The terra-cotta figures can be divided into two categories from their status: warriors and military officers. The military officers also have low, medium and high grades. The warriors do not wear caps but the military officers are coroneted. The crowns of common officers are different from those of the general. Even the armors are different. The soldiers include- foot soldiers, cavalry, and chariot soldiers. According to fighting needs, the equipment of different armed branches is also different. The foot soldiers do not wear armor and wear leg wrappings, which are convenient for running. The warriors who drive the chariots have shields. These terra-cotta figures held arrows or long weapons when they were unearthed, but most of the weapons were not in their hands but scattered in the pits. The bronze weapons unearthed from the pits include swords, spears, lances, curved knives and a large numbers of crossbows and arrows. These alloy weapons are still sharp thanks to a chromizing treatment, even after being buried more than 2,000 years. This indicates that metallurgy technology was relative high at that time.
Making a piece of terra-cotta figure so precisely and lifelike is not easy. The challenges are determined by the nature of pottery clay. It needs remarkable skills and rich experience. Pottery figures collapsed easily and faults in the molding and burning show up quickly. Qin Dynasty craftsmen used molding, piling, kneading, pasting, carving, painting and other techniques to make the figures perfect in terms of body, shape, spirit, color and quality. Craftsmen could have used mud to shape the legs of warriors, and then form the body using armor and clothes as the mold. Head could have been shaped exquisitely to make each figure quite different from the others. All these factors require high levels of baking skill. The thickness of the pottery shard should be balanced and the temperature and level of attainment suitable.
Two figures in particular are unforgettable. One is the Terracotta General. Another is the Kneeling Terra-cotta Soldier. The general is 1.96m tall. He is standing lofty and firm and lost in thought. He shows an expression of unyielding power. It shows the simple and martial character of Qin warriors. The success of this terracotta figures lies not only in the exquisite design and proportions, but also in the accuracy of the character. The general’s appearance is serious and calm, more convinced than the warriors with mean and ferocious expressions. The general’s wisdom and stateliness is reflected in the pottery figure.
Fight and Love With a Terra-cotta Warrior is a 1989 film about forbidden love between a court lady and a soldier in the Qin Dynasty. The soldier was reborn 2,000 years later after the reincarnated girl, who remembers nothing, enters the grave of Emperor Qin only to find a living ancient warrior. Facing so spectacular and lifelike Qin terra-cotta warriors, people can’t help thinking of many romantic stories.
The Kneeling Terra-cotta Soldier is a perfect example of the Qin craftsmen’s mastery of the structure of the human body. These soldiers always have their left legs bent and right legs touching the ground. Their eyes are to the front and two hands hold the crossbow. They look powerful and calm.
Terra-cotta horses and bronze chariots and horses
