A standing archer is among the many different terracotta figures on display at the National Geographic Society Museum.

Terracotta warriors are invading a National Geographic Society Museum exhibit in Washington. “Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor,” features not only the warriors but artifacts from the reign of that first emperor and other terracotta figures. A movie called “The Real Dragon Emperor” was shown at limited times, depicting the life of the first emperor.

The large underground pit containing the terra cotta warriors was first discovered in 1974 by a farmer probing for water, 22 miles from the present city of Xi’an. Since that time other pits, not just including warriors, have been discovered around the large burial hill of the first emperor, but the tomb itself has not been excavated.

The exhibit is divided into two parts. The first part has artifacts and descriptions from the time of the first emperor, including weapons, armor, coins, building materials, a wooden model of the imperial palace, and terra cotta figures from the other pits, including palace officials, a menagerie and west stable figures, acrobats, armor, bronze birds, and imperial stable figures.

The second part gives the story of the famous terra cotta warriors, found in three pits, and includes eight full sized figures, as well as exact copies of two bronze chariots found in a burial pit.

The central figure was the first emperor. He was born in 259 BC as Ying Zheng. He became king of Qin (pronounced as “Chin”), the northwestern-most Chinese kingdom, when the death of his father occurred at the age of 13. Although he was young, his mother and a prime minister took control until Zheng ascended to the throne in 238 BC.

Zheng had grand plans for his kingdom and for himself. With a purported army of one million, he systematically began to conquer the other six Chinese kingdoms, completing the task in 222 BC, thus establishing the empire of China which was to exist until 1911. On becoming the first emperor, Zheng immodestly chose the name Qin Shihuang Di, the First August Sovereign. Qin’s reign boasted many accomplishments in establishing the foundations for the long-lasting empire, but was also notorious for several acts. Large projects were undertaken, including not only his funerary garden but the ten years spent on building the nucleus of the Great Wall.

Qin also had plans for himself, and increased the scope of his funerary garden, begun as the custom on his becoming king. It was estimated that he had about 700,000 slaves working on the project at one time, while he was seeking to recreate the world. This funerary garden was located several miles from the imperial capital of Xianyang, on what grew to be 22 acres.

Qin was also searching for personal immortality in this world, and had projects and expeditions looking for an elixir guaranteeing continued life. Failing that, he was setting up his extravagant funerary garden to at least continue his life in the afterworld. On a trip around the empire, supposedly accompanied by an army of 60,000, he died, perhaps accidentally, in 210 BC, at the relatively age of around 49.

Unfortunately for Qin, perhaps not expecting such an early death, he had not set up a strong line of succession nor prepared for the empire’s future in his absence, and rebellions soon broke out on the previous six kingdoms. The Qin Empire lasted only until 207 BC, after which the Han Empire was established.

The terra cotta warriors were first found in a huge underground pit measuring 250 yards by 70 yards, with the figures arranged in eleven rows separated by dirt walls. The figures included archers, crossbowmen, infantry, and horses and chariots. Later two additional smaller pits were found along with an empty pit. It is believed that 1,000 artisans working in 87 groups fabricated the warriors. The figures were made of clay, assembled in stages, and then painted.

About 1,000 warriors have been reconstructed, and another 150 are in process. It is believed that there are another 6,000 undiscovered warriors still buried.

The featured part of the exhibit on the terra cotta warriors includes depictions of the making and assembling of the slightly larger than life size figures and chariot horses, and then eight actual warriors. Especially interesting were a charioteer decked out in so much armor that he seemed to resemble a tank and a high ranking general, decked out in ribbons and having a stout figure.

Another highlight of this area was the meticulous copies of two half size bronze chariots led by four horses, each inlaid with gold and silver. The emperor was going in style in the afterlife.

No photography is allowed in the exhibition, so visitors are finally able to bring out the camera at the exit of the exhibit, where a lone copy of a warrior that you can photograph yourself with.

The exhibit wanders through a number of rooms which contained descriptions on the wall and separate brief descriptions of the artifacts, sometimes in cases and sometimes in the open. The artifact descriptions are limited, but this helps not to overwhelm the visitor with details.
The Terra Cotta exhibit continues until March 31st. Regular hours from 10a.m.-6p.m every day, with extended hours to 9p.m. on Wednesdays. Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and $8 for 10 or more groups. It is $5 for an audio guide. Two hundred free tickets for Wednesday nights are distributed starting at 5:30 pm of that day, though expecting that would require a lengthy stay in line.

Online tickets, staged for one-half hour entrances and more information are available at www.warriorsDC.org. The movie, “The Real Dragon Emperor”, is free and viewed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and Saturdays at noon and 2 pm only on 1/30, 2/27, and 3/27 in the adjacent auditorium.

By: Arch Scurlock

Stay updated by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.