Emperor's Ghost Army

In 1974, Chinese farmers searching for water uncovered an astounding archaeological find: a massive terracotta army of 8,000 life-sized warrior figures, once fully armed with functional spears, lances, and other weapons. Who made these statues and to what purpose? Filmmaker Ian Bremner's PBS-aired NOVA documentary looks at the 40-year effort to solve this 2,200-year-old mystery. As the dig continued, archaeologists realized that the pit containing the soldiers was merely part of a vast complex meant to be a tomb honoring Qin Shi Huang Di, China's first emperor, who provided the name for China. Qin unified warrior states under one banner, but also proved to be a cruel ruler who was obsessed with his immortality (some speculate that the warriors were meant to protect Qin from the ghosts of defeated armies, who might be seeking revenge for their deaths and humiliations). In addition to the tomb, the complex served as an "eternal pleasure palace," with figures of horses, chariots, archers, cavalrymen, musicians, and acrobats, all brightly painted in their day. The documentary reconstructs the deadly weapons—including the crossbow, once a key factor to defeating armies—that were found scattered and broken. The decades-long construction project took a deadly toll on workers; many were punished for perceived substandard work, and their bodies are located nearby in mass graves. Much of the site remains to be excavated, but enough has been found to testify to the legacy of great craftsmanship…and great cruelty. Serving up a fine mix of history and science, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)