China's First Emperor

This man is the talk of London this week:

Qin Shi Huangdi, First Chinese Emperor

A ruler from the western state of Qin united and subjugated the Warring States and formed China in 221 B.C. He declared himself the first emperor of China and named himself Shi Huangdi (meaning First Emperor).

During the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty (221 B.C. - 206 B.C.), the emperor connected and extended the old fortification walls along the north of China that originated about 700 B.C. (over 2500 years ago), forming the Great Wall of China to stop invading barbarians from the north. The Emperor standardized Chinese writing, bureaucracy, scholarship, law, currency, weights and measures. He expanded the Chinese empire, built a capital in Xian, a system of roads, and massive fortifications and palaces.

Shi Huangdi (259-210 B.C.) was a cruel ruler who readily killed or banished those who opposed him or his ideas. He is notorious for burning virtually all the books that remained from previous regimes. He even banned scholarly discussions of the past. The Qin dynasty ended soon after his death, but a unified China remained for over 2,000 years.

China's name is derived from his short but seminal dynasty, Qin (pronounced Chin). In 1974, thousands of life-sized terra cotta warriors and horses from the Emperor's extravagant tomb were unearthed in Xian.

CHINA'S TERRACOTTA ARMY AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM

Siba Matti travels to the British Museum to find out about a Chinese Emperor who changed the world…

One of the most groundbreaking and hotly anticipated exhibitions ever to be held at the British Museum offers visitors that chance to discover the drama, decadence and mystique of ancient Chinese burial rituals.

The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army, which runs until April 6 2008, showcases the largest collection of archaeological finds from the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, the First Emperor of the Qin (pronounced Chin) Dynasty, laid to rest 2,000 years ago.

Housed in the museum’s magnificent Reading Room, the stars of the show are undoubtedly the 12 complete clay warriors, who were buried with the First Emperor alongside 8,000 counterparts, to continue serving him in the eternal afterlife.

“He was an extraordinary man, a visionary,” said China expert and advisor for the exhibition Jessica Rawson, of Merton College Oxford. “He saw himself as a cosmic man, a deity. He built himself into the physical landscape of life and death.”

Arguably the most famous archaeological site in the world, the First Emperor’s breathtaking burial complex was discovered by chance by a farmer digging nearby in 1974, and excavation has been ongoing ever since. In total, the site covers around 56 square kilometers and the tomb is thought to have taken 35 years to build.

The impressive clay figures are just part of a shipment of 120 objects on loan from the Cultural Relics Bureau of Shaanxi Province in X’ian, China, which also carried items providing an intimate portrait of the Emperor himself revealing how he conquered China, the rules he imposed during his reign and the rites of passage that took place during his death.

Born Ying Zheng in 259 BC, the First Emperor was just 13 years old when he became King of Qin, one of the seven main states in the country competing for power and at war with each other.

Under his leadership from 221 to 210 BC, Qin conquered the other states using military precision and sophisticated weaponry, including wooden crossbows, a replica of which is on show.

More than one million men were conscripted to the army at any one time, and after much bloodshed, the takeover was complete and the King of Qin declared himself Qin Shihuangdi: First August Divine Emperor of Qin, and consequently, Ruler of the Universe.

The First Emperor imposed strict rules to enforce obedience, law and order and planned to join the walls from the conquered states to create a great wall, the makings of what is now famously known as the Great Wall of China.

An interesting comparison can be made between a portrait of the wall during Qin’s reign, and a later depiction from the Ming period (AD 1368 to 1644), in which the structure has developed considerably.

A single currency and standard weights and measures facilitated the Emperor’s rule further, and he even introduced a universal language, represented today by an ancient rubbing of an inscription from 219 BC.

“Most people might view this text as simply language, that they don't understand, but they explain the Emperor's vision of a united nation under his reign, and his views as a cosmic leader," said Professor Rawson.

Around 270 palaces were also built for the Emperor, including his most widely renowned residence, Ebang Palace, in capital city, Xianyang. This served to symbolise the strength of his power, and to house the rules of the states he had conquered.

After relishing many years in power, the Emperor developed a desire to govern forever. He spent more than 30 years building his tomb complex, in which he and the iconic clay warriors were buried, and they are by far the most visual stunning items in the show.

The dozen clay warriors include soldiers on horse driven chariots, as well as dancers and acrobats, musicians and civil servants, an archer, a rather robust strongman and various birds. The entire collection is a triumph of mass production, as each has been given intricate defining characteristics, in terms of physical attributes, attire and weaponry.

Another incredible sculpture offers a fascinating explanation of the process of actually creating the Terracotta Army. More than 1,000 conscripts were involved in the project at any one time and many died during the gruelling and intensely arduous process, perhaps highlighting the harsh nature of the Emperor’s reign.

Although approximately 7,000 soldiers have now been found in three pits outside the tomb, the First Emperor’s own burial place remains undisturbed, leaving a palpable sense of intrigue.

Nonetheless, this truly unique exhibition provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the remarkable remnants of ancient China, if only a small part, and to discover more about one of its most influential rulers.

As Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, commented: “This is not an exhibition about the Terracotta Army, but about the man who changed the world by creating China.”