The Subterranean Army Of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

When society has already entered an age of high-tech and computers, an army of powerful imperial soldiers clad in armour and wielding threatening weapons suddenly looms out of the fog of time. As mysterious as extraterrestrial beings, the terracotta soldiers are at the same time life-like. They emerge out of the earth under which they have remained buried and unknown for more than 2,200 years. Was it because they could no longer bear the darkness and loneliness underground, or because they wanted to reveal their ancient, long forgotten glory? Or was it because Emperor Qin Shi Huang had always intended to demonstrate to later generations his absolute imperial power? For whatever reason, the reappearance of his legions has given the impression that this is a story we may never fully comprehend.

A dead emperor guarded by his army for 2,000 years... One day in 1974, a group of farmers in rural China found a life-size clay statue of a man’s head buried deep in a field. When government archaeologists inspected the area, they discovered that beneath the ground were more than eight thousand life-size clay soldiers, each one with a unique face. In nearby chambers, they unearthed clay horses, carefully preserved swords, bronze statues, and other astonishing things. Where did these treasures come from? And why were they buried? Slowly the story revealed itself. It centered around Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China, who died in 210 B.C.. For forty years leading up to his death, thousands of artists from across China had sculpted an enormous city where he would be buried, guarded and protected by thousands of clay soldiers. This city remained hidden for over two thousand years. This important archaeological find offers amazing insight into the civilization of ancient China.

"With contributions from leading scholars, this fully illustrated catalogue represents a panoramic view of Qin artistic, military, and administrative achievements under the powerful First Emperor, who unified China in 221 BCE. In addition, it examines the period of Chinese history preceding the emperor's reign and the role of earlier Qin rulers in the evolution of a small state into a superpower."--Provided by publisher.

The discovery of the terracotta warriors of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, east of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, is considered the most significant event in Chinese archaeology in the 20th century. The terracotta army has been hailed as the 'Eighth Wonder of the World'. This album presents some 80 photographs and illustrations of the extraordinary underground army marshalled over 2000 years ago to guard the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, China's first unifier.

This book presents an overview of Qin Shi Huangdi's life, as well as his influence on history and the world.

The tomb of China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, is guarded by an army of more than 6,000 life-size terracotta warriors. Doubtless many untold treasures and secrets are sealed in the unopened burial chamber—and perhaps a deadly river of mercury, too. Young archaeologists will delight in learning about this famous ruler and his quest for eternal life. They’ll find out how the latest technology is being used to reveal more about the tomb’s contents while preserving its artifacts. Beautifully vivid photographs complement the intriguing text, while a timeline aids in summarizing key historical details.