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grand-theft-carbohydrates · 9 months

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i literally spend at least 2 hours a week just looking at various pictures of the terracotta army. utterly entranced. look at the details in the hair. you'd never see ANY of this when they're lined up in formation, but they're there.

theres about 8000 of these guys down there, no two faces are alike. they're works of art. they're the manifestation of a cruel despot's delusions of grandeur. a talisman against the terrible inevitability of death, both pathetic and strangely pitiful. like watching a child clinging to his blanket, begging you not to turn off the light. they were a bunch of insignificant clay statues from a side chamber that was so small and unremarkable, no one bothered to write down the location. they were modelled after real people. their only purpose was to serve qin shi huang in the afterlife, so he could reign in heaven as he did on earth. now the emperor is just a ghost and his pawns are immortal. my dad and i visited them in the dead of winter, on a weekday, just so we wouldn't have to deal with tourists like us. the place had easily 500 people--not including the ones below ground. we traveled to xian via the old "green skin" diesel train. there are faster means, like highspeed rail but dad insisted i try the authentic way, the same way he would have traveled when he was my age it was also like, a quarter of the price but im sure that had nothing to do with it! back in the 80s carriages would get so packed people had to have their luggage passed in via the windows. as we chugged along, i read my book and my dad made us cup noodles. car is just a shortened version of "carriage", the word is the same but the mechanism is different. it's the same in chinese. i think if i told someone from the warring states period i could travel from the Kingdom of Qi to Qin in just four hours with my metal carriage, i'd be laughed out of town--or accused of being a spy and sentenced to 'death by carriage.' we hopped off the train at 4am and took a different "carriage." the taxi driver joked; "basically every dynasty put their capital in xian, stick a shovel anywhere and you'll turn up some national treasure or another." i wonder what it would have felt like to be a farmer digging a well and then out pops a remarkably realistic human head. statistical analysis show the soldier's faces bear a strong similarity to people living in the region today. the taxi stopped in front of a jewellery-hawking tourist trap and refused budge an inch until we went inside. did you know the terracotta soldiers were originally multi-coloured and painfully gaudy, just like the greek marbles? they were made assembly-line style. the arms and legs were made from the same workshops that made clay plumbing pipes and roof tiles. for quality control, the artisans were required to stamp their names. the workers who built these tombs were executed shortly afterwards, because only dead men can be trusted with secrets. qin shi huang's mausoleum is unlikely to be excavated in my father's lifetime, or mine, not unless i'm willing to take a BIG ONE for the team... instead of the tomb, they built some kind of qin shi huang-themed theme park next to it. not only was it tacky as hell the entrance fee was like $50. we went to the museum and i looked at bronze tools and pottery shards for three hours. look why can't we just crack the thing open i can't be the only one here whos dying from curiosity what if we all just took turns digging

#qin shi huangs terracotta army #warring states #qin dynasty #thinking about Her...<3 bronze tools and pottery shards <3 #my writing

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its-not-a-pen · 4 months

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—Terracotta—

Ok so I visited xi'an during my trip back to china (3 months ago?), and this idea popped into my head during the 9h train ride back to shangdong. I am of course 100% projecting my own love of the terracotta army onto Qin Shi Huang, in reality he did not care for this pit of mud statues depicting lowly commoners. In fact, no one ever bothered to write about it and they were lost to history until 1974 when some farmers digging a well stumbled upon them. But it's exactly the reason I'm so fascinated by them. QSH's tomb has not been excavated, and although I have a running joke about cracking it open--mercury vapors be damned--none of the riches inside will ever enchant me as much as the chance to see the face of a person who lived during this time.

Notes under the cut:

#1

the title Qin Shi Huangdi means "First Emperor of Qin" and was given to QSH by later historians. He actually called himself the Shi Huangdi, "First Emperor", and that is the title I've gone with here.

in English the other kingdoms are translated as "states" (i guess to avoid confusion?) but in chinese they are very much kingdoms.

