The people of China still remember and honor the venerable Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC). This is the first emperor of China and a contemporary of Hannibal. It was under him that the Great Wall of China was built. But the formidable ruler became famous not only for this greatest building. His imagination, will and energy knew no bounds. Therefore, it was on the orders of this amazing man that roads were built throughout the country and a terracotta army was created.
All these works were a consequence of the unity of the Celestial Empire. The ruler had inexhaustible human resources under his control. He officially ascended the throne in 221 BC. e, and already in 210 BC. e. left the mortal world. That is, the man was in power for only 11 years, but did so much that would be enough for a whole century. The emperor's remains were buried in a luxurious tomb, and a huge necropolis was built around it. It is located in modern Liaoning province. This is the eastern part of China in the south of Manchuria (historical region). The province itself borders North Korea.
The Terracotta Army consists of 8 thousand clay sculptures
Mysteries of the Terracotta Army
The first clay warriors were discovered within the boundaries of the necropolis in 1974. Large-scale excavations were carried out intermittently from 1978 to 1986. Currently, archaeological work continues, but anyone can contemplate the clay army in its entirety, stunning the human imagination. The figures stand in crypts at a distance of 1.5 km from the tomb of the formidable emperor.
Each clay figure is 2 meters tall and weighs 300 kg. There are 8 thousand such figures in total. It is noteworthy that all the statues have completely different faces. No one face is alike. This was checked using a special computer program, but it did not find any similarities. Human features reflected on clay are different. As if these were living people, and not faceless figures.
Now let’s imagine how much labor and people had to be spent to create so many huge clay sculptures. Another question is raised by the fact that in that distant time, covered with a romantic haze, it was generally not customary to bury rulers with sculptures. The corpses of his subjects were placed in the grave along with the deceased leader. Moreover, the killing process was very humane.
The faces of the sculptures are completely different
People were not slaughtered like pigs, and the doomed did not rush around the closed room in horror, filling the air with terrible screams. On the contrary, dying with the ruler was considered a great honor. An ancient man believed in an afterlife, and therefore dreamed of getting into the kingdom of shadows along with his leader, whom he served faithfully during his life.
Each of those close to him drank a cup of wine, which contained a large dose of arsenic. After that, he died with a smile on his lips and happiness in his eyes. This method of killing has been proven in our time. In numerous human remains found in the tombs, experts discovered a huge concentration of arsenic. So now it is clear how the courtiers and numerous wives of formidable rulers died.
Logically, Qin Shi Huang should have taken living people to the next world, but for some reason he limited himself to clay sculptures. This is explained simply. Numerous wars depleted the country, and the population decreased significantly. There were few people, and the emperor did not practice mass killing. After all, he thought not only about his ambitions, but also about the future of the country. That is why such an original solution was found. It was believed that the clay figures would gain souls and would represent a formidable army in the regions where the emperor would end up after his death.
The height of each sculpture reaches 2 meters,
weight is 300 kg
How were the Terracotta Warriors made?
Naturally, looking at 8 thousand clay figures, experts wondered how they were made? Try to sculpt a 2-meter statue weighing 300 kg from clay. First of all, you need appropriate material. Any clay will not work, as it simply will not withstand such weight, and the sculpture will fall apart. Therefore, to make warriors they used special red clay. In terms of its chemical and physical parameters, it fully complied with the technical tasks.
How ancient masters sculpted sculptures? It is most reasonable to assume that special standard forms were made, and warriors were already created based on them. This would speed up the process significantly. But experts have found that everything sculptures were made by rolling clay. That is, a strip was molded, laid in place, and another strip was laid on top of it. This explains the fact that each clay warrior has strictly individual forms, and even the clothes depicted are different. Only arms, legs, and ears were made in standard dies.
Each craftsman who participated in the manufacturing process had his own individual mark, which he placed on the product. 87 of these were found. Therefore, 87 professional craftsmen worked. Each of them had at least 10 apprentices. Consequently, approximately 1,000 people were involved in the work.
