The Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang were discovered in 1974, and a large-scale museum was built here and opened on National Day in 1979.
After the opening of the rare Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, it quickly became a sensation at home and abroad. It is considered an ancient miracle and one of the most important archaeological discoveries in contemporary times.
The Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses amazed the audience with their huge scale, majestic scenes, and superb scientific and artistic levels. The ancient city of Xi'an has quickly become one of the most important tourist cities in my country thanks to the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. Domestic and foreign tourists come here in droves. Most of the foreign heads of state and other distinguished guests who visit our country must include a visit to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses on their agenda.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses pit is about 1 and a half kilometers east of the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang. There are three pits No. 1, 2 and 3. Pit No. 1 was discovered by local farmers while digging a well. Later, pits No. 2 and No. 3 were discovered through drilling. Pit No. 1 is the largest, 230 meters long from east to west and 612 meters wide, with a total area of ??14,260 square meters. There are about 6,000 life-size pottery figurines buried in this pit, and more than 1,000 have been cleared so far. It is truly incredible to discover such large, numerous, and lifelike pottery figurines underground.
When you walk into the hall of the museum, you can see that 5 meters deep underground, there are thousands of life-size warriors in bronze, neatly arranged, 1.8 to 1.97 meters high, each of them mighty and majestic. It's really a formidable and forbidding atmosphere. There are also 32 pottery horses that are as big as real horses. A group of four pottery horses pull a wooden chariot.
The terracotta warriors and horses are arranged in three horizontal columns facing east. Each column contains 70 warrior warriors and 210 warriors, which seem to be the vanguard of the military formation. Immediately behind are 38 columns of infantry and tanks. Each column is about 180 meters long and seems to be the main body of the military formation. There are two horizontal lines on the left and right sides, one facing south and one facing north. There are about 180 warrior figurines in each line, which seems to be the two wings of the military formation. There is a row of warrior figurines facing west at the west end, which seems to be the rear guard of the military formation. The warrior figurines are wearing battle robes, some are wearing armor, and the bronze weapons in their hands are all real objects. The organization is tight and the team is neat. Dozens of war horses held their heads high and neighed, gathering their hooves to move. The entire army is in a state of readiness.
The mighty and majestic military formation reproduces the military exploits and military power displayed by Qin Shihuang in order to complete the great cause of unifying China.
The art history of this batch of terracotta warriors and horses is of high value. The creation of the terracotta warriors and horses is based on real life, and the artistic techniques are delicate and bright. The costumes and expressions of the pottery figurines are different. There are many different hairstyles, different gestures, and different facial expressions. From their clothing, expressions and gestures, you can tell whether they are officers or soldiers, infantry or cavalry. There are bearded veterans who have been on the battlefield for a long time, as well as young people who are new to the battlefield. The 1.96-meter-tall general statue stands majestically upright, contemplating, and showing a resolute and mighty look. The warrior figurine raised its head slightly and stared straight ahead, looking high-spirited and a bit childish. The posture and movements of the warrior who is wearing a shovel armor, holding a long sword in his right hand, and pressing the chariot with his left hand show that he is a chariot warrior guarding the car.
In short, pottery figurines have distinct personalities and strong characteristics of the times. These terracotta warriors and horses are a treasure house of sculpture art, adding luster to the splendid ancient culture of the Chinese nation and adding a glorious page to the history of world art.
The bronze weapons unearthed in the Terracotta Warriors and Horses pit include swords, spears, halberds, scimitars, as well as a large number of crossbows, arrows, etc. According to laboratory data, these copper-tin alloy weapons have been chromium-treated. Although they have been buried in the soil for more than two thousand years, they are still sharp and gleaming. This shows that high metallurgical technology was already available at that time and can be regarded as the world's metallurgy. A miracle in history.
Before 1991, the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum opened Pit No. 1. In September 1991, Pit No. 3 was officially opened. The area of ??Pit No. 3 is only one-twenty-seventh of that of Pit No. 1. However, analysis of the chariots, warriors and other items unearthed from this pit suggests that this pit may have served as the headquarters for pits one and two.
In March 1974, when villagers in Xiyang Village, Yanzhai Township, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province were digging a well 1.5 kilometers east of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin, they unexpectedly discovered many broken pottery figures. After detection by archaeologists, they found that they were A rectangular pit of Qin Dynasty terracotta warriors and horses. In 1976, through drilling, two more terracotta warriors and horses pits were discovered at 20 and 25 meters north of the pit. According to the time of their discovery, they are named Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. The total area of ??the three pits is 22,780 square meters.
