Was the First Emperor inspired by Alexander?

In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huangdi became the First Emperor of China, a country he had unified in 230 BC. He ruled as Emperor for nine years until his death at 49 years old in 210 BC. In comparison, Alexander’s campaign in Asia lasted approximately as long, from 334 until 223 BC.

[Qin Shi Huang statue]

The list of Qin’s achievements is long and can easily be compared to Alexander’s (see: The First Emperor, China’s Terracotta Army and Alexander the Great). Ultimately, they both instated one language, one currency, one law for all, and probably one and the same standard weights and measures. Qin established one system of government and one language, whereas Alexander left Hellenism to the world with Greek as the lingua franca for the next one thousand years. Qin built roads, canals, and the famous Great Wall, whereas Alexander built still-existing cities and trade centers. 

The comparison between the two rulers may extend even further to include their armies. They both put their infantry at the center with archers in front of them (Alexander also used sling shooters). Chinese arrows had very efficient bronze spear points. In both armies, the infantry was flanked by cavalry, which the Chinese reinforced with chariots. The cavalry encircled the enemy in the pincer movement and pinned down their lines to be annihilated. 

Losses among Qin’s infantry were high since they wore no protective outfits, which was thought to slow them down. They carried, however, an all-purpose spear with bronze ends and a sword. A man’s life in China did not count as opposed to Alexander, where every Macedonian was valued. They were lesser in number but well-equipped and disciplined. 

Overall, it makes me wonder how much Qin (or his generals) knew about Alexander’s tactics and warfare. It appears to be far more than we may suspect. The news of Alexander’s conquests far into the Ferghana Valley and India’s Punjab will have traveled further east during the one hundred years that separate these rulers. Merchants and travelers inevitably spread the news of Alexander’s successful campaigns. 

It should be noted that the Tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi remains hidden under an earth pyramid 76 meters tall. Chinese authorities are not inclined to excavate the site, either out of respect or fear. 

[Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huanghi]

The site of Alexander’s Tomb has not been found, even though he was buried in the Palace of Alexandria in Egypt. Nobody knows where his remains are hidden or were moved to. 

Turquoise mining site unknown to Alexander?

China is a long way from Alexander’s path but I can’t help wondering how much of China the Greeks knew after all. The subject has been developed in an earlier post The First Emperor, China’s Terracotta Army and Alexander the Great.

[Ruins of ancient village in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region] 

[Credit: Trip Advisor]

Anyway, a mining site in the eastern province of Xinjiang yielded more than 1,200 turquoise artifacts. Beside a large amount of pottery and bronze items, some textiles, and pieces of stone and bone were also found.

The mining site of approximately 8 sq km is located close to the ancient Silk Road and was active during two well-defined periods: the Spring and Autumn Period ranging from 700 to 476 BC, and the Warring States Period that covered the years 475 to 221 BC. This last end date coincides with the foundation of Qin’s Dynasty, i.e., that of the First Emperor. Interestingly, it is known that by 334 BC (during Alexander’s lifetime), there were seven Warring States: Qin, Chu, Wei, Han, Yan, and Qi, who were very much divided.

The discovery of the turquoise source seems to confirm industrial exchanges between Xinjiang and other regions of China. Based on these facts, it is not entirely impossible that Alexander had some knowledge of those far eastern states.

In any case, the influence of Hellenism in China has been established with the life-size and life-like terracotta figures of athletes (see: Alexander’s influence reached all the way to China) and with the vast terracotta army in the tomb of Emperor Qin (see: The First Emperor, China’s Terracotta Army and Alexander the Great)

The first archaeological surveys started in 2016 and will continue later this year.

Alexander’s influence reached all the way to China?

It is high time to look at Alexander’s conquest of Asia in a much wider context than we usually do. By now, his legacy in Central Asia is generally accepted thanks to the many artifacts found in Sogdiana and Bactria (modern Afghanistan). Ai-Khanoum, one of the many cities founded by Alexander and now on the far northern border of Afghanistan, is a clear proof of a new Hellenistic city as illustrated by the travelling exhibition Bactrian Gold, the Hidden Treasures from the Museum of Kabul. Because of this, stating that Greek art has led to the making of the famous Terracotta Army in Xi’an, China does not come as a total surprise.

Looking at the map of Eurasia, Ai-Khanoum’s position is quite central as it is separated from China only by the Pamir Mountains. The passes across that mountain range will not have been crowded with people, but some definitely must have made it across. Alexander’s death occurred hardly one hundred years before the First Emperor of China came to power and built his famous mausoleum. Over the Silk Road and the high mountain passes, people will definitely have moved back and forth, carrying their goods and their ideas between 323 BC, date of Alexander’s death and 221 BC when Emperor Qin came to power.