The terracotta warriors used thousands of craftsmen, many of whom were slaves from conquered kingdoms. From a storytelling perspective I thought it would be more streamlined if there were two main artisans who reported directly to QSH.

QSH's clothes are based on the overly complicated courtly regalia. which has 12 symbols that only the emperor is allowed to wear

Notice how this hat is ROUND at the front??? Well I CERTAINLY DIDN'T. HAD TO REDRAW IT!!!!!

the stripped shirt is based on this Chu woman figurine. Clothes were fairly unisex during this time and I thought it was a nice fit.

#2

Paperwork: writing was done on books made of bamboo slips. Anecdotally, QSH had an impressive work ethic and would read 100 bills every night.

Bronze Goose lamp: ok this is actually a Han dynasty lamp pls forgive me. I saw this bad boy at the xi'an history museum and it's bewitched me body and soul. The goose neck is hollow and connects to a reservoir of water in the belly, which minimizes smoke and cools the lamp.

QSH is remembered as a brutal tyrant and brilliant statesman, but I wanted to present a more human version of him here. Bored, tired and drowning in work he refuses to delegate. His new empire is balanced as precariously as everything else on his desk.

#3

The attendants standing behind him are holding little wood tablets called hu for taking notes. Their brushes are tucked into their hats/hair, inspired by Han dynasty custom. (You'll see me using Han stuff a lot. Their cultures were very similar to Qin, since it was only a few hundred years apart).

So I had a slight breakdown trying to find the correct hats for the eunuchs, and ended up redrawing everything the night I was due to publish. Closest thing I could come up with was a reference to a round-style Han Dynasty hat which evolved into this square Jin hat. Yes, this is a cry for help .

#4

the wheeled platform is 100% made up, I tried to come up with a plausible way of getting a bunch of figurines into the palace.

#5 & #6

Painted terracotta soldier

How were the terracotta warriors made

The General: Fun fact, I got to see this guy in person!

#7

The Epic Wide Shot was inspired by some Tang Dynasty terracotta figures I saw at the xi'an museum!

#8

THIS KNEELING ARCHER. ARGGGGG. He use to be my favourite guy. I even went into the pit and drew him IN PERSON. the archers inexplicably have their hair buns on the OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HEAD. So because of him, I DREW ALL THE HAIR BUNS WRONG!!!! REDRAW!!!! PAIN AND SUFFERING!!!!

#10

Qin was famous for it's very long, thin swords. They were more useful as status symbols than actual weapons, as QSH knows from personal experience…

#11

QSH'S Tomb hasn't been excavated yet, but high levels of mercury have been detected in the soil, making the historical accounts of quite plausible.

#chinese history #warring states period #qin dynasty #qin shi huang #terracotta army #comics #my art comes with homework lol #art

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thepastisalreadywritten · 5 months

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This is one of the only terracotta warriors that was found almost completely intact.

Note the detail on the bottom of his shoe, showing that grip and traction were considered in footwear even 2,200 years ago.

Each life-sized clay warrior was crafted to be completely unique and there are no two terracotta warriors-among the 8,000 total—that are exactly the same.

Shortly after the completion of the tomb in 210-209 BC, it was looted for weapons and burned, causing the roof to collapse, crushing the terracotta warriors.

All the other terracotta warriors that are currently on display were painstakingly restored.

What's even more remarkable is that the terracotta warriors were originally painted in bright colors by skilled artisans.

Unfortunately, when they were exposed to air and sunlight during the excavation in the 1970s, the colors began to curl up almost immediately and disappeared within minutes.

These terracotta warriors were put in place to guard the tomb of the first emperor of unified China — Qin Shi Huang (18 February 259 BC – 12 July 210 BC).

To this day, the tomb has yet to be opened.

According to ancient historians, the tomb contains an entire kingdom and palace in which the ceilings are decorated with pearls to mimic the night sky.