And one more nuance - temperature regime. If there are large temperature changes, the clay will not be able to dry and the product will fall apart. Nowadays, air heaters are installed in rooms. They maintain the desired temperature. But at that time there was nothing like this, and the temperature was unstable. In summer the temperature was plus 30 degrees Celsius, and in winter the ground was frozen to minus 10 degrees Celsius.
The ancient masters found a way out here too. The entire army was molded in caves, where the temperature was constant and amounted to 20-25 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the clay dries evenly, and the product acquires the desired hardness.
This is what the warriors of the Terracotta Army looked like 2200 years ago
The next step was to varnish the sculptures. Nowadays, all warriors are gray in color, so they look unpresentable. The point here is that when the huge burial was opened, the varnish almost immediately gave up moisture, dried out and crumbled. Of course, it would have been possible to protect the sculptures with plastic, but we simply didn’t have time to think of that. Therefore, people are not given the opportunity to see the splendor and beauty that their distant ancestors admired.
Varnish in this case is a solid resin that is initially brown in color. As it dries, it turns black. To make it, ancient craftsmen used the sap of the lacquer tree. But not any, but only those who are more than 6 years old. The sap of 25 trees was needed to varnish one warrior. In this case, the harmfulness of production should be taken into account. Workers inhaled fumes, which naturally affected their health.
Thus, the clay sculptures were coated with black varnish on top. But that's not all. The warriors were painted with multi-colored paint over the varnish. This is indicated by small flakes of paint found near the sculptures. Moreover, it was the rarest paint - Chinese purple. It stands on a par with Egyptian blue. But these two unique paints differ in their chemical composition. Egyptian blue is based on calcium, and Chinese violet is based on barium.
The entire Terracotta Army was made in 11 years. This is exactly the time of the reign of the formidable emperor. He rested with a calm soul and left for another world at the head of a strong, numerous army. It can be assumed that in the world of shadows the ruler, relying on military force, accomplished many glorious deeds, but we will learn about this only after we ourselves leave the sublunary world.
The Terracotta Army, built over 2,000 years ago, is called the eighth wonder of the world. The huge army of almost 8,000 life-size warriors is relatively well preserved thanks to terracotta (fired clay). It serves as a magnificent example of the artistic skill of ancient sculptors.
What does the Terracotta Army represent?
Not only infantry, but also cavalry are represented here.
But also chariots.
Excavation area
The Terracotta Army is not the whole discovery. This is only a small part of the vast mausoleum with an area of about 100 square meters. km. Hundreds of underground chambers are filled with sculptures of warriors, birds, animals, acrobats, officials and musicians.
There are also graves where people and horses were buried alive. The warriors, created 2,200 years ago, are surrounded by mysterious burial mounds. The excavation of this gigantic underground complex has changed the understanding of ancient China.
The value of the Terracotta Army
Before the discovery of the Terracotta Army, we knew little about the Qin Empire, and only now we have a complete understanding of how the warriors dressed and what weapons they used. There was no knowledge, because almost all writing of that time was destroyed. The oldest surviving description of the Qin Empire dates back almost 100 years after the making of the Terracotta Army. It tells the story of an oppressive empire where scientists are buried alive. However, no ancient source mentions terracotta warriors. They spent over 2000 years in darkness and oblivion. The very fact of their existence was forgotten.
How was the Terracotta Army discovered?
In 1974, in the Chinese province of Shaanxi, a local resident, Yan, and his neighbors decided to dig a well. While digging in the ground, they came across something that they initially mistook for the edge of a pot.
And then they found bronze objects.
Then they began to come across fragments of some clay products.
Then they came across a statue - the upper part of the armor and the arm were revealed to them. At first they thought it was an ancient temple or tomb. In China, finding a grave is a bad omen. As it turned out, they made the main archaeological discovery in the last 100 years, since the find belonged to the era of the first emperor.
After some time, other fragments of terracotta were discovered - parts of legs, a body without a head, and even figures of horses. After so much time, they were simply crushed by the ground. All this once rested in three gigantic rooms.
From find to museum
A long restoration process followed, accompanied by numerous discoveries.
