Qin Shi Huangdi left one of
the most long-lasting legacies
of any ruler in history: the
country of China. In the third
century B.C. he lead his kingdom
(Qin) to victory over the other
six kingdoms in what is now China,
bringing an end to the warring
states period. He became the
first emperor of China, and the
country has been mostly unified
for more than two millenia since
then.
If you’re in the Seattle area,
now is your chance to visit the
exhibit showing some of the
first emperor’s terra cotta army.
Thousands of these life-size clay
soldiers were created, with individual
facial features. Not long after
his death there was a rebellion,
so his dynasty did not last long.
The next dynasty, the Han, lasted
more than 400 years. The buried clay
soldiers were forgotten, and not
discovered again until 1974 when
a farmer digging a well found one
of them. The archaelogical site near
the city of Xi’an is well worth
a visit, and there still is much
more that has not been unearthed.
You have two opportunities to see
this exhibit in the U.S.: at the
Pacific Science center until September 4,
and at the Franklin Institute in
Philadelphia (from September 30 to
March 4, 2018).
Recommended reading: Frances Wood,
China’s First Emperor and his
Terracotta Warriors.
……………..
–Douglas Downing
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