The tomb is also said to contain extremely rare artifacts and has been rigged with crossbows to shoot anyone trying to break in.

To keep its location a secret, the workers were entombed with the emperor.

As described by Han dynasty historian Sima Qian (145-90 BCE) in the Records of the Grand Historian, he mentioned that inside the tomb, "mercury was used to fashion the hundred rivers, the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, and the seas in such a way that they flowed."

Modern tests have indicated extremely high levels of mercury in the surrounding soil.

#Qin Shi Huang #terracotta warriors #Qin Dynasty #China’s First Emperor #clay warrior #Terracotta Army #Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor #funerary art #Ancient Chinese Warfare #military power #terracotta sculptures #Shaanxi #China

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dragons-daily · 5 months

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Flag of Wales in the style of the Qing dynasty flag. The flag of the Welsh dynasty if you will.

#dragon #dragons #red dragon of cadwaladr #welsh dragon #flag of wales #qin dynasty

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yebreed · 4 months

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Canopy Chariot From The Emperor Qinshihuang Mausoleum

Qin dynasty chariot, unearthed from the burial pit on the west side of the Qinshihuang Mausoleum (秦始皇陵) in Lintong, Shaanxi.

The life-size painted chariot is 317 cm long and 106.2 cm high. Exhibited in the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (秦世皇黃陵博物院).

Vintage photos of the excavation and restoration:

#ancient china #chinese culture #chinese art #chinese history #qin shi huang #chariot #qin dynasty #ancient tomb #archeology #chinese warfare #Terracotta Army #terracotta #mausoleum #tomb art #charioteer

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masadonna · 6 months

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finally it’s finished to make these gorgeous detachable collar!

very qin dynasty ish style i love it 😍

#embroidery #stumpwork #beading #detachable collar #qin dynasty #art #masadonnaembroidery

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scarroxana · 8 months

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Chinese Dynasties.

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ancientorigins · 27 days

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After 1,800 years out of circulation, scientists finally identified the complex composition of a unique color created in ancient China. Used by the Qin and Han Dynasties to color wall paintings, ceramics, jewelry and even the famed terracotta warriors, the recipe was lost.

It was only in the 1990s that scientists finally discovered how to recreate the formula. But that wasn’t all they found. Researchers later exposed that the ancient pigment emits powerful rays of light in the near-infrared range, revealing hidden details invisible to the naked eye.

#pigment #dye #technology #color #purple #Qin Dynasty #Han Dynasty

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blueiskewl · 6 months

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A Rare 2,000-Year-Old Sheep-Drawn Chariot Discovered Near China’s First Emperor

Only the sheep's skeletons remain, but such vehicles appear in Chinese lore.

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of what appears to be an ancient sheep-drawn chariot near the famous "Terracotta Army" in northwestern China.

The English-language website China Daily, which is owned by the Chinese Communist Party, reported that the remains were found in the "western tomb" at the site of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum, a few miles northeast of the city of Xi'an in Shaanxi province.

Archaeologist Jiang Wenxiao, who is leading the excavations of the tomb, told China Daily that the main structure of the chariot had rotted away after spending more than 2,000 years in the ground. (The mausoleum dates to the third century B.C.)

But the team did find a row of six sheep skeletons wearing accessories used for pulling a chariot, so they inferred this was a sheep-drawn chariot, Wenxiao said.

Drawn by sheep

Horse-drawn chariots and ox-drawn carts were common in ancient China, but a sheep-drawn chariot is an extremely rare find, Wenxiao said.

They appear in Chinese history, however, as well as in Chinese lore. The founder of the Western Jin dynasty, Emperor Wu (or Sima Yan), who ruled from A.D. 266 to 290, is said to have ridden in a sheep-drawn carriage around his palace complex every night and would sleep wherever the sheep stopped.

His practice may be the origin of the modern Chinese phrase "seeking luck in a sheep cart"; it's said the emperor had a harem of 10,000 wives, and this seems to have been Sima Yan's method of choosing among them.

