Having already known about the Terra Cotta Army and the first emperor’s tomb, I have become more well informed on the subject while my thoughts remain unchanged. I was impressed by the commitment and amount of work put into creating the tomb and the Terracotta Army. They sculpted different facial expressions and poses for each individual soldier to represent the different aspects of the society; a massive underground city was created to accompany the tomb; crafted items and weapons for them to take to the afterlife; carved the walls with native artwork; and even created figures of living beings, like horses, to accompany the Emperor and assist him in the afterlife. So much thought and meaning were put into the creation of the tomb and the Terra Cotta Army, proving just how important death was in Ancient China. They viewed it as something to prepare and celebrate for rather than something to mourn for and let go of.
Things I learned this week:
- The tomb, who was meant for the First Emperor Qin, was part of a massive underground city.
- Figurines were crafted not only to honor the dead but to also guide them in the afterlife.
- “Yellow Springs” was considered the afterlife, where the deceased were able to see loved ones again and meet up with their enemies.
Bibliography:
Riegel, Jeffrey, “Archaeology of the First Emperor’s Tomb” (2 parts). Lectures 3 and 4 in the series Arts of Asia, by Asian Art Museum.
Selbitschka, Armin. “Miniature Tomb Figurines and Models in Pre-Imperial and Early Imperial China: Origins, Development and Significance.” World Archaeology 47, no. 1 (2015): 20-44
