Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
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The arrival of a small delegetion from the First Chinese Emperor's terracotta army to the British Museum in London generated great interest. Over the past six months, thousands of tourists have invaded the samll space of the museum's reading room to get a glimpse of elaborate warriors standing on guard.
The exhibition, simply entitled The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army, has been in London since 13th September 2007 and runs until 6th April 2008. Over 100,000 pre-booked date / time tickets have already been sold for the exhibition and approximately 1,000 bought each day at the door.
Most if not all of the visitors to the exhibition have heard of and are eager to see something of the vast and magnificent terracotta army. Most though (including myself) were not fully aware of their history or that of the First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi.
It is in this area, that the exhibition shone for me personally. The 12 complete members of the terracotta army on display were certainly fascinating to see with each, although probably part of the first production line in history, uniquely crafted even down to their hair styles! However the information on the Emperor and the reasons behind and the creation of the terracotta army, was well presented in a variety of audio and visual modes in the main.
On the downside though, there were such a vast number of visitors that it was difficult to get close to some of the information boards and glass display cases. We had pre-booked tickets for an evening viewing so the remainder of the museum was closed. Visitors had entered the exhibition at their allocated time with no restriction to how long they spent there. A good thing in some ways, enabling us and others to linger over the information but the result however was a traffic jam which did as I have said impede my view of the exhibition.
~~Who was the First Emperor and why was the terracotta army created? ~~
Qin Shihuangdi,
First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, is credited with unifying China; establishing bureaucracy; standardising currency, armaments and carriage gauges; and making a start on the Great Wall of China!
Ying Zheng became the King of Qin when he was just 13 in 247BC. Qin was the westernmost of the seven provinces that were to make up the united China. By 221BC, Ying had succeeded in subjugating all the other provinces creating what we now know as modern China and ruled as First Emperor until 210BC.
The First Emporer died aged 49. In the years leading upto his death Ying was obessed with death (not surprisingly given the amount of enemies he had accrues whilst building his empire). While he lived, he tried vaious potions in the hope they would produce immortality.
Belt and braces, he commissioned the making of the terracotta army which would be buried with him in a massive tomb to protect and follow him into immortality. He even ordered those working on the project to be buried alive with him so that no secrets of the tomb could be revealed. Remains of workers have also been discovered alongside the terracotta figures.
~~Probably the most stunning archaeology discovery of the 20th Century~~
The terracotta army was discovered purely by chance. In 1974, local farmers in Xi'an were busy building a well about a mile from the tomb of Emperor Qin when instead of water they unearthed the head of a terracotta warrior.
So far more than 7,000 life-size warriors built out of terracotta had been found buried in battle formation in three pits excavated around the tomb. So far, only 1,000 or so have been excavated. Buried along alongside them are terracotta horses, wooden chariots and a variety of weapons
Various terracotta figurines of acrobats, weightlifters, musicians and bronze birds have also been found supposedly to entertain the Emperor in the afterlife. Sadly where would society be without bureaucracy? Austere figures of bureaucrats, arms folded under long sleeves, await instructions. Traces of paint reveal that the army was originally brightly painted.
Qin Shihuangdi's tomb remains undisturbed. It has never been excavated and there are no plans to do so. With stories of rivers filled with mercury, a false sky filled with stars and ersatz mountains to climb on, it promises to be quite something. Qin Shihuangdi can rest happily in peace. His terracotta army has protected him well over the years!
~~What can be seen in the British Museum's exhibition? ~~
A total of 120 objects have been loaned to the British Museum by the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Shihuang and the Shaanxi Cultural Relics Bureau in Xi'an, China. They have been mounted in the famous Round Reading Room at the centre of the British Museum. (Famous as the room where Karl Marx wrote Das Kapital and Gandhi worked). The Reading Round, usually preserved for special study, is not generally used for exhibitions making it just that little bit extra special.
An elevated display area has been constructed in the reeading room. Acess is achieved by a flight of stairs to the entrance and egress from a similar flight of stairs into the shop (where else!!) There are lifts available at the entrance and exit for wheelchairs or buggies with attendants ever ready to assist.
The lighting is dimmed presumedly to preserve some of the artefacts but which also serves to evoke a suitable sense of theatrical awe. The first terracotta warrior, the kneeling archer, is encountered early in the exhibition mounted in a glass case. As such, he creates a bottleneck of visitors who linger to get a good look.
