The Terracotta Army, also known as the Terracotta Army of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, or simply the Qin Terracotta Army or Qin figurines. It is one of the first batch of major historical and cultural sites protected at the national level and the first batch of Chinese world heritage sites. It is hailed as one of the world’s top ten rare treasures of ancient tombs. They are located in the pits of the Terracotta Army 1.
5 kilometers east of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in Lintong District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. It is an underground army formation built by the First Qin Emperor to defend his mausoleum. It is also a great project in ancient China and a unique cultural heritage in the world. The Terracotta Army is a category of ancient tomb sculptures. In ancient times, human sacrifice was practiced. Slaves were the appendages of slave owners during their lifetimes. After the death of slave owners, slaves had to be buried as sacrificial objects to accompany the slave owners. The Terracotta Army is a funerary object made in the shape of soldiers and horses (chariots, war horses, and soldiers). After unifying China, the First Qin Emperor believed that he should continue to enjoy the glory and wealth of his lifetime after his death. Therefore, he ordered the construction of a large-scale mausoleum and was buried with a large amount of gold, silver, jewels, and the Terracotta Army. In March 1974, the Terracotta Army was discovered, shocking the world and being hailed as a major discovery in the archaeological history of the 20th century. In 1987, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the pits of the Terracotta Army were approved by UNESCO to be included in the World Heritage List and are hailed as the eighth wonder of the world. The Terracotta Army Museum of the First Qin Emperor is located in Qinling Town, Lintong District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. It was originally the preparatory office for the Terracotta Army of the First Qin Emperor. It officially opened on October 1, 1979. It is 37.5 kilometers west of Xi’an. Together with Lishan Garden, it is called the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Museum. As of January 2020, the Terracotta Army Museum of the First Qin Emperor has received more than 80 million domestic and foreign visitors. The underground army of the Terracotta Army has received nearly 50 million visitors. Among them, it has received 187 batches of foreign heads of state and government leaders, 506 batches of vice presidents, vice premiers and speakers, and 1852 batches of ministerial-level guests. As of January 2020, the pits No.1, No.3, and No.2 of the Terracotta Army and the cultural relics exhibition hall have been completed and opened successively. At present, the area of the Terracotta Army Museum has expanded to 46.1 hectares and it has more than 50,000 (sets) of collections. Pit No.1 of the Terracotta Army is a rectangular pit, 230 meters long and 62 meters wide. There are more than 8,000 Terracotta Army figures in the pit, and there are ramp doorways on all sides. There is a Terracotta Army pit on each side of Pit No.1, called Pit No.2 and Pit No. 3. The Terracotta Army is arranged in formation, presenting a magnificent momentum. The figurines are divided into two main types: infantry figurines and cavalry figurines. Each type has different formation arrangements. At the front end of the figurine pit are three rows of warrior figurines facing east, with 70 in each row, totaling 210. They are the vanguard of the troops. Following closely behind are 40 columns composed of infantry and chariots. Each column is about 180 meters long. There are 60 chariots and 200 infantrymen.On both sides are rows of warrior figurines facing north and south respectively, like guards and flanks. Some of the warrior figurines in the pit are wearing battle robes, some are wearing armor, and the bronze weapons in their hands are all life-sized. In Pit No. 1, there are approximately 6,000 pottery figurines and pottery horses buried, along with a large number of bronze weapons. Pit No. 2 is in the shape of a carpenter’s square.
It is located on the northeast side of Pit No. 1 and the east side of Pit No. 3. The longest part from east to west is 96 meters, the widest part from north to south is 84 meters, and it is about 5 meters deep. The total area is approximately 6,000 square meters. The structure inside the pit is the same as that of Pit No. 1, but the battle formation is more complex and the types of troops are more complete. It is the most spectacular battle formation among the three pits. It is a multi-branch special force composed of cavalry, chariots and infantry (including crossbowmen). There are more than 1,300 pottery figurines and pottery horses, more than 80 chariots, and several thousand bronze weapons in Pit No. 2. General figurines, saddle horse figurines, and kneeling archer figurines were discovered for the first time. Pit No. 2 is richer in content and has more complete types of troops than Pit No. 1. It is the essence of the terracotta pits. The exquisite design of its battle formation can even be said to be unprecedented and unrepeatable. Pit No. 3 is concave in plan and has an area of about 520 square meters. It is an organic whole with Pits No. 1 and No. 2 and seems to be the headquarters for commanding the three armies. Only 72 terracotta warriors and horses have been unearthed. Judging from the internal layout of Pit No. 3, it should be the headquarters for Pits No. 1 and No. 2. Pit No. 3 is relatively small in scale, with 72 pottery figurines and pottery horses buried inside. Most of the pottery figurines in Pit No. 3 have no heads, and the pottery horses also have no heads. It is speculated that an accident occurred during the production process. A total of 31 cultural relics were unearthed from Pit No. 3. There are 2 pottery figurines, 4 bronze weapons, 3 pottery horses, 1 unearthed jade article, and 23 unearthed bronze chariot and horse parts. After experts cleaned and studied Pit No. 3, it was identified as the headquarters for Pits No. 1 and No. 2. Judging from the pottery figurines unearthed from the pit, these pottery figurines are exquisitely made, burly in stature, and solemn in expression. They are holding weapons such as crossbows and are the most precious pottery figurines in the terracotta army pits. The production process of the terracotta army is very fine. Craftsmen first make the initial mold with pottery molds, then cover it with a layer of fine mud for processing, carving and coloring. Some are fired first and then joined, and some are joined first and then fired. The heat is uniform, the color is pure, and the hardness is very high. In each process, there are different divisions of labor and a set of strict working systems. From the shed wood, columns, rafters for making the pit, as well as the fine mats for building thorny walls and laying floor mats, there are craftsmen specially responsible for making them. The bottom of the pit is paved with blue bricks. Collapsed places are filled with shed wood and standing wood, and then covered with soil. In order to make the pit dry and solid, craftsmen laid 15 layers of blue-gray soil layers about 5-10 centimeters thick at the bottom of the pit. There are footprints on the surface of each layer.Circular or square rat holes with diameters ranging from 10 centimeters to 3 centimeters were discovered at the bottom of the pits.
The Terracotta Army’s painted craftsmanship is also highly skilled. With a history of over two thousand years, the Qin Dynasty’s painted craftsmanship can be hailed as a ‘miracle of ancient painting’. The colors used in the Terracotta Army are rich, primarily consisting of red, green, blue, yellow, purple, white, and black, totaling eight colors. These colors are all mineral pigments, such as cinnabar, azurite, and malachite, which are bright and resistant to fading. However, due to their age, the colors of the Terracotta Army rapidly oxidized and most have peeled off after being unearthed. To protect these valuable paintings, experts have employed various methods, including chemical and physical protection, but with limited success. Currently, experts continue to search for better preservation methods.