After this, the warriors were installed in the main hall. Today there are over 1100 sculptures. But this is only a part of the 6,000 soldiers who were buried here. Over 1000 more soldiers stood in the second and third halls.
The museum director claims that new discoveries are constantly being made. Excavations are being carried out at five sites. In 2009, new excavations began in the main hall. Hundreds of terracotta actors and acrobats have been discovered.
In addition to the broken statues, swords, spearheads and arrowheads were discovered.
What do we know about the creation of the Terracotta Army?
All this was done in 37 years, exactly the same period as Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor and founder of the Qin dynasty, ruled. He became ruler in 246 BC. e. Most likely, it was then that work on this mausoleum began. And this is surprising - after all, for 200 years, the kingdom of Qin waged continuous wars with six neighboring states.
The first emperor defeated them and became the ruler of a state where millions of inhabitants lived. In size this power was comparable to the Roman Empire. He introduced a unified judicial system and currency throughout China, connected cities with a network of roads, and completed the construction of the first one (not to be confused with the wall, built less than 500 years ago). The state that we call China today owes its existence to the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
The Chinese naturally have a hard time coming to terms with the idea that he was a cruel tyrant under whose rule hundreds of thousands of people died. Sima Qian, a writer and historian of the time, describes some of these atrocities - the mass extermination of prisoners of war, the burning of books, and the death penalty for criticism. On the other hand, he united China - various states with different languages were forcibly knitted into a single whole.
The construction of a tomb of unprecedented size was to be the emperor's greatest achievement. Research shows that the territory of the mausoleum is larger than originally thought. Since the opening of the main hall, the excavation area has grown greatly. Today they are carried out on an area of over 50 square meters. km.
In the very center of this territory, the emperor ordered a tomb to be erected for himself.
Judging by the chronicles (due to the high concentration of mercury, excavations were not carried out in the tomb), it was located under a mound, the height of which reached 115 m.
Beneath it, in the center of a huge tomb, stood a bronze coffin containing the body of the emperor, who supposedly died from the mercury he took to achieve immortality.
On the floor is a map of rivers and seas, where mercury played the role of water.
The ceiling is decorated with images of celestial bodies.
There is also a model of the relief of China.
The Emperor believed that he could take all this with him into the afterlife. Death is just rebirth, says the famous proverb. All these people, animals and objects were supposed to serve the emperor after death.
The Emperor rests in the very center of a huge complex, in the same luxury to which he was accustomed in life.
Hundreds of horse graves have also been discovered. Scientists have counted about 600 of them. There are also statues of musicians, acrobats, weightlifters, as well as scientists and scribes. This is not a simple burial place - this is the pleasure palace of the emperor. His spirit could even travel on two chariots. Each was drawn by four bronze horses, richly decorated with harnesses. To protect himself, he ordered the Terracotta Army to be placed on the eastern side, as a barrier between the tomb and the conquered states.
In ancient times, it was believed that the spirits of the emperor's countless victims would seek retribution in the afterlife. The safety of the emperor's spirit was to be ensured by the terracotta warriors buried with their master.
How was the Terracotta Army created?
Viewing the damaged statues sheds some light on their creation. Each of them was sculpted by hand by craftsmen. From their debris and fragments one can see how the torso sculptors applied the clay layer by layer.
In this photo you can see the marks - the master straightened his fingers and began to level the clay. On average, each warrior weighs about 200 kg.
The arms, hands and legs were cast. For the legs, molds intended for the production of pipes were used. This resulted in many different legs and arms, which were combined to achieve variety. The empty mold was filled with clay, covered and left to dry before firing.
A thorough examination convinced scientists that all the faces of the statues were different. Some warriors have light skin, others darker.
Facial hair varies.
They also differ in the shape of their eyes.
Hairstyles are also infinitely different.
There is no doubt that all this is strictly individual. But aren't there repetitions? The shape of the human ear is as unique and unique as fingerprints.
Research has shown that the shapes of the ears of terracotta warriors are different, so warriors differ from each other in the same way as other people. Apparently, the emperor wanted his peace to be guarded by a real army. However, only the most skilled sculptors could give individuality to so many warriors.