Pit No. 1 is rectangular in plan, 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide, and 5 meters deep, with a total area of ??14,260 square meters. It is a tunnel-type civil construction structure with 5 slope doorways at each end of the east and west ends. There are 10 2.5-meter-wide rammed earth partition walls in the tunnel. Thick beams are mounted on the partition walls, and then reed mats, fine mud and fill soil are laid on the partition walls. The bottom is paved with green bricks. The terracotta warriors and horses in Pit No. 1 are arranged according to actual military formations. At the east end of the pit is a long corridor, with three rows of warrior figurines facing east, with 70 pieces in each row and 210 pieces in each row. They are holding bows and crossbows. They are the vanguard of the military formation in Pit No. 1. There is a row of warrior figurines facing south on the south side of the corridor, which is the right wing; there is a row of warrior figurines on the north facing north, which is the left wing; and there is a row of warrior figurines facing west on the west end of the corridor, which is the rear guard. They hold long-range weapons such as bows and crossbows and serve as security guards for the entire military formation.
In the 11 passages separated by 10 partition walls, there are 38 columns facing east, with four-horse chariots arranged in the middle of each road. All the pottery figurines are wearing armor and holding long weapons. They are the main force in Pit No. 1. There are 27 exploratory squares in Pit No. 1. Based on the density of the terracotta warriors and horses arranged in each exploratory square, more than 6,000 terracotta warriors and horses can be unearthed after all excavations, most of which are infantry.
Twenty meters north of the east end of Pit No. 1 is Pit No. 2. It is a ruler-shaped military formation composed of 4 different arms in 4 units. It covers an area of ??6,000 square meters and is estimated to be able to unearth pottery. There are more than 1,000 figurines and nearly 500 soldiers, horses and pommel horses. The first unit, the protruding part of the big bucket on the east side of the pit, is a small square array composed of 334 crossbow warriors. The second unit is the southern half of the pit, including holes one to eight. It is a square formation composed of 64 four-horse chariots. Each chariot has three sergeant figurines. The third unit is the middle part of the pit, including passage holes 9 to 11. It is a square array composed of 19 chariots and more than 100 unarmed terracotta warriors accompanying the chariots. The fourth unit is the northern half of the pit, including passage holes 12 to 14. It is a cavalry array composed of 6 chariots and 124 pommel horses and cavalry figurines each. The four units are organically connected to form a large array, and can be separated to form four independent small arrays. They are capable of defensive functions, strong self-protection, and quick response. Three of the four units in Pit No. 2 are equipped with chariots and soldiers, and chariots account for more than half of the entire military formation area, proving that chariots and soldiers were still the main force in combat during the Qin Dynasty. The wooden chariot has decayed due to age, but the shaft, wheels, etc. have left clear imprints in the soil, and the copper components of the chariot are still there.
Pit No. 3 is located 25 meters west of Pit No. 2 and north of Pit No. 1. It is concave in shape and covers an area of ??520 square meters. It has only 4 horses, 1 cart and 68 pottery figurines. To the east is a sloping doorway 11.2 meters long and 3.7 meters wide. Corresponding to the doorway is a carriage and stable house. There are east-west wing rooms on both sides of the carriage house, namely the south wing and the north wing. ***64 pottery figurines were unearthed. The arrangement of these pottery figurines is different from that in Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2. The pottery figurines in pits 1 and 2 are all arranged in combat formations. The weapons held by the warrior figurines in Pit No. 3 are also different from those of the warrior figurines in Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2. The latter were equipped with long-range crossbows, spears, spears, axes, swords, etc. for close combat. However, only one type of edgeless weapon, Tongshu, was found in Pit No. 3. Tongshen was a weapon specially used for ceremonial purposes in the Qin Dynasty. A piece of broken deer antlers and a pile of animal bones were also found in the north chamber. It may be a place dedicated to pre-war divination or prayer activities. Looking at the entire layout of Pit No. 3, it may be the headquarters of the entire underground military formation - the military curtain.
In my country, pottery figurines first appeared in the Warring States Period, but the pottery figurines produced at that time were small, low-temperature, and crudely made. The Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses are not only tall in shape, but also exquisitely crafted, with accurate shapes and extremely high level of craftsmanship. In December 1980, two large-scale painted bronze chariots and horses were unearthed 20 meters west of Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum. They were numbered No. 1 and No. 2 bronze chariots and horses in the order of discovery. At that time, they were all buried in a pit 7 meters deep and contained in a wooden coffin. When they were unearthed, the two bronze chariots and horses were badly damaged due to the decay of the wooden coffins and the collapse of the soil. Among them, the No. 2 bronze chariot and horses had been broken into 1,555 pieces. After two and a half years of careful and painstaking repairs by archaeologists and experts from various fields, the second chariot and horses were restored. The No. 1 bronze chariot and horse were officially put on display on October 1, 1983, and the No. 1 bronze chariot and horse were also officially put on display in 1988.
Both of these two carriages have four horses and a single shaft, arranged longitudinally from front to back. The No. 1 carriage in front should be an ancient "high carriage". Car No. 2 is called "An Che" and is divided into a front royal room and a rear passenger room. The two rooms are separated by a car wall. The driver sits in the front cabin and the host sits in the rear cabin. There are three windows in front of the passenger compartment and on the left and right sides. There is a door at the back. The doors and windows can be opened and closed flexibly. The small holes on the windows can adjust the air and look out. The car has an oval umbrella-shaped hood. The whole car is painted with white as the background color. Car No. 2 is equipped with more than 1,500 gold and silver components and ornaments, making it look gorgeous and rich. It may have been used by the soul of Qin Shihuang when he traveled. Car No. 1 is equipped with crossbows, arrows, and shields, and the driver wears an official hat. This shows that this car is used to protect the safety of Car No. 2 behind it.
