In 1974, while drilling a well in Xian, China, farmers came upon fragments of pottery. Archeologists would subsequently discover what has come to be known as the Terracotta Warriors - a clay army buried for 2,200 years. Amazing! In 1974, I was totally unaware of this major find but 32 years later found me traveling to that very locale! On a very auspicious trip to China and Tibet, we traveled from Beijing to Xian and to this amazing site!
Nothing prepared me for the sheer spectacle! It was, and remains, mind-boggling!
Xi'an is one of the oldest cities in China. With more than 3,100 years of history, it is considered one of China's four great ancient capitals. Having re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial and educational center of the central-northwest region, Xian is now one of the most populous metropolitan areas in inland China with more than 8 million inhabitants. Annually, there are more than 1 million tourists from all over the world who visit the Terracotta Warrior Museum. And in 2006, we were among them.
Buried in three pits silently stand a life-size army of clay warriors - infantry, archers, generals, cavalry, horses, chariots. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still entombed.
The pits are located about a mile east of the tomb of one of history's most powerful men, Qin Shi Huangdi (259 BC - 210 BC). Qin lived 2,200 years ago and is considered China's First Emperor. Emperor Qin (pronounced Chin), from whom China gets its name, conquered six warring states to create the first unified nation of China.
In ancient China, people believed there was another world where people would carry on their lives after death. Human sacrifice was the practice. Rulers, following a thousand-year-old Chinese tradition, took their ministers, servants, soldiers and concubines with them to the grave.
Driven by his eagerness for immortality, Qin began to plan his burial from the moment he ascended the throne at the age of 13. He directed laborers to build an army to be buried with him - officials, servants, entertainers and 8000 soldiers who would protect him after death. The laborers spent over 38 years creating Qin's eternal army.
Generation after generation had been wiped out during the 250 years when China's seven kingdoms were at war. Populations significantly decreased by the thousands, and sacrificing hundreds of people for the afterlife became an unaffordable luxury. Perhaps that is why instead of burying his armies, concubines, administrators and servants with him, Emperor Qin came up with an alternative: clay reproductions.
When he died at the age of 39, Qin Shi Huang was buried in the most opulent tomb complex ever constructed in China, a sprawling, city-size collection of underground caverns containing everything the emperor would need for the afterlife.
When we entered Pit No.1, the biggest pit in the Terracotta Museum, we were astonished. Immediately in our view was a rectangular pit, longer than 21/2 football fields, over 3/4 the width of one football field and 16 feet deep, which contains the main force of the whole army. The size was disorienting and overwhelming.
Once I grasped the sheer magnitude of what I was seeing, I began to feel the other-worldliness of it! Even though they were produced in massive numbers, each clay figure differs from those around it. Just as in a crowd of real people, no two look alike. The painstakingly-detailed facial features and expressions, armor, clothing, hairstyle, and gestures make the figures human-like in their frozen state. Standing six feet tall and weighing more than 600 pounds, each warrior is imbued with his own individual personality. It's an eerie feeling!
The energy within the site feels heavy; a sense of awe and reverence supports silence. This place is literally a tomb!
For protection, a large arched steel-framed structure was built above the pit in 1976. Covering an area of 19,136 square yards, the hall provides the pit with good ventilation and daylight conditions. It is also burglarproof and fireproof and has temperature and humidity monitoring systems.
The Terracotta Army had lain underground for more than 2000 years; now there I was, standing on that site - an unforgettable experience. Returning to China in 2008, we again visited Xian and the Warriors; I was just as wowed!
Every year, more warriors and other artifacts are uncovered; however, the piece d'resistance may not be unearthed in my lifetime: the central tomb containing the actual body of Qin Shi Huang. Ancient writings say the emperor created an entire underground kingdom and palace, complete with a ceiling mimicking the night sky, set with pearls as stars. Pits of terracotta concubines have never been discovered, though experts predict they exist somewhere in the complex.
Qin Shi Huang's tomb itself is thought to be encircled with rivers of liquid mercury, which the ancient Chinese believed could bestow immortality. Ironically, it is theorized that Qin died as a result of taking mercury pills, which he believed would keep him alive forever, but killed him by the age of 39. The moat of mercury presents a reason why archaeologists are loath to explore the tomb just yet - doing so would likely be very dangerous, according to soil samples around the tomb, which indicate extremely high levels of mercury contamination.
The decision whether to explore the tomb anytime soon, or ever, is up to the Chinese government. The pace of technological progress will likely influence that decision. For example, in the 1970s, when the terracotta warriors were first uncovered from their earthen graves, they wore painted uniforms and had rosy cheeks. Unfortunately their exposure to air and sunlight resulted in an immediate flaking off of the pigment. Now there is a new technique that preserves the paint as they excavate.
When science advances enough that excavation wouldn't cause serious damage to the burial site, the tomb will finally be opened.
However, unless technology takes a giant leap, it is estimated that it will be 30- 50 years before exploration of the tomb is undertaken. I, personally, am hoping for a giant leap that will allow for excavation much sooner! Visiting Emperor Qin's mausoleum in my lifetime is on my bucket list!
"I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within."
- Lillian Smith
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Fascinating Fact:
