Terra-Cotta Warriors

Terra-Cotta Warriors

During the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-AD 220) with the establishment and consolidating of a unified dynasty, the ruler began to build the "underground army” the terra-cotta warriors and horses. The figures made during the reign of Emperor Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty (the first Qin Dynasty emperor) are the best. The charm of these figures can be seen on each sculpture realistic, precise and vivid. These lively figures were lined in order. They are sturdy and impressive.

Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified China and one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history, left a lot of valuable cultural relics after his reign of fewer than 15 years. The terra-cotta warriors and horses are a message to descendants of the power of the Qin and the ambition of Emperor Shihuang.

What are the tomb figures?

When Emperor Shihuang unified the other six states in 221 BC, the tomb figures appeared. No large-scale and realistic tomb figures like Qin terra-cotta figures had been seen before. The tomb figures from the Shang, the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were small and non-realistic. They are not vivid and impressing as the Qin terra-cotta figures.

How did the form of tomb figures emerge?

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, people were buried alive with the dead as sacrifices. Slaves were buried with their owners. Archeological digs of Shang Dynasty institutions show burying the live people to be the crudest. As society evolved, burying people alive was gradually replaced by burying clay sculptures, woodcarvings or bronze figures. Burying tomb figures became popular during the Qin Dynasty and reached their peak with the terra-cotta figures.

Excavation of Qin terra-cotta warriors and horses

There are no detailed records of when Emperor Shihuang built the Qin terra-cotta warriors and horses. Maybe he hoped never to be disturbed by later generations. These mighty warriors and horses were discovered more than 2,000 years later by chance. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby in 1974. A few years later, the Museum of Qin Terra- Cotta Warriors and Horses was built. It opened in 1979.

The discovery of the Qin terra-cotta warriors and horses stirred the world. The statues were recognized as a cultural miracle from ancient times and one of the most important findings of the present era.

The terra-cotta warriors and horses were found about 1.5km east of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.

The No.1, 2 and 3 pits were discovered first. The No.1 pit is the largest, with a total area of 14,260 square meters. About 6,000 life-sized pottery figures are buried in this pit, which was buried for more than 2,000 years. It is really incredible that so many large-sized and pottery figures were made. The Qin terra-cotta warriors and horses are broad in scale and have an impressive appearance. They are finely and carefully portrayed, showing the superb skills of craftsmen and their ability to master the relationship between the whole and details.

Nearly 1,000 life-size terra-cotta figures of warriors arranged in battle formations were excavated five meters below the earth. They are powerful and awesome. People would be terrified by their sight and orderly arrangement. Besides the warriors, some ceramic horses were found, also identical to authentic horses in size. Each chariot has four horses.

Some warriors wear coats of armor; some are dressed in the mail with bronze weapons in their hands. These weapons are real objects. The army was strictly arranged. Dozens of horses are raising their heads, neighing and galloping forward. The whole army is ready to set out. The mighty army reproduces the frightful presence of Emperor Shihuang's unification of China.

The shape of Qin terra-cotta warriors and horses

The shape of Qin terra-cotta figures is based on actual life. The clothing and appearance of each figure are unique. There are several hairstyles, gestures and facial expressions. People can judge whether they are officials or soldiers from their clothes, expressions, and gestures. In general, all the Qin terra-cotta figures show expressions of dignity and elegance with a vivid personality and intense features.

The terra-cotta warriors and horses are sculpted and painted. They are old, but the color on the faces and clothes could be seen clearly when they were unearthed. The figures are made using vivid techniques of expression and are cleverly designed. The sculpture techniques are flexible, and the figures are authentic and ornamental. On account of this, the Qin terra-cotta warriors and horses occupy an important position in the history of Chinese sculpture.

Of more than 1,000 unearthed figures, no two are identical. Most eye-catching is the difference between expressions and facial forms. The military officers are serious and older with some wrinkles on their foreheads, and the warriors7 expressions are individualized, showing distinct characteristics of different regions. The facial features of many Qin warriors are close to those of modern people in Shaanxi Province.

All terra-cotta warriors are absorbed, calm and tactful and have martial bearings, showing the heroic spirit of going ahead bravely without looking back and representing the mighty appearance and bearing of Qin Shihuang’s ambition of "conquering six states and unifying China.”

The terra-cotta figures can be divided into two categories from their status: warriors and military officers. The military officers also have low, medium and high grades. The warriors do not wear caps, but the military officers are coroneted. The crowns of common officers are different from those of the general. Even the armors are different. The soldiers include- foot soldiers, cavalry, and chariot soldiers. According to fighting needs, the equipment of different armed branches is also different. The foot soldiers do not wear armor and wear leg wrappings, which are convenient for running. The warriors who drive the chariots have shields. These terra-cotta figures held arrows or long weapons when they were unearthed, but most of the weapons were not in their hands but scattered in the pits. The bronze weapons unearthed from the pits include swords, spears, lances, curved knives and large numbers of crossbows and arrows. These alloy weapons are still sharp thanks to a chromizing treatment, even after being buried for more than 2,000 years. This indicates that metallurgy technology was relatively high at that time.

