As American university students, one striking element of our visit to China is the concept of “what’s old.” Growing up in the United States, we thought our country’s founding fathers of the 18th century were ancient. I remember seeing Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home in Virginia, built in the 1770s, and being amazed it was still standing more than 200 years later. A recent trip to Xi’an, an ancient capital of China, knocked my classmates and I off our feet when we saw the terra cotta warriors, built in 210 B.C. Our concept of what qualifies as “ancient” quickly expanded by several centuries.
Artisans built the terra cotta figures to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang, famous for unifying China in 221 B.C. He’s a pretty important figure in Chinese history — he’s considered the first emperor of China, and the word China comes from his name, which is pronounced “China.” The mere sight of the thousands of intricately sculpted soldiers, cavalry and horses shows what advanced technology and artistry existed in China during this time. Each soldiers’ unique facial expression, the result of nearly 40 years of labor by more than 700,000 workers, is astounding even in the midst of the technological marvels of the 21st century.
The warriors are in three different underground pits. Local farmers discovered them in 1974, when digging a well. Since then, the area has become a major tourist attraction, bringing many foreigners to Xi’an.
Artisans built the terra cotta figures to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang, famous for unifying China in 221 B.C. He’s a pretty important figure in Chinese history — he’s considered the first emperor of China, and the word China comes from his name, which is pronounced “China.” The mere sight of the thousands of intricately sculpted soldiers, cavalry and horses shows what advanced technology and artistry existed in China during this time. Each soldiers’ unique facial expression, the result of nearly 40 years of labor by more than 700,000 workers, is astounding even in the midst of the technological marvels of the 21st century.
The warriors are in three different underground pits. Local farmers discovered them in 1974, when digging a well. Since then, the area has become a major tourist attraction, bringing many foreigners to Xi’an.
And by all means, anyone interested in history should see the warriors. All we could do was gape in awe and take photo after photo to try to capture this sensation. One of the buildings on the grounds has a museum that allows a closer look at some of the artifacts found in the vaults. It’s amazing to see swords that still look sharp and dangerous, more than 2000 years after being forged. Although they are now enclosed in a glass case, the artifacts are reminders of the power this empire wielded centuries before our country had even been discovered Xi’an map.
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