Terracotta Warriors exhibit set to open in San Francisco

The exhibition, China's Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor's Legacy, commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Asian Art Museum. It is the first exhibition held in the United States that focuses on the historical relics of China's Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.).

In a bid to achieve immortality, China's first emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty built himself a tomb — a vast underground city guarded by a life-sized terracotta army including warriors, infantrymen, horses, chariots and all their attendant armor and weaponry, said He Li, curator of the exhibition.

The underground burial complex was first unearthed in 1974 in Shaanxi province, and is considered an astonishing discovery on a par with ancient Egypt's elaborate tombs.

He said 123 exhibits from Qinshihuang's tomb and tombs of the early Qin Dynasty sent by 13 museums in Shaanxi will be on display. The exhibition will feature 10 figures — a representative sample of the actual army, which is estimated to include more than 7,000 life-sized figures and more than 10,000 weapons.

Visitors will be able to take a close look at the first emperor's other relics, such as the bronze swords inlaid with gold and turquoise and horses and chariots, said Jay Xu, the executive director of the Asian Art Museum.

The chariot and horse terracotta displayed in the hall of the museum are also unusual.

“Usually we only showcase one of them. This time, we are displaying both, which is unusual,” Chang said.

A “Lost Warrior” campaign was launched two weeks ago to promote the exhibition. The museum asked a local actor to dress like a terracotta warrior and appear in at least 50 places across the city.

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