Many people may be confused about the museum of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, but when it comes to the Terra-Cotta Warriors, everyone must be familiar with it. The Terra-Cotta Warriors were unearthed from several burial pits in the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. This time, I went to Xi’an to talk about the famous people. It took us to have a deep understanding of the excavation of the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the story of the Terra-Cotta Warriors. There are too many contents, so I wrote a separate article to tell you about the Terra-Cotta Warriors in detail.
At 9:30 a.m. on November 12, we came to the tourist center of the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor Museum. Mr. Liu sent us earphones for explanation, and then said to us: “It’s very good for you to see the Terra-Cotta Warriors at this time. There are not many people. During the summer vacation, there were many people. I took a group with me before, and came out of Pit One. A tourist asked me, ‘Teacher, where are the Terra-Cotta Warriors?'”
Following Mr. Liu to the next floor, Mr. Liu said: “There are not many places to rest on today’s trip, so I will take you to sit where you can sit, and then listen to me talk about the Terra-Cotta Warriors. You can sit where you can, and try to save energy.”
The persimmons in Shaanxi are also very famous. There are persimmon trees everywhere in the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. They are full of small persimmons. They are very red. When I saw them, I always wondered if I could pick some and taste them. So we sat on the stool under the persimmon tree and listened to Teacher Liu’s story about how the Terra-Cotta Warriors were discovered.
Terra-Cotta Warriors found
In the spring plowing season of 1974, villagers from Xiyang Village in Lintong District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, were discussing who would take the lead in digging the well. After all, everyone knew that there were always some strange pottery and clay figurines to be found near the persimmon forest, which was not an auspicious sign.
△ The Terra-Cotta Warriors just unearthed look very real and scary
No one wanted to touch this mold, so in the end, five strong men were drawn by lot to dig. However, these five people were not willing to be the first to dig the hole. In the end, villager Yang Zhifa drew a circle in the ground and decided to start digging from here. It’s okay with this excavation, we found a lot of amazing things. One after another, terracotta figurines were unearthed, with lifelike heads and well-equipped armor. After the villagers dug it up, they didn’t pay much attention, but they also knew that they couldn’t dig down any further. So they moved to another place, but they still dug up something. This alarmed the village officials at that time, who reported it layer by layer and drew the attention of the country; Finally, archaeological experts were sent to the site and it was determined that this should be a site belonging to the Qin Dynasty, thus starting the protective excavation at that time.
△ Simulation diagram of restoration of Terra-Cotta Warriors in the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
The villagers of Xiyang Village have also changed from a well-known poor village to the richest village. All the villagers have moved into a three storey building under the leadership of the state. Yang Zhifa, the first discoverer of the Terra-Cotta Warriors, has also become a world-class celebrity. Several national leaders have visited him when visiting the Terra-Cotta Warriors. Since Lao Yang is illiterate and can’t write, it is said that the state has sent a famous calligrapher to teach him to write eight characters: Yang Zhifa, the discoverer of the Terracotta Warriors, came to sign for leaders of all countries.
The eighth wonder that shocked the world, the Terra-Cotta Warriors, was shown to the world for the first time. At this point in the story, Teacher Liu said that Lao Yang is still alive, over 80 years old, and in good health. The couplet horizontal sign for Chinese New Year in the village is “Thank you to Lao Yang” every year. Although it is unknown whether it is true or false, it is indeed an interesting story.
Pit 1 of Terra-Cotta Warriors
After telling the story of the discovery, Mr. Liu took us into the exhibition hall of Pit 1 of the Terra-Cotta Warriors. Before exploring Pit 1, Teacher Liu also taught us how to grab the first row, which was very helpful. Pit 1 is the place where the most Terra-Cotta Warriors are displayed at present. They have different shapes. They stand there quietly according to the specifications and queues of the Emperor. The first three rows are the death squads of the Emperor. They don’t wear armor, but light clothes. As for why they are death squads, I suggest you have the opportunity to come to Pit 1 of the Terra-Cotta Warriors to listen to Teacher Liu’s explanation.
