 meters high today (originally 115 meters high during its completion in 221 BC) and about 35 kilometers from the city of Xi’an, it wasn’t until 1974 that local farmers discovered large pottery fragments while digging for wells in search of water. This discovery led to the revelation of 3 pits housing the emperor’s underground army spanning over 22,000 square meters. It should be said that the farmer who discovered this amazing national treasure (often referred to as The 8th Wonder of the World) became the first Chinese millionaire!
The Warrior "Hospital" - Where restorations continue daily
After 5 years of government approved excavation, Emperor Qin’s Terra-cotta Museum opened to the public on October 1, 1979. In the last 20 years, the terra-cotta museum has become the largest on-site museum in China, and it receives over 2 million tourists each year. Upon entering the first pit of the museum, all of us (my mom included who was visiting us for the first time) became speechless. Something very difficult for both Brett and Mom to do I might add! The sheer magnitude of the soldiers is bewildering – but upon closer look, we realized that each soldier carries a different facial expression, its own unique hairstyle and stance. These outstanding figures were not replicated in bulk, but created with time, care, and unprecedented precision. Even more remarkable – each figure would have been 3 times its current size before cooking it in the kiln to achieve the finished product.
Restored Warriors in Pit 1
Honestly, I can’t even wrap my mind around it – but I suppose there was a bit more free time before television and Facebook. It is estimated that over 2 million craftsmen worked to build the emperor’s tomb and the terra-cotta warriors. Sadly, thousands of them were buried alive at the death of the emperor to keep the tomb a secret.
It is truly something one must see to believe. I had seen a documentary on them before moving to China – but nothing but your own eyes can truly do them justice.
Small Terra-cotta Figures from Emperor Jingdi's Tomb
Xi’an was actually the original capital of China, and because of this it has a plethora of other historical treasures. In fact, just a one hour drive from Emperor Qin’s tomb is the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi which houses over 50,000 doll-sized terra-cotta figures in a new “under-ground” museum which opened in 2006. Known as the Hanyangling museum, this modern space creates a unique perspective with glass floors that allow you to literally walk over the remains. While the life-size warriors of Emperor Qin’s tomb are mind-boggling because they represent his complete domination over the people, the figures of Jingdi’s tomb embody his way of thinking as an emperor of the people. The 2 emperors had quite different regimes to say the least.
Laughing at the Large Wild Goose Pagoda
We also visited the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD during the Teng Dynasty to hold Buddhist materials collected from India. Although, my mom opted out, Brett and I climbed to the top to check out the views of Xi’an. Unfortunately for us, the visibility that day pretty much sucked. If only we had thought it through before climbing the 7 stories of rickety and extremely uneven stairs…
Xi’an is a true treasure of China, and the residents take great pride in their city. I thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and I highly recommend it as a stop during any visit to China. I am also incredibly thankful that we got to share the experience with my mom. I mean look how cute she is dressed as a terra-cotta soldier!
Warrior? Or Helena Bonham Carter as The Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland?
A Blonde in Beijing 