This is how warriors were patiently and manually sculpted over 2000 years ago. It took approximately 3 days to make one warrior.
Over the years of careful restoration, museumization and study, scientists have come to the conclusion that at the time of its creation, the Terracotta Army did not look the same as it does today. Faded traces of dyes were found on the clay bodies, hands and heads. This indicates that the warriors were once brightly colored.
This is roughly what they looked like 2200 years ago. Shining rows of war chariots and painted statues in full armor.
Even today, terracotta warriors look terrifying, but once they were terrifying. How were they armed - with real weapons or fake weapons (dummy)? The wooden elements have rotted. All that remained were the metal remains of the warriors' weapons.
How were they produced and used?
Scientists conducted an examination, which showed that the weapon had been sharpened. Even now it looks quite sharp. This means that mass sharpening of weapons using machine methods was carried out during the Qin Dynasty.
Weapons of the Terracotta Army
The blade of the weapon of the terracotta warriors in an enlarged view.
Only one tool could have left such smooth marks - a whetstone, on which metal blades are sharpened. There are no nicks or large scratches on the blades - this means that these weapons, most likely, were never used, i.e., they were created specifically for the Terracotta Army.
Terracotta warriors stand in strict battle formation.
In the center are infantry armed with massive halberds. In ancient China, this weapon was practically indispensable in battle and was successfully used even against cavalry.
Along with the pike and halberd, ancient Chinese troops used a wide range of weapons, including spears and longswords. But there was one type of weapon in the use of which the Chinese had no equal - bows. Written sources indicate that they invented the crossbow long before the creation of the Qin Empire. It became the perfect weapon of its era.
The original crossbows were not preserved; all that remained were bronze parts found on the floor. This is a working copy. They took place in the center of the infantry for their protection.
Arrowheads are of great importance - more than 40 thousand of them were discovered in excavations. Scientists have found that they consist of bronze - an artificial alloy of copper and tin. It would be more logical to assume that the tips are made from a single piece of bronze. But there is more tin in the tip than in the handle, so that it does not break upon impact. The higher the tin content, the stronger the tip. The presence of a combination of two alloys shows the high level of professionalism of the ancient craftsmen.
Who created the Terracotta Army?
The terrible secret of the construction of the tomb was revealed by a discovery at the far western border of the underground complex. Many graves of workers who died from overwork were discovered here. Next to each skeleton lay a clay tablet with the name of the deceased.
Here is an example of a typical worker's sign. He borrowed money from the state and was unable to repay the debt on time, and then he came to work at a construction site, and as a result, he found his death.
The Qin Empire itself was created through forced labor.
Scientists were able to understand the conditions of labor organization and control over workers:
1. Different teams of workers worked on the production of weapons.
2. There was quality control, that is, a mark was placed on the product about the workers who made the product. If it turned out to be of poor quality, then the workers would face punishment.
Over 450 inscriptions on the warrior figures confirm that the workers were divided into brigades. The names of over 90 foremen have been preserved, each of whom supervised 10 foremen. They were recruited from palace and private workshops.
About control
In the Qin Empire, not only theft and murder were considered a crime, but also unprofessional work. Failure to meet the high quality standards was punished instantly and mercilessly: those responsible were tortured and mutilated, and some were executed. This system was called “legism” and it was terrible. The historiographer Sima Qian described a society where fear reigned, and it was divided into small cells, where everyone watched everyone else, and responsibility was collective. Every 5-10 houses formed their own cell. All residents without exception were punished for failure to report. This system came from the army and was applied on a state scale, that is, artisans and blacksmiths in the empire were subject to its laws.
Criticism
There is a version that the Terracotta Army is not real. That is, the Chinese allegedly faked this army to attract tourists. But this version is implausible, because:
1. Back in 1987, the army was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can't just get on this list.
2. The discovery was made in 1974, during the regime of Mao Zedong. At that time there was no market economy, tourism and other benefits of modern civilization. Accordingly, there was no point in faking anything.
