In 221, the state of Qin began a series of military campaigns that would lead to its triumph over the other provinces of China, and for the first time, China would be united under a single ruler. This was Shihuang-Di, a ruler of power and ruthlessness. He wanted immortality, and even before he succeeded in uniting China, he began his mausoleum near Lintong. The immense project spanned decades and reflects the changing burial practices of Chinese rulers. Remember that several hundred years before, during the Zhou dynasty, Confucius had condemned the practice of human sacrifices in royal burials. Shihuang-di, no doubt thinking himself an enlightened ruler, instead created replicas in terra cotta of every member of his army and entourage to be interred with him. Here we see a very small portion of this army, standing at rigid attention, in full military regalia, complete with the horses and weapons that would be needed. The burial site was accidentally discovered in 1974 by a farmer as he plowed his field. The army consists of over 10,000 figures, no two of which are alike. It is believed that each soldier in the army must have 'sat' for his portrait. The likenesses are so individual, with each figure displaying variations in clothing, hair styles, posture, shoes, hands, and facial features. The entire site has not yet been excavated, including the royal tomb itself, but literary references from the time suggest that the tomb includes a representation of the entire world as it was known to the Qin, including stars overhead, and rivers and mountains below.
Shihuang-di was responsible for the centralized bureaucracy that characterizes Chinese government to this day, as well as a centrally controlled currency, writing, laws, and highways. During his reign, gaps in the Great Wall were filled in to try to control the all too common incursions of the barbarians of the North. In short, he laid the foundations for the modern Chinese State.
Terra Cotta Army of the Emperor Shihuang-Di,
Qin Dynasty China, 210 BCE