△The first three rows are unarmored death squads
In Pit 1, there are many points worth mentioning in detail, such as the fact that there were chariots buried underground at the beginning, but due to the passage of time, the wood has rotted away, but the ruts in the pit show the traces of their past existence;
△Teacher Liu specifically used a laser pointer to point out the car’s tracks to us
For example, why are the bricks in Pit 1 arranged so haphazardly? Because the previous excavation did not have a good protective effect, after the archaeologists left work during the day, the villagers stole all the bricks back home. Later, when the country called for their return, they were casually thrown there, resulting in what we see now.
△Each brick is engraved with a name, which is the earliest “real name system” in China
Or, the bricks in the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor are all engraved with words, on which is the earliest “real name system”, and each brick is engraved with the name of the producer. This regulation came from Shang Yang’s reform, and Shang Yang himself was finally arrested because of this regulation, and finally split up his body, which led to the idiom “cocooning himself”.
△This Terra-Cotta Warriors is a Terra-Cotta Warriors with many stories. His face is only 16 or 17 years old, but the joints on his hands are very thick
Pit 3 of Terra-Cotta Warriors
Coming out of Pit 1, we came to Pit 3. Pit 3 is a concave burial pit and also the military command center of the Terra-Cotta Warriors. Here, the Terra-Cotta Warriors stood on both sides with bronze shus in their hands.
△The terracotta warriors here are similar to “honor guards”, holding ceremonial equipment instead of weapons
The corridor next door is an intermediate general who drives cars. The difference between here and other places is that other carriages are driven by two people, while behind the carriages in Pit 2 there are three Terra-Cotta Warriors, perhaps for supervision or other purposes. In Pit 2, many Terra-Cotta Warriors have no heads. The reason is unknown. It may be that they were buried carelessly because they were on the verge of national collapse before the completion of the project.
△The driver in Pit 3 is different from the one in Pit 1
On the other side of Pit 3 is an unrepaired site, and it is said that the remains of real horses were also excavated at that time, which should have been used for sacrificial purposes. In ancient times, there would be a very complicated sacrificial process before going to war, and then troops could be sent to fight.
Coming out of Pit 3 and passing by the Site of Pit 4, there is no excavation here. It is a burial pit that has already been excavated but has not been used for the next step, so it has no excavation value and was directly filled into a square.
△Pit 4 of the Terra-Cotta Warriors only has a corridor, and no further construction is carried out
Terra-Cotta Warriors Hall 2 and Special Exhibition Hall
After a short rest here, we went all out to see Pit 2 and the Special Exhibition Hall. Pit 2 has not been excavated yet, and the colored Terra-Cotta Warriors are buried below. As the technology was not mature in the 1980s, the colors on the Terra-Cotta Warriors fell off and disappeared when they were unearthed, which is a pity. So we have waited a long time for the excavation of Pit 2. At present, the entire pavilion is self researched and built by our country. In Pit 2, we can also see the archaeological shelter, which is built to protect the color of the Terra-Cotta Warriors.
△Archaeological shelters have also been seen in Sanxingdui
Teacher Liu said that although this place has not been excavated yet, it is the most anticipated pit because there are not only infantry, but also cavalry, crossbowmen, and chariot troops here. When they are excavated, we will have a clearer understanding of why the Great Qin Army was invincible in battles back then.
The most famous one in Pit 2 is the kneeling and shooting figurine. It is said that when the sky collapses, there is a tall one standing on its head. This is the case with the kneeling and shooting figurine. When it was unearthed, the Terra-Cotta Warriors beside it fell down, but it happened to be in the triangle area and was not hit, so it was completely unearthed. On him, we can see how awesome the craftsmen of the State of Qin are. The hair is completely visible, the palmprint is clearly visible, and even the veins on the hands are clearly visible. The thousand layer soles of shoes are exactly the same as the common soles now.
△The thousand layered bottom cloth shoes of the kneeling and shooting figurines are also made very realistically, with a 1:1 restoration
There are also general figurines and standing shooting figurines, both of which are worth mentioning in detail. The 1.95-meter general figurine stands there, with its fingers slightly raised, particularly agile, just like a real person standing in front of you, not angry and imposing. The general originally had a sword under his command, which was exhibited in the special exhibition hall. It had been rust free for over two thousand years and had an incredibly sharp blade. Even through the glass, one could feel the chilling sharpness of the sword. I have never seen the sword of King Goujian of Yue before, and I don’t know how it compares.