The bronze chariot and horse are the earliest, most comprehensive, highest-grade, and most exquisitely crafted bronze treasures in my country. They are also the largest bronzes discovered by archeology in the world. Its excavation provides extremely precious physical data for researching the metallurgical technology, vehicle structure, craft modeling, etc. of the Qin Dynasty.
General’s Terracotta Warriors (unearthed from the No. 1 Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit)
The No. 1 Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit T2 Square Two Crossing Hole was unearthed. It is 1.97 meters high and is located behind the chariot (the chariot is made of wood. Decayed). On the right side of the car trace is the remains of a drum, which indicates that he was a high-ranking general who commanded the army with the golden drum. This figurine wears double long clothes with colorful fish scale armor on the outside. There are short shawls (i.e. pauldrons) on the shoulders, leg guards on the shins, square-cut shoes on the feet and pointed shoes on the head, and a he crown on the head. The hands are folded in front of the abdomen as if leaning on a sword, with a bronze long sword nearby. He has a strong body, a long face, a thick pinch on each cheek, a serious face, and a commanding temperament.
General Terracotta Warriors (unearthed from Pit No. 1)
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit No. 1, unearthed from Fang Shiguo Cave, T20, is a senior general commanding a vehicle. Wearing colorful fish scale armor, a heilong crown on his head, and his hands folded in front of his belly like a sword. He has a burly body, rough facial features, and a brave demeanor. The shape is accurate and the proportions are good. In particular, the shaping of the face is more exciting and full of portrait features.
General Terracotta Warriors (unearthed from Pit No. 2)
Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit No. 2 was unearthed from the test excavation of T9. It is located in the rear left corner of the rectangular car formation. He is the senior general of this car formation. He is 1.96 meters tall. He wears double long clothes, fish scale armor on the outside, trousers on the bottom, pointed shoes on his feet, and a heilong crown on his head. The arms hang naturally, and the right hand is half-clenched, holding an unknown object. He has a long face, a long beard, and a graceful and elegant demeanor, as if he has millions of soldiers in his hands and is confident of success or failure.
General Terracotta Warriors (unearthed from the No. 1 Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit)
Unearthed from the No. 1 Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit T1 square three-way chariot, it is a senior general commanding the chariot. The total height is 1.91 meters. This figurine does not wear armor, but wears a double long robe with a cross-collar and right fold on the upper body and a belt around the waist. He wears long trousers on his lower body and wears square shoes with his feet raised and his head raised. Wearing a he crown on the head, there is a belt tied under the chin, and the tail of the belt hangs down on the chest in a figure eight shape. The upper body is slightly leaning forward, the left hand is holding a sword, and the right hand is holding an unknown object. He has a stout and strong body, a big head and a wide face, a simple and honest appearance, and a simple personality. He looks like a senior military official who came from the army.
Armored warrior figurines (unearthed from the No. 1 pit)
The attire of these three warrior figurines are basically the same. They all wear long clothes with crossed collars and right folds, armor on the outside, and lower body Wear shorts, leggings, and a round bun on your head. Some wear short boots, and some wear square-cut shoes with pointed ends. The arms hang naturally, and the right hand is raised like a crossbow. A total of 155 pieces of this type of round-bun armored figurines have been unearthed in the No. 1 Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit, of which 84 are subordinate infantry figurines following chariots and the remaining 71 are independent infantry figurines. It is of great significance to the study of the history of infantry in ancient China.
The bun of the figurine is located on the right side of the head, reflecting the customs of the Qin people. The long coat with right lapel collar belongs to Hanfu, while the short boots and the leather belt around the waist belong to Huyi, which shows that the integration of national culture during the Qin Dynasty has penetrated deeply into people's lives. The first warrior figurine on the left has the character "Shang" inscribed on it, which is the name of the potter who made this pottery figurine.
Armor warrior figurines (partially unearthed from the No. 3 Terracotta Warriors Pit)
Unearthed in the corridor in the south area of ??the No. 3 Terracotta Warriors Pit, they were guards who served as guards. They were called short soldiers in the Qin State. . The figurine wears armor and has six wide braided buns on the back of his head. The right arm is bent forward, and the right hand is like holding a long soldier, standing majestically and with a heroic demeanor. The body shaping technique is relatively simple, without too much frills. The facial sculpting is delicate and the style is bright. The eyebrows are artistically exaggerated and angular, making the outline of the face clearer from a distance. The face is painted pink, and the eyes are painted with white eyes and black beads, which are bright and bright. This figurine is a relatively successful masterpiece in the No. 3 figurine pit.