Visitors are then shepherded around various glass cases and information boards (many of which were difficult to read simply due to the massess hunched around them).
Archaeologists believe the terracotta army is the result of one of the earliest examples of mass production. A terracotta model shows how teams of labourers probably worked on the separate parts that resulted in the completion of each warrior.
As you round the corner from the model, the main section of the exhibition comes into view with the 12 life-size figures standing in an enclosure with just a rope separating them from their admirers. Each warrior is individualised with clothing, facial expressions and hair styles! So much attention to detail!
It does make you wonder at the 7,000. Are they all so unique?
~~ Where is the British Museum and how much does the exhibition cost? ~~
The British Museum is situated in Great Russell Street in London. There is limited parking available outside the Museum for those brave enough to drive around London (I'm afraid I do not know the cost of parking). Tourist buses operate a drop off / pick up service with a stop just outside the Museum, It is just a short walking distance of Tottenham Court Road tube station on the Central line and there is a wealth of taxis in the area waiting for your fare!
Tickets are priced at £12 for an adult, £10 for children aged 16 - 18 and free for children under 16 if accompanied by an adult. Advance tickets are no longer available having been long sold out however 500 tickets (week days) and 700 tickets (weekends) will be released for purchase at the museum. Tickets are for timed entry. Our timed tickets were for 20.40 but you stay as long as you need (that is until closing). We left at 22.00 hours and people were still entering with their timed tickets!
Opening hours for the exhibition are Mondays - Wednesdays 10.00-17.30 (last entry 16.20) with late opening Thursdays - Sundays until 00.00 (last entry 22.50).
The rest of the Museum closes at 17.30 (including the restaurant) from Saturday to Wednesday with a limited number of galleries are open until 20.30 on Thursdays and Fridays.
There is an area for refreshments just outside of the exhibition which remained open whilst we were there. The restaurant closes at 17.30 however there are plenty of cafes, restaurants in the nearby convent garden. Toilet facilities abound in the museum.
With exception to the raised display area of the exhibition, access is level throughout. Newly installed lifts operate to the exhibition area and assistance is on hand if required. An audio loop or a British Sign Language-interpreted talk is available for those with hearing difficulties. Information is available in large print or Braille.
Be aware that only small bags will be allowed into the exhibition and these are subject to a search before entering. Large bags, coats, umbrellas, etc. have to be left in the cloakrooms
No photography is allowed in the exhibition.
~~Summary~~
The First Emperor exhibition at British Museum may only give a glimpse into the incredible world of Emperor Qin both in life and his vision of afterlife however it does serve to create a sense of the vast wealth, power and grandeur he achieved during his short reign. Cruel, deranged, self-obsessed, clever, determined - the exhibition provides sufficient details and evidence to enable the visitor to make a more informed opinion.
The exhibition is sponsored by Morgan Stanley, THE leading global financial services firm. Whilst, the reasons for the London Exhibition are met with a degree of cynicism ranging from Morgan Stanley's business links with China to the upcoming Olympics to be staged in China, the exhibition does provide a one-off opportunity to get a glimpse of the terracotta army.
The terracotta army is a spectacle as rare as it is magnificent. You cannot begin to imagine it in its entirity. On the whole, the exhibition is thoughtfully arranged and is very informative.
No-one can doubt that to see the terracotta army in its entirity and in its original location, is the ideal. For many of us though this is an unachievable dream so the glimpse available through the exhibition is better than nothing. One of our main reasons for going to the London Exhibition was for my 88 year old arthritic father who served in China during his time in the Royal Navy in the 1940s / 50s and who talks often of discovery of the terracotta army. This is probablt his only chance of seeing them in person.
Although very very crowded which did impair us from spending as much time as we would have liked at some of the exhibits, I do recommend going. The exhibition closes on April 6th 2008 so if you can possibly get to London don't miss this unique opportunity!!
Very detailed review. Saw these in Xian and was a bit disappointed - less than I had expected and noy undergound , they were under a marquee thing - lacked any atmosphere
Raef86 06.08.2008 10:28
Excellent subtitles, easy-to-read layout.
Also informative re: background, so very interesting.
Cheers.
Mar 6th, 2008
exceptional by (22%):
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