Wenxiao presented the discoveries at the Fourth Congress of Chinese Archaeology, which was held in Xi'an in October, according to the state-owned website ECNS.cn.

The team hopes laboratory analysis on the western tomb's burial chamber, which is currently underway, will help them determine who was buried there, the report said.

Chinese chariots

In addition to the six-sheep chariot, archaeologists unearthed a four-wheeled wooden chariot, presumably drawn by horses, equipped with an ornate rectangular umbrella. It is the oldest of its type ever found, according to Wenxiao.

They also found a wealth of copper chariot and horse-related artifacts, as well as iron tools and copper weapons, providing new insight into the period when iron tools first began to appear.

The mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who ruled from 221 to 210 B.C. and is considered the first emperor of a united China, is spread over about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) and took 38 years to complete. Three immense pits in the mausoleum site hold more than 8,000 life-sized sculptures that depict the emperor's soldiers and their horses — the so-called Terracotta Army.

By Tom Metcalfe.

#A Rare 2000-Year-Old Sheep-Drawn Chariot Discovered Near China’s First Emperor #Terracotta Army #Emperor Qin Shi Huang #Qin dynasty #Xi'an Ciina #Shaanxi province #chariot #ancient tomb #ancient grave #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #ancient china #chinese history

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sticky943 · 1 year

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Hello everyone! As a Chinese person interested in hanfu, I have a question. Does anybody know what crown is the Chinese philosopher Confucius wearing in these portraits? Thank you!

#hanfu #chinese #chinese history #ancient china #china #warring states era #warring states period #chinese fashion #hanfu accessories #hanfu movement #tang dynasty #han dynasty #qin dynasty #ming dynasty #chinese hanfu #chinese culture

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jacksonlywife · 4 months

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“Hearts Weaved Together”

PART 1 OF 2

SPOILERS FOR RECORD OF RAGNAROK

Synopsis: Qin Shi Huang is the Emperor of China, a strong individual. A king. While you are an angel who’s broken. Emotionless. Pitiful. Hurt. And covered in wounds. What would happen if the two met and the Emperor had a way to get you emotions?

Timeline: Before and after he fights against Hades.

TW: Blood, self harm, depressing mentality, cussing

WORD COUNT : 830

(GN!Reader)

Crowds cheered for Buddha’s victory against Zerofuku. You stood there watching the whole

entire thing your white but tainted wings flapping ever so slightly as you squint your eyes not reacting much to the battle. You were tired.

Tired from what exactly?

Nothing. Tired of doing nothing. Tired of not feeling anything. You’ve tried everything. To biting your nails to cutting your skin to deep red lines. Pain is a feeling right? So why don’t you feel it when you inflict it upon yourself? Why don’t you?

Happiness, sadness, nervousness, or even being surprised did not exist in your vocabulary. You don’t remember when or why such a curse was brought upon you. You're an angel. But can an angel truly be an angel if they can’t feel?

The crowds eventually died down, everyone exiting the arena as you decided you should also leave. Though that was quickly stopped by the War God Ares’s yelling. As well as Herme’s voice.

“Human?! Do you even realize where you are sitting right now?!” Ares yelled with anger evident in his voice and facial expressions. “That is Hades' seat! The King of the underworld!”

The human sitting on the seat had a blindfold wrapped around his eyes and a fancy red print was going down his cheek from what seemed like his eye bag area. Beautiful and expensive clothes. As well as fingernail guards. Fancy indeed. All of a sudden his mouth parted.

“I am a king! So I deserve to sit in a seat where kings sit!” He said with a huge ass smile making Ares flinch back.

“Well, isn't he confident?” Hermes said, seeming amused from this whole situation. “Oh hello broken angel.” Hermes had caught you looking. Of course he did with that amazing perception. It's always the butlers.

“Hi.” You muttered out unaware of the way you were supposed to react to this whole thing so you began fiddling with your sleeves.

