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Xian Sightseeing: Terracotta Army
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| The terracotta army consists of over 7000 clay warriors and horses arraigned in a battle formation. This
army was arranged as if to protect the tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, who in 221 BCE managed to unify
all of the Chinese kingdoms, thus ending the state of disunity and continuous warfare that had plagued China for 500 years. The first emperor was not
a popular ruler. He was ruthless in his application of law and order and other measures designed to mold China in his grand
unifying vision. The magnificence of the terracotta army (and probably his yet unopened tomb), however, is a deservedly fitting
tribute to the man who not only unified China, but also built the original Great Wall, and established the model for all the dynasties that
would rule for the next 2000 years. Even more amazingly, he accomplished this while ruling as emperor for only eleven years and his Qin
dynasty was extinguished a mere three years after his death in 207 BCE!*
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It was only in 1974 that that a famer accidentally found the
location of the terracotta army. In the relatively short period since, the terracotta army has become one of China's greatest attractions.
The location has been turned into a world-class museum showcasing the clay figures in their original location. There's
even a 360° movie theater providing a very informative introduction.
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| Despite the large number of clay warriors, they were not mass produced.
The warriors have individualized features and hair styles indicating that they were modeled after the emperors real soldiers. In fact,
the facial features are similar to those of present day Xian locals.
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This is one of two bronze chariots found on the site. It took eight years to put together these chariots, which had broken into thousands
of pieces.
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| *This moral ambivalence toward the first emperor is dealt quite effectively in the movie Hero. |
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