See Amazing Artifacts Unearthed From Tombs

of Three Powerful Chinese Dynasties

You’ve most likely seen the banners flying throughout Southern California promoting Warriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy now on exhibit at the acclaimed Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. Don’t wait any longer to see this extraordinary exhibit. It provides an excellent opportunity for you and your family to experience ancient Chinese phenomena.

Building on the monumental success of the 2008 exhibition, Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor, the Bowers Museum presents a sequel exhibit of newly-discovered treasures from ancient Chinese tombs.  Warriors, Tombs, and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy is now open through March 4, 2012.

On loan from China and making their debut in the United States are 200 incredibly preserved ancient works of art from the three dynasties that form the foundation of Chinese civilization. Many of these artifacts are recent discoveries, having been unearthed from imperial, royal and elite tombs and from ancient Buddhist monasteries in and around each of these dynasties’ capital cities, all located near the modern city of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province.

To ensure a prosperous and comfortable afterlife for the deceased, ancient Chinese tombs are structured like dwellings on earth, containing replicas of all the attendants, food, animals, and in the case of emperors, replicas of warriors and government officials are also present. Aside from their striking artistic beauty, the objects will also inform visitors about aspects of daily life and values in the capital cities of ancient China. Visitors will see personally how people made a living, worshipped, traded, and buried their dead. Also featured are daily rituals of the royal families, along with what elites wore, rode on, ate from, and took to their tombs.

“The material in the exhibition is dramatic enough to appeal to anyone of any age group or level of familiarity with Chinese culture. The stories told by the pieces are so vivid that the viewer will leave the show with an increased awareness of China’s great historical traditions and its importance in the world today,” says Suzanne Cahill, Guest Curator of the Bowers Museum.

From the Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 BCE):

The exhibition features four of the famous life-size Terra Cotta Warriors, protectors of China’s First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, whose mausoleum complex is considered the eighth wonder of the world. Thanks to new conservation techniques, the paint on the warriors’ armor is now clearly visible and there are unexpected touches. Premiering in this exhibition is the strangest of all—a Terra Cotta Warrior posed as a Kneeling Archer whose face is painted green. Among the thousands of Warriors excavated to date, it is the only one to exhibit this phenomenon and remains a subject of intrigue and debate among scholars.

From the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE)

Smaller in scale (1/3 original size) but equally impressive, are the terra cotta warriors from the imperial tomb complex of the famous Han rebel-turned-emperor and from the fifth Han emperor Jingdi.  Like the Qin army of warriors, they have individualized features and are completely outfitted for battle – only their expressions are peaceful, reflecting that this was a less oppressive dynasty.

Unique from the Qin dynasty, the Han emperors outfitted their figures in actual silk garments and gave them mobility with articulated wooden arms. Unfortunately both garments and arms have since disintegrated. The warriors are presented in combination with male and female attendants, animals and other necessities required for a prosperous and comfortable afterlife. Additionally, a full-size set of ornate stone tomb doors with surrounding stone frame that once housed a member of the elite, will give viewers a true sense of scale and beauty of an ancient Chinese tomb.

From the Tang Dynasty (618 -907 CE)

Warriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy dazzles with the riches from the Tang dynasty the zenith of trade in exotic goods and dispersal of innovative ideas along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that joined the ancient Eastern World with Western Civilization. The precious objects include gold dragons, fine ornaments, an exquisite tomb guardian and other luxuries. A rare and important painting of a polo game between royals illustrates the adoption of Western influences by the East.

Sacred objects, including a set of four precious stone and metal reliquary boxes, the innermost of which held the finger bone relic of the historic Buddha, will be displayed for the first time outside of China. The finger bone relic (not part of the exhibition) was the founding deposit of the Famen Temple and was interred with many gold, silver and other fine objects commissioned and gifted by several Chinese emperors and individuals of importance. This important part of the exhibition illustrates the widespread acceptance of Buddhist beliefs among commoners and elites alike, and the high level of artistry of the Tang dynasty.

To be reminded once you arrive home of your day at this remarkable exhibit, the exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog authored by noted Tang dynasty scholar, and guest curator of the exhibition, Suzanne Cahill of the University of California, San Diego. The exhibition catalog may be purchased for $34.95. In addition, a 95-page Guide to the Exhibition, illustrated with exhibition highlights will also be available for purchase for $14.95.

Exhibition Tickets           

Warriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy is a date and time stamped, specially ticketed exhibition. Tickets can be purchased online at museumtix.com or via phone at Ticketmaster (877.250.8999). All ticket prices include the exhibition audio tour and access to all other museum galleries. Ticket prices are:

Tuesday - Thursday: $21 adults, $14 students and seniors (62+), $12 children ages 6-17

Friday – Sunday: $23 adults, $19 students and seniors (62+), $14 children ages 6-17.

Children under six are admitted free.

About the Bowers Museum

Bowers Museum, located in Santa Ana, has earned an international reputation through its world-class exhibitions, as well as its own extensive art collections from throughout the Americas and the South Pacific. In addition, the Bowers’ Kidseum, located one block south of the main museum, engages children through extensive activities designed to encourage creativity and inspire imagination. For more information or tickets, visit www.bowers.org or call 714.567.3695.