Qin Shi Huangdi’s story is a tale of
rare treasures and booby-trapped
tombs, of assassination attempts
and military prowess, and of a life-size
terra-cotta army buried in battle
formation by the thousands in
Xi’an. Reviled and revered, he was
not only China’s first emperor, he
profoundly influenced the shape of
Chinese imperial power for centuries to come. His most visible
legacy was glittering palaces, sweeping defensive walls,
stunning artwork, and the remarkable terra-cotta figures.
Comprising soldiers, cavalrymen, servants, musicians, and
others, they display individualized facial features, hairstyles,
and poses. The entourage was created to accompany and
protect the emperor in the afterlife.
Tonight, Robert DeCaroli explores this 3rd-century B.C.
man who founded an empire and whose ideas about governance,
religion, and authority brought him to the heights of
power but also sowed the seeds of his downfall.
DeCaroli is an associate professor of art history at George
Mason University.