Full name: The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army

Author: Jane Portal Rank: Rating: Original Rating: Pop Rating: Genres/categories: Purchase/reserch links: LibraryThing Amazon Goodreads ISBNs: 9780714124476 0714124478

Standing guard around the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, the ranks of a terracotta army bear silent witness to the vast power of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, who unified China in 221 BCE. Six thousand warriors and horses make up the army, while chariots, a military guard, and a command post complete the host. A new look at one of the most spectacular finds in the annals of archaeology, this book also considers the historical and archaeological context of the Terracotta Army, as well as the extensive research and excavation carried out since its discovery in 1974. In richly illustrated chapters, experts in the field describe the Qin's rise and military conquest, the empire's ideology and practices, and the emperor's achievements and legacy. The authors examine the site itself, including new discoveries such as terracotta bureaucrats, acrobats, and strongmen, life-size bronze birds, hundreds of suits of stone armor, and terracotta warriors with colored faces preserved with new technology.From explorations of the massive mausoleum and the rituals that surrounded it, to explanations of the actual manufacture of the Terracotta Army, the book offers a detailed and authoritative tour of one of ancient history's most eloquent memorials, with all it says of China's long and coherent cultural past--and future potential. Similar books: Understanding China by John Bryan Starr The Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution by Harold Isaacs China and the Chinese by Herbert Allen Giles Tombstone by Yang Jisheng Wealth and Power by Orville Schell A History of China by Wolfram Eberhard The Genius of China by Robert Temple The Dynasties of China by Bamber Gascoigne The Terracotta Army by John Man 1587 by Ray Huang Out of Mao's Shadow by Philip P. Pan The Great Wall by John Man Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China by Ezra F. Vogel Twilight in the Forbidden City by Reginald F. Johnston China Wakes by Nicholas D. Kristof