Buried army of Qin Shihuang

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 23

Buried army of Qin Shihuang

The Robert McDougall Art Gallery will take on the air of a Chinese Emporor’s tomb this week-end as the Buried Warriors exhibition goes on show. Two horses, nine life-sized warriors and 22 associated pieces, including weapons and pottery, will give an impression of the dynasty that China’s

first emporor, Qin Shihuang, wanted to create. The figures are from his tomb and were found by archaeologists only a few years ago. A merciless man, he destroyed much to create the dynasty he believed would last tens of thousands of years. Instead it lasted 15.

Since the discovery of the tomb and its cache of terracotta figures, selections of them have been shown around the world. The collection that has come to Christchurch, as part of a cultural exchange arrangement between China and New Zealand, is the largest to be shown in the Southern Hemisphere.

The warriors and horses are part of the buried army dug up in Emperor Qin’s tomb. The exhibition, which opens on Saturday, will continue until December 7. The exhibition will include an audio-visual video programme shot of China and a slide-tape presentation of images of a contemporary China.

A book accompanies the exhibition. There will also be colour catalogues, posters, and replicas of the warriors and horses. The gallery is staying open until 6 p.m. during the weeks of the exhibition and will accommodate school and business groups by arrangement. The admission for the exhibition is $5.50 for

adults, $3.30 for Friends of the Gallery and senior citizens, students and unemployed, $2.20 for children and $ll for a family group. The exhibition has been indemnified by the New Zealand Government and was curated by the Auckland City Art Gallery with the assistance of the NZI Corporation.