The Underground World of Early Imperial China: Study of Terracotta Army and Qin Shi Huang

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The Underground World of Early Imperial China with English Writing Requirements

The first emperor in China was Qin Shi Huang who was the first king of Qin. Qin Shi Huang is believed to have had remarkable leadership skills and a superb mastery of the arts of war. He is also known as an anti-intellectual king but also remains precious data that we can see how people live in ancient China. Typically, tomb of Qin Shi Huang is one of the most mysterious tombs in history. Qin Shi Huang wanted to extend his rule and preserve his grand achievement into eternity and output of his desire is his tomb. Thus, we can see archeological studies throughout the terracotta army, treasures, and construction at the time from his tomb.

Platoons of clay soldier is one of example that were buried with Qin Shi Huang Di to accompany him during his eternal rest. In 1974, some farmers in the Shaanxi Province of China discovered the clay army while digging a water well. The marvelous thing they found is that they are all life-sized, huge-amount, and details. Even there are still a lot of terracotta army, they all look different in height, facial expression, outfit, and hairstyle. We can also figure out their rank and roles due to their different hairstyles and uniforms. It has various types of people who are warriors, chariots, and horses. Non-military figures are also found as officials, acrobats, and musicians. What we can know in historical side from terracotta army is basically what they wear and how they look like. Each one of the terracotta armies is regarded as important historical data nowadays. There are mainly four different pits excavated in his tomb. We can also know the belief what people believe at that time. They believed that they live afterlife and that is why Qin Shi Huang wants to create a lot of Platoon of clay soldiers and traps to protect himself.

There is not many records remaining at that time because he wanted to avoid the scholar’s comparison with his reign. That’s why those Platoons of clay features, his treasures, and construction are important evidence that we can know how people live and what their culture are at the time by speculation from the artifacts. When Qin was died, he wants to bury numerous fine vessels, valuable stones, and other treasures even alive people were also buried with him, because they believe afterlife. There is one good example of important funerary object buried with dead body because of afterlife is gold belt hook (The Field Museum, n.d.). There were also lots of weapons regarded as treasure. There are over 40,000 bronze items of weapons excavated. There are various kinds of weapons including swords, daggers, spears, lances, battle-axes, scimitars, shields, crossbows, and crossbow triggers. Throughout those valuable treasures and many kinds of weapons, they can have speculation that Qin dynasty was the well-developed country at that time in comparison with other countries.

When people think of mausoleum, it is huge size of tomb and precious historical data. As afterlife is highlighted at the ancient time, people think there are supposed traps set in his tomb. For the construction of his tomb, there are mainly two walls which are inner and outer walls. Various kinds of artifacts and Platoons of clay soldiers are found inside and outside the wall. There are supposed trap set inside of his tomb to prevent tomb theft and protect himself after death. There is speculation of five different mechanisms of traps set in his tomb which are crossbow, turning slates, drift sand formation, pools of poisonous mercury and sleeping fire (CHINA TRAVEL, n.d.). However, these traps mentioned above is just speculation in the Mausoleum which is not proved.

In conclusion, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor has an enormous Platoon of clay artifacts, treasure, and construction that we may surmise how people live at that time. It is hard to surmise at the Qin’s time because Qin ordered to burn data to avoid scholars’ comparison with his reign in the past. Throughout those artifacts and construction, we can know what people did at the time due to their customs, outfit, and hairstyle. Also, what people believe at the time is that there is secondary life to live after they are dead. Therefore, people assume that there are supposed traps set in his tomb to protect himself after death.

Reference list

  1. ANESTHESIOLOGY, Trusted evidence: Discovery to practice. (2013). The Terracotta Warriors. Retrieved from http://anesthesiology.pubs.asahq.org/article.aspx?articleid=1918204&resultClick=3
  2. CHINATRAVEL. (n.d.). Supposed Traps at Qin Shi Huang’s Burial Site. Retrieved from https://www.chinatravel.com/focus/terracotta-army/supposed-traps-at-qin-shihuang-burial-site.htm
  3. The Field Museum. (n.d.). CHINA’S FIRST EMPEROR AND HIS TERRACOTTA WARRIORS. Retrieved from https://www.fieldmuseum.org/discover/on-exhibit/warriors/

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