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DVD: China (2 discs) $29.95 buy now
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Army of Ghosts: Terracotta Warriors |
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Around the village of Xi'an, folktales had been told
for centuries about scary ghosts that lived underground in
this area. So imagine the fright of two farmers in 1974, as
they went about their daily chore of digging a well to supply
water to their local crops, they come face to face with a
menacing Chinese warrior. Wiping the sleep out of their eyes
to have a closer look at this intimidating ghostly figure,
little did they know they had come across one of the greatest
archaeological finds of the 20th century.
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Almost thirty years later, three vaults have been discovered
and over 8000 of these terracotta warriors have been unearthed
in a site covering 20,000 square meters - and this is just
the beginning. Decades of work are still to be done in order
to uncover all of the archaeological treasures that lay hidden
beneath the earth.
History
The terracotta warriors were originally placed to protect
the tomb of China's 1st Emperor Qin Shihuang who ruled
from the then capital of Xi'an, 36km to the west. In 246 BC,
at the age of 13,Ying Zheng ascended to the throne
of the Qin State, taking the name of Shi Huang or First
Emperor. During his reign, he built the Great Wall of China,
implemented mass irrigation and conquered the other 4 warring
states. He was the first emperor to truly unify China. He
started work immediately on his tomb; commissioning over 700,000
slaves to do the work and took over 40 years to complete.
Everyone who had worked on the tomb was supposedly killed
and buried with the emperor to ensure that the site remained
secret for the rest of humanity.
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The thousands of protective statues comprise a complete army
of cavalry, infantry, archers, and chariots with their horses,
all positioned in battle formation. The infantrymen form three
lines at the front, with armed soldiers and chariots standing
immediately behind. A single column of soldiers flank the
sides of the pack, facing outward to offer enhanced protection.
The warriors were created in the vision of the Emperor's own
army, resulting in every face being chiselled with unique
characteristics and expressions. Each statue holds real battle
equipment such as swords with the lead poisoned tips still
fastened today. The terracotta was once elaborately painted
but this has sadly all but disappeared due to their time underneath
the unrelenting earth.
The Emperor's tomb itself still remains to be excavated.
Historic records state that the tomb was designed to replicate
the Qin Empire with rivers of flowing mercury and jewel studded
ceilings, floors and walls. And if this isn't enough to make
you feel part of a modern day Indiana Jones adventure, the
tomb is said to be equipped with lethal booby traps to automatically
deter any intruders!
Visiting the warriors
As one of the world wonders, the Terracotta Warriors are
really an overwhelming site to see - you will be taken aback
by the grandeur of it all and sense the real power of the
Ancient Chinese army. No pictures are allowed due to the detrimental
effects of flash bulbs but there are mock warriors set up
outside for that purpose. The Chinese are rightly going to
great lengths to preserve this national treasure and guard
the secrets that still lie within. |
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By Amy Jurries
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