The First Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Army

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The First Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Army is unearthed on east side of the Mausoleum for the First Qin Emperor in Lintong, Shaanxi, which dedicated to the dead First Qin Emperor. They boast large quantity, orderly array, solemn atmosphere and great scale.

Terracotta fifi gurines are at the same size of true human, which refer to military offifi cers and soldiers at all levels. These terracotta fifi gurines are modeled with true-life features and carved with vivid details. Their posture and facial expressions are quite true to life. The figurines with different identity look different. The features of military officers and horses on exhibit are representative works.

Sculptures of the Han Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty

In the Han Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty, sculptures were divorced from objects and began to independent present. These works exceed those of the previous periods in terms of quantity and size, and adopt the themes close to the real life. In terms of style, sculptures of the Han Dynasty often pursue true-life style. Sculptures of the Qin Dynasty often focus on vivid, romantic and distorted style.

Production Process of the First Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Army

In the production of the First Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Army, based on the craftsmen’s complete idea, heads, arms, limbs and trunks were made and connected together. Hands and heads were cast manually to show the characters. Of course, due to large quantity, huge size and fifi ring process, these statues show minor movement of structure and muscle texture, without obvious limb curve. But such process is suitable for rolling out army parade which has uniform clothes, inconsistent posture and rigorous facial expression. On the whole, the uniform fifi gurines of soldiers and horsess how refined facial features , hair mode, hat and armor.

The First Qin Emperor’s Terracotta Army

At present, the Mausoleum for the First Qin Emperor has found three pits with total area of 20,000 square meters, from which nearly 8,000 pottery figurines and pottery horses are unearthed. One third of Pit 1 has been excavated, from which 6,000 pottery figurines and pottery horses are unearthed. Pit 2 is being excavated, from which 1,300 pottery fifi gurines and pottery horses are unearthed. Pit 3 has been fully excavated, from which 70 pottery fifi gurines and pottery horses are unearthed.