The Terracotta Army: China’s First Emperor and the Birth of a Nation

Състояние: Много добро
Забележка: Неизползвана книга, леко захабен външен вид.
Издателство: Bantam Press
Град на издаване: London
Наличност: singular
Ширина (мм): 160
Височина (мм): 240
Дебелина (мм): 30
Корици: Твърди

In 1974 local farmers digging a well near present-day Xian unearthed parts of clay figures, opening the way to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. The Terracotta Army was a total surprise. The 6,000 life-size clay warriors and horses had been buried in 210 BC as a 'spirit army' to stand watch over the body of the First Emperor, and had been lying hidden for over two millennia.

The army is a fitting guard for one of China's greatest and most controversial figures. From his base in the state of Qin, the First Emperor conquered all rivals, unifying them into a single nation and defending it with the Great Wall. An inspired and ruthless ruler, he was also beset by paranoia and a desire to dominate in the afterlife, as he had in this world. Around his giant tomb-mound, as yet unopened, other chambers conceal a whole spirit world not only of more soldiers, but of officials, bronze chariots, water-birds and entertainers.

Much of this now stands revealed in a site that attracts some two million visitors a year. As work continues, there are surely more surprises to come, possibly (as John Man suggests) even more warriors still to be discovered. One day, perhaps, the tomb-mound itself will be opened and its legendary treasures revealed. Research has already suggested the existence of an underground palace and revealed traces of mercury, which, according to the main historical source, trace China's rivers in a vast map of the First Emperor's domains.

Weaving together history and first-hand experience from his travels in China, John Man tells the story of how and why these astonishing artefacts were created. In doing so, he gives a vivid account of the First Emperor and the events that form the roots of China today.

*

CONTENTS

List of Maps vii
A Note on Spelling ix
Acknowledgements xi
Picture Acknowledgements xiii
Preface: An Army of the Past and Present xv

PART I: ORIGINS

1 Discovery 3
2 The Grand Historian's Hidden Agenda 16
3 Warring States, Conflicting Ideas 27
4 From Prince to King 42
5 The Making of China 61
6 A Ruthless Frenzy 72

PART II: BEYOND THE GRAVE

7 The World to Come 97
8 Digging the Tomb 115
9 Making the Eternal Army 127
10 Sudden Death 157
11 Consumed by Fire 179

PART III: THE EIGHTH WONDER

12 Six Thousand Characters in Search of a Role 205
13 New Marvels in Bronze and Stone 230
14 On Handling Treasures 247
15 To Be Revealed 257

Appendix 1: Dates and Dynasties 269
Appendix 2: Qin and the Terracotta Army in Context 271
Bibliography 275
Index 281

**

About the Author

John Man is a historian and travel writer with a special interest in China, Mongolia and the history of written communication. His Gobi: Tracking the Desert was the first book on the subject since the 1920s. He is also the author of Alpha Beta, on the roots of the Roman alphabet, and The Gutenberg Revolution, on the origins and impact of printing. His books Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun and Kublai Khan are published in Bantam Books.