Background

China has a long history. At the origin of the illustrious Chinese empire lies the Qin dynasty, during which for the first time a large area was unified under one strong central rule. Qin Shihuangdi was the first emperor of China. He lived from 259 to 210 BC. Through his many military campaigns he succeeded in taking control over all of China.

Emperor Qin Shihuangdi was a man of radical deeds during his life. After awarding himself the title of First Emperor ("Shihuangdi"), he instituted many reforms. He standardised the systems of weights and measures and also unified Chinese script. Under his reign, political, economical, cultural and military power became much more centralised. The First Emperor also ordered the construction of an immense defensive wall – a precursor of the current Great Wall.

Emperor Qin Shihuangdi also was a man of radical deeds concerning his own death. He wanted to maintain in the afterlife the status he had gained in this life. The gentle sloping foothills of mount Li had the perfect 'feng shui' to become the ideal burial location. Here, where ancient kings had been buried, he had 700,000 forced labourers construct a unique mausoleum. This tomb complex was decorated with extraordinary grave gifts, guarded by the First Emperor's Terracotta Army and sealed by labourers and concubines who were buried alive.

The Terracotta Army was discovered by accident in 1974, by a farmer digging a water well. Since then, archaeologists have been busy digging up the approximately seven thousand warriors. By now, more than 1,000 warriors have been uncovered, while some 6,000 more still lie burried under a layer of earth. These excavations are carried out meticulously – each of the warriors undergoing a months-long restauration.

Emperors of the subsequent Western Han dynasty also were accompanied by their own Terracotta Armies. Together with the other magnificent grave gifts, the refined soldiers, cavalrymen and horses show us how the belief in the afterlife was expressed in this period. Beautiful objects made of terracotta, jade, gold and bronze demonstrate that life in the early Chinese empire was continued in a different dimension.