Skip to content

Terracotta Army Blog: Chariot no. 1

by Hou-mei Sung, Curator of East Asian Art

6/15/2018

Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China , Chariot , Terracotta Warriors , Curatorial

bronze statue of a man riding a chariot drawn by four horses

Image: Chariot No. 1 with Horses (replica), Qin dynasty (221–206 BC), bronze, pigment, Excavated from Pit of Bronze Chariots, Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum, 1980, Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum

Previous Next

In October 2015, when I first visited Xian and the First Emperor’s mausoleum, the two bronze Chariots and horses were among the objects that fascinated me the most.  Both were made to model the First Emperor’s imperial convoy. The entire group weighs 2,339 pounds and consists of 3,064 components. The horses are adorned with gold, silver, and bronze bridle ornaments that weigh 15 and half pounds.  

A replica of Chariot No. 1 is now part of our special exhibition Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China. Although only a replica, this chariot and the four horses were made of the same materials and elaborate parts. You can see the chariot replica now in G150. It will on view until Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China closes August 12

A courier team of four came from Xian to work with the CAM staff to install this and other objects in the exhibition.  With both teams, including a highly experienced Chinese courier, it took a whole day just to complete the installation of this chariot.