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The Terra-Cotta Warriors | National Geographic


in 1974 the fertile grounds of Xian

in 1974 the fertile grounds of Xian China yielded a spectacular secret

China yielded a spectacular secret

China yielded a spectacular secret buried in the soil farmers found a

buried in the soil farmers found a

buried in the soil farmers found a beautifully sculpted head one by one

beautifully sculpted head one by one

beautifully sculpted head one by one soldiers emerged until an entire clay

soldiers emerged until an entire clay

soldiers emerged until an entire clay army was unearthed each individual

army was unearthed each individual

army was unearthed each individual painstakingly handcrafted and ready for

painstakingly handcrafted and ready for

painstakingly handcrafted and ready for battle it’s a military force of

battle it’s a military force of

battle it’s a military force of thousands created to escort the founding

thousands created to escort the founding

thousands created to escort the founding father of the Chinese Empire into

father of the Chinese Empire into

father of the Chinese Empire into eternity chinchou Huangdi came into

eternity chinchou Huangdi came into

eternity chinchou Huangdi came into power in 246 BC when he was just 13

power in 246 BC when he was just 13

power in 246 BC when he was just 13 years old Qin spent most of his ruling

years old Qin spent most of his ruling

years old Qin spent most of his ruling years at war uniting much of what is now

years at war uniting much of what is now

years at war uniting much of what is now China he standardized writing currency

China he standardized writing currency

China he standardized writing currency weights and measures and even built a

weights and measures and even built a

weights and measures and even built a series of highways and he commissioned

series of highways and he commissioned

series of highways and he commissioned the first version of the Great Wall

the first version of the Great Wall

the first version of the Great Wall despite Chin’s enormous achievements he

despite Chin’s enormous achievements he

despite Chin’s enormous achievements he wanted more he wanted immortality

he began building a second empire one

he began building a second empire one that would accompany him into the

that would accompany him into the

that would accompany him into the afterlife it would become one of the

afterlife it would become one of the

afterlife it would become one of the largest mausoleums on earth more than

largest mausoleums on earth more than

largest mausoleums on earth more than seven thousand warriors archers cavalry

seven thousand warriors archers cavalry

seven thousand warriors archers cavalry charioteers and foot soldiers guard his

charioteers and foot soldiers guard his

charioteers and foot soldiers guard his – chin envisioned his life after death

– chin envisioned his life after death

– chin envisioned his life after death to include civilians as well government

to include civilians as well government

to include civilians as well government officials to serve him acrobats dancers

officials to serve him acrobats dancers

officials to serve him acrobats dancers singers animals and even a strongman to

singers animals and even a strongman to

singers animals and even a strongman to entertain him it took over 36 years and

entertain him it took over 36 years and

entertain him it took over 36 years and a workforce of 700 thousand conscripted

a workforce of 700 thousand conscripted

a workforce of 700 thousand conscripted workers to complete chins Terracotta

workers to complete chins Terracotta

workers to complete chins Terracotta Army and court workers accomplished the

Army and court workers accomplished the

Army and court workers accomplished the enormous task by dividing up the labor

enormous task by dividing up the labor

enormous task by dividing up the labor in assembly line fashion and yet no two

in assembly line fashion and yet no two

in assembly line fashion and yet no two statues are the same each depicts an

statues are the same each depicts an

statues are the same each depicts an individual with its own hairstyle facial

individual with its own hairstyle facial

individual with its own hairstyle facial expression and painted details

the Warriors craftsmanship and style

the Warriors craftsmanship and style astonishes scholars why would an emperor

astonishes scholars why would an emperor

astonishes scholars why would an emperor want each of his troops to be unique

want each of his troops to be unique

want each of his troops to be unique perhaps for chin beauty and

perhaps for chin beauty and

perhaps for chin beauty and individualism were is important as

individualism were is important as

individualism were is important as compliance in uniformity

we can only speculate based on the

we can only speculate based on the contents of the mausoleum for chin left

contents of the mausoleum for chin left

contents of the mausoleum for chin left no records of this grand creation

no records of this grand creation

no records of this grand creation records from the next dynasty indicate

records from the next dynasty indicate

records from the next dynasty indicate that chin was not a popular ruler he

that chin was not a popular ruler he

that chin was not a popular ruler he massacred the armies of six states had

massacred the armies of six states had

massacred the armies of six states had hundreds of thousands of people punished

hundreds of thousands of people punished

hundreds of thousands of people punished through forced labor subjected his

through forced labor subjected his

through forced labor subjected his people to high taxation and showed

people to high taxation and showed

people to high taxation and showed little tolerance for dissent chin

little tolerance for dissent chin

little tolerance for dissent chin outlived numerous assassination attempts

outlived numerous assassination attempts

outlived numerous assassination attempts and was quite paranoid about revolution

and was quite paranoid about revolution

and was quite paranoid about revolution he may have thought these threats would

he may have thought these threats would

he may have thought these threats would follow him into the afterlife the army

follow him into the afterlife the army

follow him into the afterlife the army faces east toward States Qin conquered

faces east toward States Qin conquered

faces east toward States Qin conquered during his lifetime as if he anticipated

during his lifetime as if he anticipated

during his lifetime as if he anticipated vengeful troops coming over the horizon

in fact his own Warriors may have armed

in fact his own Warriors may have armed the revolt that did come after his death

the revolt that did come after his death

the revolt that did come after his death peasant snatched the metal swords from

peasant snatched the metal swords from

peasant snatched the metal swords from the clay soldiers grasp and overthrew

the clay soldiers grasp and overthrew

the clay soldiers grasp and overthrew Qin successors but despite looting fires

Qin successors but despite looting fires

Qin successors but despite looting fires and the passage of time

and the passage of time

and the passage of time Jin’s army survived into the modern

Jin’s army survived into the modern

Jin’s army survived into the modern world

world

world a group of chins clay figures is now on

a group of chins clay figures is now on

a group of chins clay figures is now on tour it will be on display at the

tour it will be on display at the

tour it will be on display at the National Geographic Museum in Washington

National Geographic Museum in Washington

National Geographic Museum in Washington DC in November 2000

DC in November 2000

DC in November 2000 you

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