Good evening, all! Is anyone else counting down the days till we leave for China? I have my own little imaginary wall calendar I mentally cross off each day on (like in the classic 90’s movies – red marker, white background, the works) …

One of the sights I’m most excited to see is the Terracotta Army, at Xi’an. This magnificent archaeological discovery has actually been on my bucket list since I was eight years old, when it was briefly mentioned in a book I was reading at the time; I was immediately struck with fascination by the mystery of it all, and curiosity for the purpose behind the thousands of clay soldiers.

The Terracotta Army makes up a portion of the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di, China’s first official emperor. A lone soldier from the Army was (accidentally) discovered in 1974 by Chinese citizens who were digging a well, and in the decades since, around 8,000 more figures have been unearthed – some found alongside clay horses to indicate their rank, others beside clay weapons such as swords and arrow tips. One of the truly incredible features of the Army is each soldier’s uniqueness; each one has a distinctive face, without any one expression repeated throughout all of the Terracotta Army.

What could be the purpose behind this creative design? And what, for that matter, was the purpose behind the Terracotta Army itself? At present, scholars and archaeologists speculate that the Army was designed to keep guard over Emperor Qin for all eternity (although other theories have been suggested, since this marvelous discovery). As to the first question, perhaps we’ll someday find out! Emperor Qin has been hailed as one of China’s most memorable leaders, as not only was it he who united the Warring States into a unified China, but he also made significant contributions to Chinese culture and society – such as initiating the construction of the Great Wall of China (another wondrous monument we’ll be seeing shortly!). When considering his interest in China’s cultural growth, it doesn’t seem inconceivable that he may have simply desired to have a hand in the creation of an artwork unlike any other… and the Terracotta Army is certainly that!

Just think, only eleven more days until we’re on our way to China! Let the countdown continue!

Becca McGuire

National Geographic. Discoveries May Rewrite History of China's Terra-Cotta Warriors. n. d. Web. 20 May 2018.

National Geographic. Emperor Qin’s Tomb. n. d. Web. 20 May 2018.