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The Terracotta Army of the First Emperor of China
In 1974, near Xi'an in central China, villagers chanced upon what has become one of the world's most astonishing archaeological finds--an 8,000-man army in battle-ready formation, each warrior a life-size figure in pottery made over 2,200 years ago. The incredible army comes to life in photographs, diagrams and lucid text. Who commissioned this massive military tableau? What was its purpose? How many people worked on it and for how long? The answers are all here in this book―the amazing story behind one of the Wonders of the World. Full-color photographs and illustrations throughout
- GenresHistoryNonfictionChina
32 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1999
24 people want to read
About the author
William Lindesay
17 books10 followersEnglishman William Lindesay studied geography and geology at Liverpool University and in 1987 made what China's official Xinhua News Agency described as "the most successful foreign exploration of the Great Wall" in a 2,470 km solo adventure. Since 1994 he has primarily been engaged in systematic research of the Great Wall in the Beijing region and has organized two major "Great Wall Clean Ups".
--from the author's website
--from the author's website
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 17, 2022
I’ve taught about the Terracotta Warriors for a few years through VIP Kid, but the lessons don’t go too deep. This book is quite informative and has great detailed pictures and descriptions. Most fascinating to me is that these were all made a few hundred years BC. Their technology was far more advanced than I’d thought.
May 16, 2016
Have you ever been to a Chinese museum?
Reading this book will give you a brief taste of what it is like. We visited the exhibit "China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors" at the Field Museum of Chicago. "This exhibition was organized by The Field Museum in partnership with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center, and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum of the People’s Republic of China" (from the Field Museum website). In the exhibit book store, we noted this book, and later purchased it at a reduced price from Amazon.
Written by a Westerner named William Lindesay and based on "an archaeological text provided by Guo Baofa, Director of Preservation & Conservation Department, Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihaungdi," this work is part of "The Genius of China: A Close-Up Guide" series, an ambitious project which is envisioned to contain "over 100 individual aspects of China and its peoples, past and present," but only currently boasts 6 titles.
Beautiful images of the terracotta warriors, horses and chariots abound testifying to the fascinating history involved. A chronology of Chinese history on the back book jacket helps one to put both the army and its discovery into perspective. A helpful map of China details the provincial arrangements and location of Xi'an where the army was discovered.
However, pages later, the text refers to cities not articulated on the map.
The first 8 pages discuss indisputable history of Qin Shihuangdi's greatness in unifying the powerful Chinese states into one country. Following pages talk about the mysteries of Qin Shihuangdi's mausoleum, which the Chinese government has not attempted to open out of equal parts concern for it's preservation and fear of it's historically professed dangers. On page 12, we arrive at the army whose numbers, organization, and anticipated glories (though not yet excavated) are detailed pit by pit. Page 16 contains a layout error where a photo bleeds over text, forcing the reader to piece together the majority of a paragraph. Page 19 begins the summary of how the pits were constructed and later looted and destroyed. Finally, in page 23, we learn that each warrior is unique and have a short paragraph on the accomplishments of the artisans in fashioning each type of sculpture: soldiers, officers, calvaryman, archers, infantry. 2 paragraphs are devoted to the incredible process of molding and painting the figures. 2 paragraphs on page 27 detail all the weapons uncovered. Page 27 and following discuss bronze chariots and horses. The book closes with "The Mystery of Pit Number Four," an intriguing story that is referenced earlier in the text.
After 40 years of excavation this wonder of the ancient world, parts of which are on a world tour, this book, first published in 1998, is on it's fourth printing. Yet, the information has not been updated with any new findings and "excavations [of Pit 2] are at a very early stage." Additionally, the ambitious project of which it is a part (The Genius of China: A Close-Up Guide) has likewise stalled out after only 6 of over 100 titles.
Therefore, you have a colorful, dated, and very safe, accounting of Chinese archaeology at the site of Xi'an. The photographic images are superb. The long titles and impressive numbers are all in order, and the immense 20 year time gap indicates they have all been confirmed. Certain omissions and mysteries are discussed in ways that heighten respect for China's culture both past and present. And yet, the information is rather dry, somehow boring in it's lack of intellectual curiosity, a "nothing to see here" experience. The layout is of a high standard, except where it makes the text illegible or fails to give perspective to the text it is intended to illuminate. The translation by a Westerner is adequate, yet almost serves to obscure connection between the English reader and China. And the reader attentive to the subtitles, or trying to gain the wisdom to attend to the illusive peculiarities of Chinese culture, will see the marks of a cautious government approved report from a country that doesn't like to go on the record - even as they highlight their contributions to the world.
