At first, the terracotta warriors were discovered by accident by farmer Yang Zhifa. When Zhifa was digging a well, he uncovered pottery fragments in March 1974 (Cartwright n.p). The pottery resulted in discovering the initial fighter of the influential terracotta military. During the Qin dynasty, the first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210 BCE), had attained many achievements and even wanted to conquer death (Shen 3). In that regard, Qin constructed a hypogean grave safeguarded by huge terracotta militants, including armies, infantrymen, and generals. Funerary art was well respected and highly acknowledged during the Qin dynasty, and people communicated deeply by using several art pieces, including paintings, sculptures, bronze, and jade objects. The exploration of the terracotta warriors in China contains immense Asian art knowledge. The paper will discuss the terracotta warriors in the aspect of what was found and the art pieces available during its discovery.
The subterranean terracotta army found in the Qin’s grave complex serves as one of the most strange and astounding unearthings from the ancient world. A complete underground castle was found with jade jewelry, bronze ritual vessels, and silver and gold ornaments. In Qin’s search for immortality, the archeologists found horses and chariots to enable military movements and the army to protect him during the afterlife (Cartwright n.p). The presence of dead warriors reveals much regarding an old way of life, mainly in China. In addition, the physical construction of the hypogeal citadel and the figures’ systemic production showcase rigorous themes, whereby individuals gain an honest insight into the initial emperor’s influence and worldview. Therefore, in the ancient tomb, the archeologists found the terracotta warriors, who represented the huge hoard of the Asian ceramic art.
Different ranks of the army officials were found at the gravesite, each with a unique facial expression. The army generals were the tallest, and they stood according to their rank with a height variation of 184-187 cm (Cartwright n.p). Nine general figures were found who served as the highest Qin dynasty commanders, who had fish-scale design armor, flat-ended shows, and a double-layered tunic to differentiate themselves from other soldiers. The generals were half-closed and crossed hands while watching troops showcase reservation and confidence. The presence of the long sword indicated that the general was ready to command war for the monarch, thus a form of determination and authority (Shen 51). In the complex tomb, the half-kneeling archers were found prepared for battle, whereby some were kneeling, holding their crossbows, and others in a standing position firing arrows. Their actions indicate that they were ready to tackle any Qin dynasty opponent as directed by their superiors. The warriors were hollow, indicating that they did not have any humans remain inside them, and they had different postures, such as kneeling and others facing a different direction.
To a greater extent, many art pieces were present while discovering the terracotta army underground tomb. They were full of funerary art, which was profound during the Qin dynasty. The first art is the clothing and the paintings used among the warrior figures. The deployment of the art was to distinguish the warriors in the actual army, who are split into charioteers, cavalrymen, archers, guards of honor, generals, officers, and infantrymen. The warriors’ uniforms were different as some wore shin pads while others dressed in short trousers depending on the position and responsibilities in the formation (Ermerins 7). Notably, the army figures were found to be painted with pigments of iron oxide, extensively fired white bones and ground-precious stones. The people in the Qin dynasty painted terracotta warriors with barium copper silicate for preservation. According to their ranks, they ensured the warriors continued protecting the emperor for a long time, even during the afterlife, as per the color painting.
Another piece of art is that the statutes (sculptures) were modeled from the yellow clay sourced locally. Notably, the general significance of the sculptures as a piece of art is to convey a particular message. In this case, the sculptures during the terracotta warriors were made to showcase religious beliefs by telling a story of crucial figures and history, such as the emperor Qin. Due to the lack of technological advancement, they were made by hand as the yellow earth at the time molded sculptures well due to their adhesive quality and plasticity (Burman 272). The emperor mainly used clay figures to replace animal and human sacrifices. The clay soldiers serve as spirit vessels that accompany the emperor after his demise. Other art pieces include the stone helmets and armor, which were not deployed for real war, but were a form of funeral art during the Qin era. Several life-sized suits were tailored and buried with the emperor in his underworld. Even though it took extensive efforts to make the helmets and the armors, the terracotta warriors did not were them to demonstrate their extensive bravery towards their leader.
Other art pieces found included weaponry items, including swords and knives made of bronze. While making the weapons found in them, including swords, crossbows, spears, and lances, the craftsmen had mastered the quenching technique to make the war equipment hardened and accommodate soil erosion conditions. The bronze weapons were never used on battlefields but served as funeral arts (Ermerins 7). In addition, the Qin dynasty was highly innovative as they employed chromium conversion coating to cover the bronze weapons to ensure they were not destroyed and make the soldiers well-equipped while safeguarding their master. The bronze water birds (swans) were used to entertain the dead noble people in the community.
In addition, when terracotta warriors were found, jade ornaments and jewelry carvings pieces of art were present. Significantly, Chinese art deploys the use of jade, typically referred to as ornamental stone, for various figure carvings and jewelry art. During the Qin regime, individuals used jade ornaments to represent beauty, longevity, purity, and immortality. The art pieces communicated and helped preserve the Chinese art’s cultural principles (Burman 270). Notably, the usage of jade was limited to emperors and noblemen, like the terracotta army, due to its rarity and technical production challenges. The jade was deployed in the ritual vessel’s carvings when the terracotta warriors’ mausoleum was found and used in totemic items representing authority and status.
Furthermore, other artwork available during the terracotta warriors’ discovery included the performance by the acrobats. The performance art represents significant artwork, particularly meant for entertainment. In the early historical documents, acrobats were regarded as significant tomb figures whose main function included dancing and singing to soothe the spirit of the departed tribal leader in the community (Shen 52). The performance actions of the acrobats buried in the graveyard had different postures and had a full concentration on their acts to please the monarch. To a greater extent, the performing arts serve as an art piece present at the time of the discovery of the terracotta. The people in ancient China believed that their leaders would continue ruling even in the afterlife. As a result, the acrobats in the graveyards symbolized that the emperors would constantly receive the required enjoyment to enable them to rule appropriately.
The terracotta warrior mausoleum architecture serves as a present piece of art during the time of discovery. The complex tomb has a height of 60 meters, and it has 1640 meters in circumference, and a double wall surrounds it, whereby all the warriors are well spaced (Cartwright n.p). The painted universe ceilings and the geographical model of the floor map acted as the monarch’s status on earth and heaven. The protection given by the tomb illustrated that the wealth buried with the emperor could not be taken away in the afterlife.
In conclusion, it is notable that many sculptures of soldiers of distinguished army ranks, including generals, were unearthed in the terracotta warriors ready to protect the emperor in his afterlife. In addition, horses, chariots, swans, swords, arrows, and pottery were found, all of which had various functions after the death of the community dynasty. At the same time, numerous art pieces were there during the discovery of the terracotta warriors. They include sculptures; paintings; performing arts, bronze objects; and jade ornaments and jewelry deployed in ancient Asian art, particularly during funeral ceremonies. The Qin monarch was highly respected as he ruled a larger part of China and deserved a huge burial according to the set cultural standards.
Works Cited
Burman, Edward. Terracotta Warriors: History, Mystery, and the Latest Discoveries. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2018, pp. 1-374.
Cartwright, Mark. Terracotta Army. World History Encyclopedia, 2017.
Ermerins, Sarah. “The Forever Army: Qin Shi Huang Di’s Terracotta Warriors.” Exigence, Vol 1, no 1, 2017, pp. 7.
Shen, Chen. “The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta.” Royal Ontario Museum, 2010, pp. 1-76.