3. Terracotta warriors are constantly being studied by various scientists and archaeologists from different countries. The fake would have been discovered sooner or later.
Museum
The Terracotta Army Museum was built from 1979 to 1994. At the moment, there are three exhibition halls with a total area of about 190,000 sq.m.
There are two types of museum visitors. Some see beauty in details - they can approach one warrior and admire for a long time the expression on his face, as if alive, or his hairstyle. Others are amazed by the scale of the structure and its secrets. Therefore, if possible, we recommend visiting this place.
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The Terracotta Army is a burial site of 8,099 full-size terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses, discovered in 1974 near the tomb of Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang near the city of Xi'an.
The Mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (III century BC) is located at the foot of Mount Lishan near the city of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, almost in the very center of China. This is the largest mausoleum in the world, covering an area of more than 2 million square meters. meters. Records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (the now preserved earthen mound, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high).
Mount Lishan is a man-made necropolis of the first Qin emperor. Construction of the mausoleum began in 247 BC. e., required the efforts of more than 700 thousand workers and artisans and lasted 38 years. Initially, the Mausoleum included several halls, both underground and above ground. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was buried in the largest of these underground “palaces” in 210 BC. e. with its Terracotta Army, more than 8 thousand sculptures.
The figures of the terracotta warriors themselves are life-size. All of them are lined up in straight lines, creating the effect of being ready for battle. The material for the figures was taken directly from the mountain in which the mausoleum was built.
However, according to research conducted, it was concluded that the warriors and horses of the Terracotta Army were sculpted in other areas of China.
The researchers found that horses were made directly next to the necropolis, probably to simplify their transportation (the weight of a horse sculpture is about 200 kilograms), the statues of warriors are lighter, their weight is approximately 135 kilograms, and the place of their production is still unknown.
For a long time, Chinese landowners from the vicinity of Xi'an found clay shards of very strange shapes. In 1974, a simple Chinese peasant, Yan Jiwan, decided to dig a well. He never made it to the water, but he discovered something more. At a depth of 5 meters, he came across a crypt with life-size terracotta figures of warriors in full combat gear sculpted.
Scientists began excavations and discovered an entire army. Several thousand clay figures lay in the ground for over 2 thousand years. This is exactly how much time has passed since the death of the first Emperor of the Celestial Empire, Qin Shi Huang, the legendary unifier of China.
The young ruler subjugated all the provinces one after another. The capitals of the kingdoms of Zhao, Wei, Han, Chun, Yin and Qi were razed to the ground. For the first time in history, China became united. Qin Shi Huang declared himself emperor and immediately began government reforms and strengthening the vertical of power. The new ruler took up the matter with the scope and sophistication characteristic of a tyrant. Qin Shi Huang tried to destroy the very possibility of fragmentation and civil strife in the future. The empire was divided into 36 districts, in each of which two governors were appointed - a military and a civilian. Qin Shi Huang introduced strict standards for everything: money, measures of weight and length, writing, construction, even the width of the axle for carts, so that the carts could easily get from one end of the mighty empire to the other. Naturally, the standards of the Qin kingdom were taken as a model. All previous history was declared irrelevant. In 213 BC. the ancient chronicles and books of all the conquered kingdoms were burned. More than 460 scientists suspected of disloyalty to the new regime were executed.
The first Chinese emperor was convinced that the Qin dynasty would rule forever, so he decided to surround the kingdom with attributes befitting eternity. First of all, this is the Great Wall of China. Then, surrounded by the city of the dead, the tomb of the monarch, the excavation of which archaeologists still do not dare to begin. And finally, the Terracotta Army as part of this grandiose complex.
According to ancient Chinese tradition, Qin Shi Huang planned to bury 4 thousand of his own soldiers with him. However, in order to avoid a possible rebellion, the emperor’s advisers managed to convince the monarch to make do with clay statues, the retinue of which was doubled - up to 8 thousand figures.