Several months ago, I saw this documentary on TV about an Achaemenid silver bowl or box with hollow drop motives that was found in China and how an expert from Germany was called in to examine the piece. It was dated 3rd-2nd century BC and I remember how it was established that the box had been casted and not hammered as expected, meaning that this piece was truly made in China and not imported from the west. It was a rather exotic-looking luxury article that only a happy few could afford. Yet, I didn’t think more of it till I attended a lecture entitled “Sculpture and the question of contacts between China and the Hellenistic East" presented by Dr Lukas Nickel from SOAS, University of London. The same silver box was the first piece of evidence presented here as the Nanyue silver box and I learned that about ten more of such unusual treasure boxes were found on different locations throughout China. Dr Nickel has my undivided attention!

From here, he moved to China’s most famous Terracotta Army, stating that it very well could have been inspired by the Greeks living on the eastern border of the Seleucid Empire, the successors of Alexander in Asia. Until that time, no large statues were ever created in China, leading Dr Nickel to think that the making of this army was inspired by ancient Greek artwork.

Emperor Qin was the first to unify the country. He died in 210 or 209 BC after building a huge mausoleum for himself surrounded by scores of life-size terracotta statues of infantrymen, cavalry, archers, charioteers and generals - all meant to protect him in his afterlife. They are the result of mass production, although each figure is apparently showing its own personality, but only in their facial features; the body, arms and legs are lifeless as if made of wood. Although the largest part of this impressive army is still buried, it is estimated that there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots drawn by 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. According to Dr Nickel, it is perfectly possible and very likely that these statues are the result of early contacts between Greece and China.  

Not far from this army, other pits have revealed sculptures of half-naked acrobats, strongmen, dancers and servants, which in turn are very realistic – men of flesh and blood, who were supposed to entertain the emperor in his afterlife. Dr Nickel concludes that the artists who made these statues of people in action must have learned their craft from Greek masters in order to render their bone structure, muscles and skin. This kind of understanding of the human body is typical for the Hellenistic period (the time after Alexander the Great) and Dr Nickel argues that making such realistic statues is not something that could be learned overnight or without practice; after all it took the Greeks several centuries to attain such results.

And then there is the tale about twelve giant statues “clad in foreign robes” that surfaced in Lintao (or in the general area of Lintao), i.e., the most western city of China. This information comes from a text translated by Dr Nickel, which, however, does not mention the origin of the statues or who commissioned them. All we know is that they stood about 38 ft (11.55m) tall with feet that were 4.5 ft long (1.38m) – they must have been colossal and very impressive! Indeed, so much so that the Emperor ordered twelve copies made to be placed in front of his palace. For this purpose, he collected all the bronze weapons that were previously used in war and had them melted. Each duplicated statue received an inscription stating that the original giants appeared in Lintao. This was recorded by a certain Yan Shigu, who lived in the 6th century AD and had access to earlier written sources. These “giants” are long gone as they were destroyed some time after the First Emperor’s death.

Anyway, this translation is one way to prove that a certain contact between ancient China and a Greek kingdom in Central Asia did actually exist, and that their inhabitants had a tradition of making statues.

As I said earlier, I’m not really surprised by this statement since Hellenistic influences have been found in art and architecture in Central Asia (see: Bactrian Gold, the Hidden Treasures from the Museum of Kabul) and also in India (see: Indo-Greek art or the influence of Hellenism on Buddhist art). Although I was aware that the first statues of Buddha appeared only after the death of Alexander the Great, I didn’t know till now that no statues at all were ever made before this time. To take this knowledge to a wider area like China is moving one step further.

In my wildest dreams, I often wondered what would have happened if Alexander the Great and Emperor Qin had met – what is one hundred years after all. I developed this theory already after visiting the wonderful exhibition about the First Emperor at the British Museum in London (see: The First Emperor, China’s Terracotta Army and Alexander the Great).

I wonder why Dr Nickel's revolutionary news didn’t make headlines before. Why is it that we still want to keep West and East separated? Why are we still keeping ourselves so jealously inside our own comfort zone? Alexander would have told us that we can learn from our enemies and I would like to add that we still can learn from people across our borders – our planet earth is not that big after all!

[Picture of the Map and the Terracotta Army are from Live Science; the acrobat is from Megan Mitchell China; the strongmen are from Far East City Shopper]

The First Emperor, China’s Terracotta Army and Alexander the Great

After all I have heard, read, and watched on TV, I definitely wanted to see this exceptional army of terracotta soldiers for myself. Since this exhibition was announced many months ago and runs from September 2007 till April 2008, I wanted to plan a trip to London early this year. Nothing was less evident, for it became challenging to acquire a ticket. When I checked the Internet booking site in the first days of January, they appeared sold out for the entire exhibition duration! I just couldn't believe it, being as flexible as I was, yet finding no ticket. I decided to phone the British Museum and hear what they could offer me. It was my lucky day, for I could book for Sunday at 10.10 a.m. This meant that I would have to get up at five in the morning, but no sacrifice is too big when it comes to the arts, right?

As it turned out, the exhibition met my expectation, nothing less but nothing more either. I must admit that the British Museum and the BBC did a good job when making the documentary about the history of the site and the preparations for the exhibition. Well done, as usual – very complete. So, all in all, I am thrilled to have seen the soldiers and the other artifacts with my own eyes, and I warmly recommend this venue!

The First Emperor - BRITISH MUSEUM from newangle on Vimeo.

It is all about Ying Zheng, later called the First Emperor (Qin Shi Huangdi), who was born in 259 BC. When he was 13 years old, he became king of Qin (pronounced Chin), one of the seven greater kingdoms that rivaled each other in Eastern China. Thanks to his military strategy and sophisticated arms, he conquered the other warring states, thus unifying China for the first time in 221 BC. Considering that imperial China lasted until the fall of the Qing or Manchu Dynasty in 1912, we can understand the importance of this unification!

If you ask me, Qin ruled like a despot and a tyrant, for he literally went over dead bodies to achieve his goals. Of course, he had to organize his new empire, but at what cost! 

Among his most impressive accomplishments were the many standardizations. He instated one language and one writing; one currency, a circular copper coin with a square hole in the middle (to the Chinese, the earth was square, and the sky was a circle above it); standard weights and measures; same axle length for all carts to match the ruts in the roads; etc. He built 6,000 km of roads and many irrigation canals and erected a Great Wall on the northern frontier as protection against outside invaders (nothing to do with the Great Wall we talk about today). He forged his people into units of five to ten families, with a group responsible for the wrongdoings of any individual within the unit. In short, the human value was zero, and one dead more or less did not matter. He ruled by what is called a legalist form of government that involved rewards and punishments in keeping order. This was entirely the opposite of Confucius' preaching (551-479 BC), which focused on human morality and good-doings. Qin allowed the burning of academic books and buried hundreds of Confucians alive - not the happiest of worlds to live in, if you ask me!

Qin Shi Huangdi drank from jade cups and ate from golden plates, believing this would ensure his longevity (see the beakers and cups at the exhibition). This reminds me of the chinaware I saw at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, which has the color of jade; the Ottoman Sultans believed that jade would neutralize the poison in their food – now I know where they got the idea! Qin went as far as drinking solutions containing mercury and other deadly brews to prolong his life; I guess he simply poisoned himself in the end. Ironically and despite his dire precautions, he died in 210 BC at the relatively young age of 49.

I must admit that Qin has led a hectic life, for besides all warfare and reforms, he exploited any manpower and resources he could to build his roads, walls, and palaces. Wishing to find the same luxury in the afterlife, he spent thirty years building a lavish tomb near the capital Xian yang, modern Xi'an. This burial site is vast and covers an area of 56 square kilometers. The actual burial mount is located in the very center, and in the vast space around it, several pits are slowly being found and excavated. The first discovery was made in 1974 when a local farmer dug a new well and found a terracotta head. Since then, three pits have exposed a total of 7,000 terracotta soldiers. It must be a magnificent and imposing view for those who visit the army in situ. In contrast, we have to use our imagination at the exhibition when we are among their selected delegates. They are waiting for me at the far end of the exhibition tour.

The collection shows a variety of objects, ranging from drinking vessels and terracotta roof tiles to copper coins and bronze ceremonial bells. Also, units of weights and fluid containers, the kind of standardization I expected to have come along with our metric system.

Next to a kneeled archer who still shows traces of paint on his armor, there is a reconstruction of a crossbow since all the wood has decayed over the years, a collection of arrowheads that originally were mounted on bamboo sticks that could easily be replaced when they broke, as well as a lance head and a chromed sword – fine examples of craftsmanship.

The huge bronze basins I discover in the spotlights remind me of those I saw at Vergina as part of the tomb belonging to Philip II of Macedon, although a good two hundred years older. Many bronze bells in their typical Asiatic shape are heavily decorated and show the wear and tear where they were hit to make them ring (a different sound according to the spot). Also on display are decorative bronze pole ends that once wrapped around the square wooden beams conceived in such a way that they simply clicked together, a kind of prefab construction. That is amazing, for we like to believe that the prefab has appeared only last century.

The items are well presented and well labeled, especially for those who, like me, want to avoid taking a talking recorder. I always find this gadget distracting; it is like somebody talking in my ear while I try to read the labels anyway. I concentrate better by looking at the objects and registering the facts and figures at my own pace. But again, that is me. Most people prefer just listening rather than reading.

