Unearthed nearly one kilometer to the north of the Qin Shihuang mausoleum, this bronze bird stands in a graceful pose, head up, wings fully spread, and its lengthy comb flowing back to touch its tail.  The surface of the bird is gilded and was originally inlaid with turquoise, which has been lost.  The feathers are denoted by fine lines.  The bird stands on a rounded support, pierced with tiny holes along the edge; there are similar holes also at the timps of the wings.  With its elaborate shape and decoration, this bird might be an example of items from the Qin Shhihuang mausoleum.

     In ancient Chinese legend, the feng and huang are considered as a pair of noble, sacred birds.  Feng indicates a male bird and huang, a female, and both symbolize beauty, fortune, and the love of a happy couple.  These auspicious birds frequently have been cited in ancient Chinese literature.  In the Shi jing, the first Chinese poetry anthology, completed in 600 BC, it is recorded that “feng and huang are singing at the peak of the hill.”

PHOENIX (feng)
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
gilded bronze
H. 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.)
Excavated in 1980 at Yueyucun, Lintong County
Lintong County Museum

GENERAL
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Terracotta
H. 77 1/4 in. (196 cm.)
Excavated in 1986 from pit no. 1 near the tomb of Shihuang
Museum of the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Army

    The pottery figures of generals are the highest ranking figures unearthed from the pits of terracotta warriors and horses at the Qin Shihuang mausoleum.  Five out of the six generals discovered were standing on the commanding chariots, where a large bronze bell and a drum made of wood and leather are directed on the battlefield by bells and drums.  Troops would advance when the bell was rung.  It was the general who controlled these instruments.

    This pottery general stands loftly with magnificent height.  He is dressed with a long, double-layer military uniform and an armor vest decorated with tassels.  The military headdress that indicates his high position is in the form of a double-tailed bird, a symbol of bravery and skill on the battlefield.  The expression of the general is solemn and stern, indicating his meditation upon military affairs.

    Military chariots were manufactured in China as early as the Xia dynasty (ca. 2300-1600 BC) and Shang dynasy (1600-1050 BC).  Early chariots often contained three soldiers:  a driver in the middle and two charioteers, on on each side.  From the pits of the terracotta army of Qin Shihuang, more than 130 wooden chariots, each manned by three pottery soldiers, were excavated.

    Their unique hand positions indicate that these figures represent chariot soldiers, standing on either side of the chariot driver.  Each figure is poised in a three-point balance.  His one hand tends to hold a spear or an axe, the other probably rested on the railing of the chariot; his center of gravity is on his left or right foot.  This natural posture, characteristic of a chariot soldier, differentiates these figures from other types of soldiers.

    In ancient China, The national military force and economy was evaluated by the number of military chariots the state possessed.  The Shi ji (Records of the grand historian) describes that the states Qin, Zhao, and Chu all had more than one thousand military chariots, while the states of Yan and Wei had only about six hundred.

CHARIOT SOLDIERS
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Terracotta
H. 75 1/4 in. (191 cm.)
H. 74 3/4 in. (190 cm.)
 Excavated in 1977 from pit no. 2 near the tomb of Qin Shihuang
 Museum of the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Army                              

    The cavalry was an important military force of the Qin dynasty.  It was fast, nimble, and  especially in terms of defense, better able to adapt compared to the infantry and chariot forces.  In pit no. 2, a total of 116 pottery cavalrymen were excavated.  Compatible with fighting on horseback, these figures wear a skull cap, a short robe, tight long pants, short boots, an armor vest, and a leather belt.

    This type of cavalryman tends to stand in front of his horse with one hand holding the reins, while the other grips a bow.  His long, neatly groomed hair is parted in the center and the two tufts of his short beard show his dignity and strength.

    The horse has a saddle that is decorated with nails, tassels, and belly bands.  The head is executed in extremely fine detail, as seen in the tassels on its forehead, sharply erect ears, alert eyes, and the slightly opened mouth, all indicating the bravery and honesty of a military horse.  The projecting bones on its head, abundant eyelashes, and wrinkles around its mouth were sensitively formed. 

KNEELING ARCHER
Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.)
Terracotta
H. 48 in. (122 cm.)
Excavated in 1977 from pit no. 2 near the tomb of Qin Shihuang
Museum of the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Army

    In ancient times, the maximum number of arrows that an archer could shoot at one time was three.  To ensure a constant attack, archers were displayed in rows, one row firing arrows and the next preparing to shoot.  This pottery soldier is posed with his hands to the one side of his body, as if he is loading an arrow onto a crossbow.  His hair is pulled up and coiled into a bun, and his eyes stare ahead toward the target.

©1998 Santa Barbara Museum of Art