The warrior figures are true works of art, as they were made individually, by hand, and using various techniques. First the body was sculpted. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. This is where the center of gravity falls. The top part is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it was burned in the oven. Finally, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it a personalized expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of his clothing and ammunition. The sculptor accurately conveyed the hairstyle of each warrior, which was the subject of special attention at that time. The firing of the figures lasted several days, at a constant temperature of at least 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were sculpted became as strong as granite.
Among the warriors there are not only Chinese, but also Mongols, Uighurs, Tibetans and many others. All details of clothing or hairstyle strictly correspond to the fashion of that time. Shoes and armor are reproduced with amazing accuracy. After giving the required shape, the statues were baked and covered with a special organic glaze, over which paint was applied. The presented warriors differ in rank (officers, ordinary soldiers), as well as in the type of weapon (spear, crossbow or sword). In addition to the clay statues, two bronze chariots, each consisting of more than 300 parts, were discovered in 1980, 20 meters from the emperor’s tomb. The chariots are drawn by four horses, the harness of which contains gold and silver elements.
Soon after the death of the emperor, his tomb was plundered, and a fire caused by robbers led to the collapse of the ceiling, burying thousands of clay troops in wet soil for more than two thousand years. Although the plundered tomb could in fact be just one of the “dummy” objects created as a distraction, and the real tomb still needs to be looked for.
According to scientists, the Terracotta Army was made from life: after death, the warrior’s soul was supposed to move into a clay body.
The Terracotta Army is a clear illustration of the former greatness of the imperial army: in front are 210 archers, behind them are warriors with halberds and spears, as well as 35 horse-drawn war chariots.
All of them face the east, where the kingdoms destroyed by the emperor were located. Perhaps the only unreliability of the sculptures is associated with their unreasonably high height (1.9-1.95 m). It is possible that this is an attempt to emphasize the greatness of the monarch buried nearby.
The emperor ordered the construction of the tomb to begin in 246 BC. e., shortly after his accession to the throne of the Qin kingdom; At the same time, work began on creating the Terracotta Army.
An army of clay warriors rests in battle formation in parallel crypts 1.5 kilometers east of the tomb of the emperor himself. The latter, in turn, is located 33 km east of the city of Xian, the modern administrative center of Shaanxi province, one of the central provinces of China.
The Terracotta Army, buried with its ruler, should probably have provided him with the opportunity to satisfy his imperious desires in the other world in the same way as he did during life. And although instead of living warriors, contrary to the usual tradition, clay copies of them were buried with the emperor, we should not forget that in addition to the statues of warriors, according to various estimates, up to 70 thousand workers were buried with Qin, along with their families, as well as about three thousand concubines. And these people, unlike the soldiers, were quite real.
Today, historical excavations are reliably protected from vandals and bad weather by three large pavilions. A whole city arose on the site of the historical find. Excavations have been going on for more than 25 years, and there is no end in sight. Yang Jiwan came across the first and, apparently, main battle formation of Qin Shi Huang - about 6,000 figures. In 1980, scientists excavated a second column - about 2,000 statues. In 1994, an underground general staff was discovered - a meeting of senior military leaders.
The eleven passages of the main excavation are separated by thick walls. The ancient craftsmen placed solid tree trunks on top, mats on them, then 30 cm of cement and 3 m of earth. All this was supposed to reliably protect the dead emperor in the kingdom of the living. Alas, the calculation did not come true. Within a few years, such a powerful army suffered a crushing defeat. After the death of Qin Shihuangding, his son, the weak and weak-willed Er Shihuangding, ascended the throne. His inept actions on the throne caused a storm of popular indignation.
Sometimes it may seem that there is nothing mysterious and unknown left on our planet - progress has managed to get to everything. However, this is not true. And let incredulous skeptics prove the opposite, the world is full of mysteries. One of them is The terracotta army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang or, as it is also called, the eighth wonder of the world.
As often happens, humanity owes the discovery of this mysterious place to chance. If in 1974, farmers from the province of Shaanxi had not set about building a new well and had not found the first material evidence of the existence of an army, we would still not know that under the layers of soil there is a man-made terracotta army. The surprise of the local residents, who came across many clay shards instead of an aquifer, aroused the genuine interest of archaeologists, and excavations soon began. Working with tremendous persistence and no less caution, scientists were soon able to bring to the surface the first artifacts - full-size ancient statues of Chinese warriors and horses, made of baked clay.
The first wave of excavations occurred in 1978-1984, followed a year later by the second - from 1985 to 1986, and finally, in 2009, research was resumed and continues to this day. As a result, scientists were able to discover thousands of masterfully crafted statues, each with its own characteristic facial expression, worked out to the smallest detail.
Mysterious army made of clay
Terracotta is fired clay that has a red-brown color.
After discovering the first traces of artifacts, scientists soon figured out the origin of the statues. All of them were made on the orders of Qin Shi Huang, the great unifier of the land of China, which was fragmented at that time, during whose government it continued. Qin Shi Huang remained in the annals of history as a formidable and cruel, but at the same time wise ruler. And it is he who is considered the first ruler of the empire.
Shi Huangdi decided to build his tomb a year after he ascended the throne, and this happened early - already at the age of twelve. Construction of the future mausoleum began in 245 BC, took 38 years and as a result turned into the most large-scale and grandiose tomb in the world - the underground kingdom.
As a commander, Qin Shi Huang believed that his army would be useful to him even after death. For this, long before his future death, he began preparing his accompanying people. As evidenced by excavations that took place in different parts of the world, burial after the death of the rulers of their retinue was found almost everywhere. However, the Chinese emperor decided to take things further. He did not take the lives of the soldiers of his own army (since such large-scale casualties could threaten an uprising of his subjects), but he ordered the production of a terracotta army - an analogue of the military - and bury them instead of living people.
Features of creation
The exquisite craftsmanship that marks each of the figures leaves no doubt: the best sculptors and artists of the country were involved in the production of the statues. In addition, we can say with one hundred percent certainty that the sculptors created clay soldiers, referring to nature. This is proven by the fact that the warriors of China's clay army have different features and facial expressions. Eight thousand figures, completely copying real people, were made with only artistic license - they are taller than the average Chinese, on average just under two meters. Most likely, the creators of the sculptures took this step to make their creations look more severe and intimidating.
The Terracotta Army statues were made of clay and then fired at a temperature of one thousand degrees Celsius. The result was stone-hard figures with a characteristic terracotta tint.
After the sculptures were ready, they were painted with mineral dyes in bright colors. It’s a pity, but time has deprived us of the opportunity to see the colorful outfits of the warriors, since fragments of colors have been preserved over the centuries only on some figures. This difficulty is being corrected by restorers who are now engaged in restoring the clay army - as a result, visitors to the museum complex can see statues painted in bright colors.
Using the example of the clay army, one can judge the military hierarchy of that time. So, in the retinue of the first emperor of the Qin dynasty we see infantrymen, archers, horsemen and their horses. All warriors and horses are lined up in strict columns, as befits a battle formation, and face east. Some of the soldiers are standing with their own weapons, while some of them were found unarmed. According to historians, a certain percentage of bows, swords and spears were stolen during one of the uprisings, but most of the weapons were still preserved. The exception is the wooden parts of the weapons, while some metal ones even retain their sharpness. 
As we have already noted, all the sculptures of the Terracotta Army were made by hand, but this was done both near the mausoleum under construction and in other regions of the country. The exception was the horse figures - they were produced in the immediate vicinity of the tomb, since each of them weighs two hundred kilograms. In addition to soldiers and cavalry, chariots were also found - hundreds of these military carts, containing metal, were preserved, while the wooden chariots were completely decayed.
See a man-made army with your own eyes
The army of Qin Shi Huang faithfully carried out its silent service for many centuries. Now, in the place where it once rested, a huge museum has grown, which is under the protection of UNESCO and is considered one of the most famous attractions, clearly demonstrating the ancient reality of China.