Just like a Chinese museum.
Reading this book will give you a brief taste of what it is like. We visited the exhibit "China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors" at the Field Museum of Chicago. "This exhibition was organized by The Field Museum in partnership with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center, and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum of the People’s Republic of China" (from the Field Museum website). In the exhibit book store, we noted this book, and later purchased it at a reduced price from Amazon.
Written by a Westerner named William Lindesay and based on "an archaeological text provided by Guo Baofa, Director of Preservation & Conservation Department, Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihaungdi," this work is part of "The Genius of China: A Close-Up Guide" series, an ambitious project which is envisioned to contain "over 100 individual aspects of China and its peoples, past and present," but only currently boasts 6 titles.
Beautiful images of the terracotta warriors, horses and chariots abound testifying to the fascinating history involved. A chronology of Chinese history on the back book jacket helps one to put both the army and its discovery into perspective. A helpful map of China details the provincial arrangements and location of Xi'an where the army was discovered.
However, pages later, the text refers to cities not articulated on the map.
The first 8 pages discuss indisputable history of Qin Shihuangdi's greatness in unifying the powerful Chinese states into one country. Following pages talk about the mysteries of Qin Shihuangdi's mausoleum, which the Chinese government has not attempted to open out of equal parts concern for it's preservation and fear of it's historically professed dangers. On page 12, we arrive at the army whose numbers, organization, and anticipated glories (though not yet excavated) are detailed pit by pit. Page 16 contains a layout error where a photo bleeds over text, forcing the reader to piece together the majority of a paragraph. Page 19 begins the summary of how the pits were constructed and later looted and destroyed. Finally, in page 23, we learn that each warrior is unique and have a short paragraph on the accomplishments of the artisans in fashioning each type of sculpture: soldiers, officers, calvaryman, archers, infantry. 2 paragraphs are devoted to the incredible process of molding and painting the figures. 2 paragraphs on page 27 detail all the weapons uncovered. Page 27 and following discuss bronze chariots and horses. The book closes with "The Mystery of Pit Number Four," an intriguing story that is referenced earlier in the text.
After 40 years of excavation this wonder of the ancient world, parts of which are on a world tour, this book, first published in 1998, is on it's fourth printing. Yet, the information has not been updated with any new findings and "excavations [of Pit 2] are at a very early stage." Additionally, the ambitious project of which it is a part (The Genius of China: A Close-Up Guide) has likewise stalled out after only 6 of over 100 titles.
Therefore, you have a colorful, dated, and very safe, accounting of Chinese archaeology at the site of Xi'an. The photographic images are superb. The long titles and impressive numbers are all in order, and the immense 20 year time gap indicates they have all been confirmed. Certain omissions and mysteries are discussed in ways that heighten respect for China's culture both past and present. And yet, the information is rather dry, somehow boring in it's lack of intellectual curiosity, a "nothing to see here" experience. The layout is of a high standard, except where it makes the text illegible or fails to give perspective to the text it is intended to illuminate. The translation by a Westerner is adequate, yet almost serves to obscure connection between the English reader and China. And the reader attentive to the subtitles, or trying to gain the wisdom to attend to the illusive peculiarities of Chinese culture, will see the marks of a cautious government approved report from a country that doesn't like to go on the record - even as they highlight their contributions to the world.
Just like a Chinese museum.
June 20, 2009
We bought this today at the museum gift shop after seeing the terra cotta army exhibit in person. We devoured the book during the car ride home and again after arriving. It has beautiful photography that includes everything we saw ourselves at the museum and much more. There are many interesting details I hadn't heard of which was surprising in such a thin, smallish book and considering how we never miss any of the frequent shows on all the history channels about one of our family's favorite historical figures, whom my little son calls "the Evil Emperor of China".
May 25, 2021
Read for personal research. I found this work of immense interest, though very short.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Overall, this work is also a good resource for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Overall, this work is also a good resource for the researcher and enthusiast.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews