|
|
 |
|
Home / Exhibits / Special Exhibits
Exhibition Events
Army of Stone
Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Free to the public
The year is 1974. Just another day farming—until you accidentally unearth 8,000 life-like Terra Cotta Warriors… What was it like to build these life-sized warriors? How long did the process take? Learn some amazing facts about the warriors themselves as you take part in Round Two of our weekend Terra Cotta Warriors craft festival. Separate ticket required to see Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor.
Distinguished Lecture: Warfare in Early China and the Pottery Army of the Qin
Albert E. Dien, Ph.D., Stanford University, emeritus
Tuesday, September 22, 6:30 p.m.
The Qin army, represented by the pottery figures featured in the Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor exhibition, was the culmination of a long period of development in weapons, armor, discipline and organization. Because its army was superior in many ways, the Qin was able to conquer all of its enemies and to unite China under its rule. Thus able to muster the resources of the entire country, the Qin emperor was able to built himself a mausoleum that has never been surpassed.
The emergence of the mighty Qin army and its unusual representation underground presents many questions that have yet to be answered conclusively, one reason why this pottery army has been termed one of the wonders of the ancient world. Dr. Albert Dien’s primary field of research is the Early Medieval period in Chinese history. He is professor emeritus at Stanford University.
Distinguished Lecture: Everyday Religion in China in the Third Century B.C.
Donald Harper, Ph.D., University of Chicago
Tuesday, October 6, 6:30 p.m.
Since the mid-20th century, archaeological objects and excavated manuscripts have restored a view of the everyday religion of the Chinese people in the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. The evidence sheds light on religion in the world of the First Emperor, revealing ideas and practices that engaged elite and non-elite alike, for example: resurrection, demonology, prayers and exorcistic rituals, magical talismans, and a rich variety of popular divination systems. The new knowledge of the “religion of the people” changes our understanding of religious and intellectual culture at the beginning of the imperial era.
Dr. Donald Harper is Professor of Chinese in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on archaeological and manuscript evidence related to the history of magic, religion, and science in ancient and medieval China. He is currently preparing a book onOccult Texts and Everyday Knowledge in China in the Age of Manuscripts Fourth Century B.C. to Tenth Century A.D., and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2008 for this project.
Distinguished Lecture: Qin Unification of China, The New Archaeological Perspective
Lothar Von Falkenhausen, Ph.D., UCLA
Tuesday, October 13, 6:30 p.m.
Recent archaeological evidence is now redefining the unification of China. Although credit is given to the First Emperor for unifying China under the Qin kingdom, recent findings have revealed that the unification resulted through a complex process that may have extended over centuries. This lecture will highlight many of the recently discovered archaeological materials that have prompted this reinterpretation of the First Emperor’s historical contribution, including the Terra Cotta Warriors.
Dr. Lothar von Falkenhausen is professor of art history at UCLA. He directs excavations at ancient salt-production sites in the Yangzi River Basin through the Peking University-UCLA Joint Archaeological Project. His research concerns the archaeology of the Chinese Bronze Age. He serves as editor of the Journal of East Asian Archaeology and of the Early China Special Monographs Series.
|
|
|
|
