Ancient Chinese Art
This is an army of soldiers unearthed just east of the modern city of Xian (pronounced �Shian�). There are over 7,000 model soldiers, each one an individual portrait reflecting the diversity of men drawn from across the new empire. They are life-size and made of terra cotta, and carried real
Excavation photo: Terra Cotta Army of the First Emperor. Zin Dynasty, 221-210 BCE. Litong, Shaanxi Province, Courtesy Hamilton Photography, Seattle. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
weapons, including swords and spears. The First Emperor believed that men were weak and needed to be controlled through strict laws. His conquest of other rival states and conscription of men to build the Great Wall, his palace and tomb, produced bitter resentment.