△General figurine, with a height of 195
△Bronze long sword,It is said that when it was first excavated, it was bent and bent by the general figurine. After lifting the general figurine, it automatically recovered, indicating its resilience
△Standing shooting figurines, wearing only battle robes and without armor
The special exhibition hall is even more worth seeing. It will be opened on September 8, 2024, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor Museum. Teacher Liu said that after talking about the Terra-Cotta Warriors for so many years, it was the first time to see what he had said. In this museum, many Terra-Cotta Warriors with different postures and different grades are displayed; There are civil servant figurines who stand by and watch, as well as the most famous ones, “Chao”; There are also sitting figurines responsible for taming birds, as well as bronze ducks and cranes, also made in a 1:1 ratio, very lively.
△Sleeve hand figurine, “standing idly by” originated from this, a figurine of a civil servant, with a chisel and stone hanging on the right waist
△The fins of ducks and the claws of cranes are lifelike
△Armor on Terra-Cotta Warriors
△The terracotta warriors standing far away from each other exude a sense of destiny
Here, you can also see the “Chinese Purple” named after China, which is a precious purple color that has not yet been restored to its original state. There are many things worth mentioning in the special exhibition hall, and I won’t list them one by one.
Lishanyuan Bronze Chariots and Horses Museum
After coming out of the special exhibition hall, the first large area of the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor Museum was completely completed. It’s almost 1 o’clock now, and Teacher Liu has been explaining for a full 4 hours. After taking a brief rest and eating something, we took the shuttle bus into Lishan Garden.
Lishan Garden is the main tomb of the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. It has been built since the first emperor of Qin ascended the throne. It was not completed until the death of the first emperor and the second emperor of Qin built it hastily for a while. The biggest feeling when entering Lishan Garden is that it is very cold. The wind blows from around the ferry. It is cold and bone piercing. Maybe there are some explanations in geomancy.
The first place we went was the 9901 burial pit, formerly known as the Hundred Drama Ancestral Pit; The main excavated figures were performance performers similar to those of a singing and dancing troupe, but later experts were unsure whether they were useful for this purpose, so it was renamed 9901 burial pit, meaning the first burial pit excavated in 1999.
The terracotta figures unearthed here are all bare chested, wearing only short skirts. It is said that since Jing Ke stabbed the Qin Queen, as a performer who could have close contact with the First Emperor, it was not allowed to wear a shirt to prevent the hiding of weapons. It is unknown whether this is the case, but one thing is certain that Westerners were already performing in court at that time.
△Teacher Liu said that based on their physique, this figurine may be from the West
Teacher Liu said that based on their body shape, this figurine may have been a Westerner from 9901. We then went to the Bronze Chariots and Horses Exhibition Hall, where two bronze chariots and horses were made according to the standards of the time. Over two thousand years later, the wheels still roll smoothly, and the doors on the cars can still slide and open normally.
The most exquisite feature is its roof, which has no traces of splicing or welding, and is cast in one go. The thinnest part is only 1mm thick, which can be said to be astonishing. And there are already the earliest anti peeping nets inside the carriage, which are clearly visible from the inside out and completely invisible from the outside in. It is hard to imagine how people of that era came up with such a method. The wisdom of ancient people cannot be underestimated.
△The windows of the copper chariot can still be opened and closed smoothly, and the roof is cast, which is very powerful
△The carriage ridden by Emperor Qin Shi Huang was designed to prevent peeping. He could see outside, but he couldn’t be seen from outside
Moreover, Qin State also used standard components for the first time, greatly reducing the cost of wear and tear. The parts can be used interchangeably, which is really very advanced.
△ Parts on the car
In the last ten minutes at Lishan Garden, Teacher Liu told a story. 20 years ago, a large number of bamboo slips from the Qin Dynasty were unearthed in Hunan and Hubei provinces. On these slips, the story of the Qin state during the war was restored; This story is so touching that I immediately shed tears after listening to it. Please refer to this link for the specific content of the story:
From Lishan Garden, this visit will be over. I hope my sharing can help you, and welcome you to visit the Millennium Miracle Terra-Cotta Warriors in Xi’an.