Lauren's Locales: Terracotta Warriors Astound
By Lauren Bonney
Step back into the past and visit ancient China at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The Asian Art Museum is currently hosting one of China's most extraordinary archeological finds - the terracotta warriors.
First discovered in 1974, the terracotta warriors were part of what was unearthed in a massive underground burial complex for the First Emperor of China, Qin Shihuang. The discovery was of monumental historical significance, equal to that of the discovery of the Egyptian mummies and tombs.
The emperor and founder of the Qin Dynasty conquered numerous territories for China, but he had a much larger purpose and desire - he sought to conquer death.
In order to achieve immortality, the emperor built himself a tomb, which was an enormous underground city guarded by a life-sized terracotta army. Qin did not settle for anything less than a complete army, including warriors, infantrymen, horses, chariots, as well as armor and weaponry.
This particular exhibition is comprised of three different rooms. The first includes 10 soldiers of the terracotta army - which is estimated to include over 7,000 figures as well as over 10,000 weapons. Visitors to the museum are offered a glimpse into the imperial tomb and are enthralled by each warrior's detailed features.
Each man is battle-ready - their eyes scan the horizon for any intruders and their bodies are poised in silent anticipation. One crowd favorite is an archer, who is crouched on one knee, arms drawn back with his bow at the ready, head turned as if he is listening for an intruder.
The second and third rooms offer a unique insight into authentic imperial artifacts including weapons, architecture, decorations and other beautiful items found within the palace.
The Asian Art Museum is the last venue of the warriors' tour before heading back to China at the end of the month. These 2,112-year-old warriors are truly global treasures and should not be missed.
Contact Lauren Bonney at lbonney@scu.edu.