“Broken angel! You must agree that no human should sit on Hades' throne, correct?!” Ares yelled.

“Uh. Well. Yeah. But it’s just a throne. I mean.” You said unsure averting your eyes.

“Hmph!” Ares replied and the man sitting down in the throne smirked.

“Well? Aren’t you gonna serve your king some drinks?” Ares genuinely popped a vein at this statement and brought his arm up directing to aim a punch right into the human’s face.

BANG!

Ares fell to the ground. The human had easily overpowered him.

This would be surprising if you had emotions.

Hermes on the other hand actually served him drinks while Ares hid behind him and you stood there watching the scene.

“You!” The man spoke looking at you.

“Yes.?” You say tilting your head.

“Follow me!” He says jolting up and dashing out not even giving you a fucking warning. You follow and reach one of the many halls in Valhalla.

“Why did you bring me here? Mr? Sorry. What’s your name?”

“I am the Emperor Qin Shi Huang! The Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. Remember that!” He says pointing at you with his nail guards. “I have brought you here because. I have not seen you show a smile or crack at any so-called expression. Why is that? You should be smiling like me! Positivity is an amazing thing.” He smiled as he said that.

Of course. Someone had to ask.

“I’m emotionless. If you heard earlier. Mr. Hermes and Lord Ares call me, broken angel.

The man's face had dropped out of the smile for the first time. Unclear to read his genuine expression because his eyes were blindfolded.

“Emotionless?” He says, seeming to confirm what you said before.

“Yes.”

“That was not the answer I expected most.” He said, his voice wavering slightly.

“Well now you know. If that’s all you need I’ll be leaving.” You turned on your foot, eyes narrowing from the whole situation. He could’ve just asked in front of the others then wasting all this time.

“Wait. Be my support!” He yelled out, making you stop in your tracks. Support? What did he mean by that?

“What do you mean?” You asked.

“It’s only necessary for an Emperor to have support, no? But the real reason is that I believe you will earn emotions from helping me!” He says smirking. The hell was this guy talking about? Though. Your so-called curiosity may have peaked. Yes. Plus you had nothing better to do so may as well do what is asked of you.

“Alright.” You nod looking directly into his eyes. “I’ll be your support. I'm assuming during the fight I should cheer for some sort?”

“Yes! Exactly. Show how much you can dedicate yourself to something!” He raises his hand into a fist bump indicating you give one back. You do so, making a clicking noise from the nail guards on Qin Shi Huang. “See you in the audience during my fight.” He says with a smile walking away.

Will you really get emotions?

DISCONTINUED....

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grand-theft-carbohydrates · 3 months

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stop trying to make jing ke cool!!!!!! you're stressing him out!!!! a healthy jing ke in his natural state is a cringy little loser who couldn't even stab an out-of-shape nepo baby point blank!!!!! he would NOT be played by jet li im hitting you all with a spoon.

#jing ke #qin dynasty #jing ke in The Emperor's Shadow maintaining a bulletproof pokerface and adlibbing like his life depends on it only to immediately #go pinwheeling off a table is the golden standard tbh #The Emperor and the Assassin was also A+ cringefail material. the orchestral music while they flail around and roll down the stairs is #*chefs kiss*

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ziseviolet · 1 year

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Is there any example of qin dynasty clothing?

Hi, thanks for the question, and sorry for taking ages to reply! (Qin dynasty-style hanfu photo via)

Yes, there are examples of Qin dynasty hanfu in my Qin dynasty tag.

Hope this helps! ^^

#qin dynasty #hanfu #ask #reply #reference #chinese fashion #chinese clothing #chinese culture #china

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yebreed · 9 months

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AI reconstruction from portraits of emperors of the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) (北宋). Sometimes I think the AI fantasizes on its own. However, it's still curious.)

The emperors of the Northern Song dynasty come from the Zhao (趙) family. They are relatives of Zhao Zheng (趙政), who went down in history under the pseudonym of Qin Shi Huang.