The Terra Cotta Army: China''s First Emperor and the Birth of a Nation

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The remarkable story of the ancient construction and modern discovery of the great Chinese Terracotta Army--an army of over eight thousand life-size figures of warriors and horses interred with its creator, the first emperor of China--and how it has emerged as a pre-eminent symbol of China's history, culture and society.

The Terracotta Army is one of the greatest, and most famous, archaeological discoveries of all time. Over 8,000 life-size figures of warriors and horses were interred in the mausoleum of the first emperor of China--and each figure is individually carved, perhaps representing real members of the emperor's army. This is the remarkable story of the terracotta army, from its creation in the third century BC to its modern-day rediscovery and its continuing legacy as a pre-eminent symbol of Chinese greatness.

The First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was king of the Chinese state of Qin and the first man to unite China into a single empire. He built the first Great Wall and brought a single written script to the whole country. He was an inspired and ruthless ruler, beset by paranoia and a desire for immortality. To this day, he is considered the founding father of the modern state of China. On his death in 210 BC he was buried in a giant mausoleum near modern-day Xi'an.

In 1974, local farmers digging a well for water broke through into the burial mound and found the first of the Terracotta warriors. Further excavations have revealed the full splendor of the buried army. But the majority of the mausoleum is yet to be opened, including the burial chamber itself.

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