Making a piece of the terra-cotta figure so precisely and lifelike is not easy. The challenges are determined by the nature of pottery clay. It needs remarkable skills and rich experience. Pottery figures collapsed easily, and faults in the molding and burning show up quickly. Qin Dynasty craftsmen used molding, piling, kneading, pasting, carving, painting and other techniques to make the figures perfect in terms of body, shape, spirit, color, and quality. Craftsmen could have used mud to shape the legs of warriors, and then form the body using armor and clothes as the mold. Head could have been shaped exquisitely to make each figure quite different from the others. All these factors require high levels of baking skills. The thickness of the pottery shard should be balanced and the temperature and level of attainment suitable.

Two figures, in particular, are unforgettable. One is the Terracotta General. Another is the Kneeling Terra-cotta Soldier. The general is 1.96m tall. He is standing lofty and firm and lost in thought. He shows an expression of unyielding power. It shows the simple and martial character of Qin warriors. The success of these terra-cotta figures lies not only in the exquisite design and proportions but also in the accuracy of the character. The general's appearance is serious and calm, more convinced that the warriors with mean and ferocious expressions. The general's wisdom and stateliness are reflected in the pottery figure.

Fight and Love With a Terra-cotta Warrior is a 1989 film about forbidden love between a court lady and a soldier in the Qin Dynasty. The soldier was reborn 2,000 years later after the reincarnated girl, who remembers nothing, enters the grave of Emperor Qin only to find a living ancient warrior. Facing so spectacular and lifelike Qin terra-cotta warriors, people can't help thinking of many romantic stories.

The Kneeling Terra-cotta Soldier is a perfect example of the Qin craftsmen's mastery of the structure of the human body. These soldiers always have their left legs bent, and the right legs are touching the ground. Their eyes are to the front, and two hands hold the crossbow. They look powerful and calm.

Terra-cotta horses and bronze chariots and horses

The terra-cotta horses also use real horses as models. The horses are about 2 meters long, 1.3 meters tall at the shoulder and 1.5 meters tall at the head. Their two eyes look at the front with their long mouths open slightly, and four legs are jumping out, ready to go out to battle. Some forelegs seem like pillars, some hind legs look like bows, and the ankles are slim, showing the characteristics of racehorses. They are the biggest terra-cotta horses unearthed in China to this day.

The curves of the body are harmonious between hard and soft, and the muscle is full of strength. Although the terra-cotta horses are static, they seem very vigorous. Even the teeth were designed very carefully. If a horse has six teeth, it indicates that the horse is young. These vivid terra-cotta horses remind people that the horses that accompanied Emperor Shihuang were used in battle. They have fair-sounding names, such as Zhuifeng (drive the wind), Zhutu (chase the rabbit), Nieying (chase the shadow). Each horse displays overwhelming strength.

Another important archeological discovery of Qin Dynasty sculpture is the bronze chariots and horses. After the Qin terracotta warriors and horses were unearthed, two sets of large painted bronze chariots and horses were unearthed in 1980 near the tomb of the first Emperor of the Dynasty. Each set has four horses and one driver. The size of the horses and chariot is about one-third of the real size.

These chariots were gorgeously adorned, and no detail was overlooked. The colored facial drawing is well preserved. The carving technique is better than the pottery figures. The structure is complicated and accurate, and truly represents the characteristics of the Qin Dynasty.

Chinese realism

The realistic characteristic of the Qin terra-cotta warriors is a kind of Chinese realism: Although the basic pattern is realistic, it breaks through the limitation of realism. It combines the imagination of the sculptor of the Qin Dynasty. They don't pursue the minor details blindly but make every effort, including manner portrayal, to grasp the character and make suitable exaggerations. These exaggerations do not make people feel false, but give each piece a sense of clear refinement and make the characters more distinct. For example, the warriors' thumbs are longer to increase the sense of strength. The sculpture of terra-cotta horses is also the same. The head is square, the eyes are big, the noses and mouths are wide, and the body is round, which are designed realistically but a little exaggerated. Therefore, horses seem very strong.

The hairstyles of Qin warriors are also based on the true features of the time. Styles include the helical line, wave type and so on. The armor is also shaped very delicate and exactly like the true armor. Even the band is connecting the armor, belt hook, bandage and bootlace are carefully engraved. We can imagine the true appearance of the warriors in the Qin Dynasty from these clothes and the ornament of the terra-cotta warriors.

Qin Dynasty sculpture shows realism and majesty. Unlike the terra-cotta figures of the Han Dynasty, they encourage a military spirit, while the Han Dynasty worshipped Confucianism. Sculpture from the Qin Dynasty inherited earlier realism and expanded it in terms of style and skills. It underlines how Chinese sculpture became mature and begun to form its unique style.