Late evening a week or so ago, to the British Museum, to see the Chinese warriors from the funerary complex of Qin, first Emperor of all China, at least in the sense we think of it today. This extraordinary man used ruthlessness (soldiers were punished if their subordinates failed tests of skill), enormous organisational skill, and radical techniques of mass production (parts of crossbows were interchangeable, for example) to conquer his enemies and create an empire vastly larger and more homogeneous than the one he inherited.
The famous figures, 7000 terracotta soldiers found so far, are justly impressive. But also, fine small artefacts on display, and - my favourites - a number of bronze birds such as cranes, geese and ducks, which adorned rivers and pools of mercury. The impact is inevitably limited with a mere score or so of figures, but they - and the horses and chariots - were well arranged and undeniably effective. I wish I'd had more time to read about them before I saw the exhibition, but a trip to see them in situ has now joined the long list of future holidays!
Well, I was meaning 'wives', sorry!
Posted by: glo | Monday, 05 May 2008 at 10:54 PM
They are definitely impressive and what impressed me most is their faces and their gestures. The figures were originally painted and each one had its own particular face. The painters were so good at rendering the gestures that you can almost believe that you are watching the face of a lively person - if you look carefully - and you keep wondering and wondering. Same effect with some Chinese masks I saw last year.
Archaelogists expect to find and dig out even more objects and figures from Qin's grave (especially his wifes - no typo here, he had numerous) and from other graves in the same area. They expect a kind of Chinese King's Valley. Sadly, air and light - not to mention pollution - dramatically damage the colours and painting and they still have to find out how to protect and keep them safe.
Posted by: glo | Tuesday, 22 April 2008 at 01:41 AM