The mystery of the Terracotta Army attracts hundreds of tourists from different countries. Along with the Great Wall of China, another creation of China's first emperor, this place is astounding and attracts streams of visitors every day. To get to the museum complex you need to get to the village of Qinling, which is thirty kilometers from Xi’an. You can do this either by your own car or by bus, which starts from the station square in Xi'an.
As you might guess, there are a lot of people who want to see the clay warriors. Therefore, if you don’t want to spend half a day in line, it is recommended to go on an excursion on a weekday, preferably before the opening. There are three covered hangars on the territory of the museum complex., in which visitors can see excavated buildings, sculptures of warriors and horses - you need to look at them from above. There is also a museum on site that houses exhibits from the exhibition. After getting acquainted with the Terracotta Army, you can relax a little in the park located on the territory or go to the cinema - they are showing a film about the Terracotta Army and its emperor.
East of the city of Xi'an, in the province of Shaanxi, there is a military garrison of many thousands, this is a wonder of the world, known as the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The underground burials contain at least 8,099 terracotta statues of Chinese warriors and their horses. They were given the honor of being buried along with the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huang in 210-209. BC
In the Xi'an area, Chinese farmers had long found clay shards, but they were afraid to touch them, much less pick them up, because they believed that the strange shards were magical amulets - the source of various troubles. But already in 1974 everything was explained.
One day, the farmer Yan Ji Wang began to dig a well on his plot of land. He didn't find water, but he did find something else. Yan Ji Wan came across the figure of an ancient warrior at a depth of 5 meters. The farmer's discovery shocked archaeologists. and subsequent excavations showed that she was not alone here. Several thousand warriors have been discovered by scientists. The Terracotta Soldiers have been buried in the ground for over 2,000 years since the death of the famous unifier of China, Qin Shi Huang.
Mount Lishan is a man-made Chinese necropolis. The material for the terracotta warriors was taken here.
Construction of the Terracotta Army began in 247 BC. e., more than 700,000 artisans and workers took part in their construction, and it was completed, as art historians suggest, for 38 years. Qin Shi Huang was interred in 201 BC. e. According to the assumption of the Chinese historian Sima Qianyu, jewelry and handicrafts were also buried with him.
The horses and warriors of the Terracotta Army in China were created in different areas. Scientists have found out: the horses were made near Mount Lishan, most likely to facilitate their transportation (the weight of a horse is approximately 200 kg), the figures of the warriors are much lighter, about 135 kg, but the place of their creation is still unknown.
Later, on the site of the grandiose discovery, a city arose. Three pavilions protect the terracotta funerary army from weather and vandalism. Excavations of the terracotta horde have been going on for about 40 years, but their end is not in sight.
Terracotta is yellow or red clay that has been fired at a constant temperature of at least 1000 degrees for several days.
Yang Ji Wan found the first, main battle row of Qin Shi Huang, which contains approximately 6,000 terracotta figures. In 1980, archaeologists excavated a second column of 2,000 statues. Later, in 1994, the General Staff was discovered - a collection of senior military commanders.
About 700,000 craftsmen were involved in the creation of the imperial army. But why did the ancient Chinese need to spend effort and money creating this grandiose composition? And what other secrets does the land of this area keep?
The protracted, bloody period of the seven rival kingdoms ended with the unconditional victory of the Qin dynasty. The young and ambitious ruler Yin Zhen subjugated all the kingdoms one after another. Their capitals Zhao, Han, Wei, Yin, Chun and Qi were razed to the ground. For the first time in history, China achieved unity. Qin Shi Huang appointed himself emperor and immediately moved to reform and consolidate power. He took up the matter with the sophistication and scope characteristic of a tyrant.
His goal was to destroy any possibility of China's fragmentation and civil strife in the future. The Chinese Empire was divided into 36 districts, and two governors were appointed per district (civilian and military). The emperor tightened all standards: this concerned money, measures of length and weight, writing, construction, and even the width of the axle for carts. The standards established in the Qin kingdom served as a model.
The previous history of China was declared irrelevant. In 213 BC. the books and ancient chronicles of the defeated dynasties were burned. More than 460 scientists who were suspected of disloyalty to the new imperial regime were executed.