2008-10-11

Posted at 03:49 UT by Tamara

SEGMENT 327
Xian, China
Terra Cotta Warrior Museum
Part 10 in the 15 part series on China

Featuring Mr. Cho Shou Ru, Xian Tour Guide of Xian for China Spree.

Segment 327 takes the viewers to China's greatest archaeological discovery, The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses which were buried to guard the tomb of China's first Emperor over 2,200 years ago. From this emperor Chin comes the western world's name for China, a man who believed in the afterlife, and who commanded his people to build a huge palace and huge army to take along with him in death.

Previous burials had victimized live subjects in their burials, so at least the terra cotta warriors and horses were a step up from previous practice, even though many live workers, concubines, horses, and others were still buried alive with him, notably to protect against secrets of his tomb and palace from leaking out. It is reputed that the palace and his tomb were booby trapped, but since this area has not yet been excavated, those secrets still lie buried.

In 1974, a local farmer uncovered the first of three massive earth and timber vaults, changing the lives of his whole village. He is now a well regarded and well known hero. The excavation, still in progress, has yielded over 6000 terra cotta warriers, bodies formed from molds, but facial features individually sculpted to the physical characteristics of the humans they were modeled after.

Archers, infantrymen, horses and bronze chariots have been unearthed and are on close up display at an adjacent museum building. Rank can be detected from costume, hair knots, shoes.

This segment is also encased with a tantalizing cut from the Tang Dynasty Show.

Airing Schedule for
SEGMENT 327
Part 10 in the 15 part series on China

Tuesday, December 30th
5:30 p.m. news primetime
and again at
2:00 a.m.
when all other programming goes off the air.

Friday, January 2nd, 2009
5:30 p.m. news primetime
and again at
2:00 a.m.
when all other programming goes off the air.

Labels: CHINA - 16 Part Mini-Series - GREAT GETAWAYS of the WORLD