One of my 12 for 12 things to do is to visit more museums this year (and it’s only February and I’ve already been to two!). While going to a museum just to look at artwork isn’t anything that really rocks my world (unless I happen to be in Paris or Florence, which is totally different), I do like to check out special exhibits every once in awhile. Especially if they’re out of town and I can get a little trip out of the deal.
This exhibit happened to be in Santa Ana, and since my relatives live close by, my mom and I combined it with a family visit. So while this wasn’t an exciting weekend trip, we did score some brownie points with the family and we got to see something interesting.
The Terracotta Warriors are part of the Terracotta Army discovered in the 1970s in China. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was buried with thousands of terracotta figures who would accompany him to the afterlife. There were archers and horsemen (and horses) and chariots and entertainers. And every single one was unique. The exhibit itself is small, and there are only a few of the life sized warriors. Originally, they were painted and held weapons. This archer was my favorite:
Imagine row after row after row of these guys, as well as horsemen and other figures.
It’s unknown exactly how many figures made up the army, but one estimate puts it around 8000. 8000! Holy crap! Think of the man-hours involved, as well as the land needed to surround the Emperor’s mausoleum with these guys (and gals…there’s some speculation that there were a few women in there).
While this was, hands down, my favorite part of the exhibit, there were also a few rooms filled with smaller funerary objects from the Han and Tang dynasties, as well as objects from the Famen Monastery. There was a set of boxes that once held a sacred relic…one of Buddha’s finger bones. The finger bone wasn’t included.
This Medicine Buddha was also part of the exhibit. Meditating upon Medicine Buddhas is said to result in an increase in healing powers and a decrease in physical and mental suffering. I think he looks very serene.
My sister saw this exhibit when it was in Atlanta and said it was amazing.
So cool! When this exhibit was touring through Toronto my parents went to see it, but I doubt that it will ever come to Nashville. No biggie though, since this is definitely one of the things I feel we cannot miss when we go to China!
I have heard of the terracotta warriors before, but it was a real treat to get the chance to see them here today! So, so cool, Jill! Thanks for sharing this with us!
I heard about those terracotta warriors in, of all things, a Magic Treehouse book my son was reading! Neat to see them in real life!
Yeah, that last dude looks heavily sedated! I have heard about these guys, and weren’t they in one of the mummy movies? I am remembering them all coming alive in some movie I saw with my kids. I think the exhibit is traveling around, so I will watch out for it.
I’ve seen this exhibit before and it’s amazing to think of the numbers and how much effort is spent in transporting and preserving these pieces. Mind boggling really. Did you way to me when you drove down to Santa Ana?
I saw an exhibit of these somewhere in SoCal but I can’t remember where. Maybe the same place as you. I just know it was a field trip and I had to watch kids more than the figures. It is my big fantasy to see these in China. They fascinate me!
Like Ti, I’m stunned at how they are able to safely transport these figures from museum to museum…you’d think they’d be chipped everywhere…I don’t know much about ancient Chinese dynasties except what I learned when I read The Good Earth…I need to fix that gap
very cool pics 
I love museums and this looks like a collection worth the drive. 8000? That’s just crazy.
When I was envisioning motherhood I pictured taking my little one to the Met or Cleveland Museum of Art. Haha. Now that reality has set it I know I would just spend the whole time chasing him around hoping he doesn’t mess something up. One day…
Neato.
Ditto.
This is so cool! I would love to see it myself…
That’s cool! I’m so jealous you got to see some.
I have been fascinated by these warriors since they were first discovered. How cool that you got to see some. I am also totally jealous.