There are maps here and there to locate Qin's early conquests and the expansion of his empire; there is a short slide show presenting the soldiers in full armor while the peasants and convicts are at work building the great wall; and there is a silent black and white projection of soldiers and horses on the inner circle of this library room converted especially for the exhibition.

After the rows of showcases with mainly bronze items, I am approaching the piece de resistance, the terracotta soldiers, and horses. I can't wait to get closer, but with the visiting crowd, it is best to stay in line and move along at the pace of the queue.

As a teaser, they have set up a long display with clay figurines showing how the terracotta figures were made in miniature. This is an assembly line, nothing less. The clay arrived in lumps at the workshops where laborers and local craftsmen worked together to press it in their respective molds. The heads, arms, legs, and torsos were created separately and then assembled. Once assembled, the individual features, such as facial expressions and hairdo, were added. As each soldier shows his unique features, a connoisseur can tell, for instance, from which part of the country he is originating. Some have their hair tied in a knot, and others have it braided or wear a bonnet. Their dress also differs according to their role. So the charioteers have the most extensive harness reaching over their hands. Even the cavalry wears sleeveless protection, whereas the infantry and the archers wear short-skirted harnesses. The light infantry, the most mobile part of Qin's army, did not carry any protection to move around faster (I think they were the most likely to be killed too, right?).

Each workshop had to inscribe its name on the produced items to ensure quality control. After completion, the terracotta figures were placed in the pits in precise military formation according to rank and duty. Quite an affair! These burial pits are now part of the Museum of Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an.

The terracotta figures are very much lifelike and rather tall, considering the average Chinese in those days. They vary in height according to their rank, the tallest being the generals measuring approximately 190 cm. These generals also wear a specific headdress in the shape of a bird's tail, and I even notice that the toes of their shoes show an upwards curve. 

A span of four horses is placed in front of a roughly reconstructed chariot with the driver and accompanying soldiers on their spots. Yet I cannot figure out how these soldiers stood on the platform behind the charioteer, two on one side of the yoke and one behind the driver on the other. The chariot does not match reality here.

It is hard to imagine these terracotta figures painted in bright colors. A lacquer finish was applied on their faces and outfits, and the actual weapons they carried must have given them an incredibly realistic look. Most weapons were stolen shortly after the army was set into place, and their lavishly painted features faded. A few good examples on display still show traces of paint and glaze. To make things clear, a copy of the one archer shown near the entrance is reproduced at the end of the room in a full blast of colors. Quite shocking in a way, but very interesting! It is believed that the terracotta warriors were based on actual people – well, they look real enough and even more so when we imagine them in lifelike colors carrying their arches and swords! They speak of a workforce of 700,000 men to create this army for the afterlife alone. How many more must have suffered and died in Qin's other building projects and wars, I wonder.

It should be stressed that the actual Tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi still lies under an earthen pyramid 76 meters tall, covering nearly 350 square meters. It remains unopened as the archaeologists and experts are not sure what they can expect, and they are afraid they may destroy an important part of the treasures inside. Based on their measurements and probes, they believe it contains a scale replica of the universe, complete with gemmed ceilings representing the cosmos and flowing mercury representing the rivers and lakes. Pearls seem to ornate the tomb's ceiling to represent the stars, planets, etc. Recent scientific work has, however, shown high levels of mercury in the soil of Mount Lishan, as it is called today. Future technology may shed more light on this tomb one day.

Facing the terracotta army of soldiers, generals, and charioteers in this exhibition space stands a replica of a bronze travel carriage with four horses, whose original was too fragile to be moved. It is a reduced-size model and an outstanding piece of art. The horses look very alert, and it is strange how only two of them, i.e., the two middle ones, are hooked to the yoke while the horses on the outside are simply attached to the bridles and reins. To avoid any possible collision, the yoked horses have a cone attached to their side to keep the outside one at a safe distance. I've never seen anything like this! As to the carriage itself, it has windows made of perforated bronze plates to let the breeze blow through it. The entrance door in the back stands ajar, and I can see right through these so-called windows! I marvel that such refinement existed already in antiquity!

Today's Chinese are understandably proud of Qin Shi Huangdi's achievements, considering him one of the greatest military leaders in history, but I can't help having my doubts. From the start of the exhibition, I couldn't help but compare him to Alexander the Great, who lived roughly one hundred years earlier. Why do I think Alexander was so great, while I can't find such merit in Emperor Qin's conquests? It was probably the more humane approach of Alexander; although it has been said he could be merciless, at least he did not exploit the people he conquered, often leaving their rulers and religions in place unless they had betrayed his confidence. This cannot be said of Qin, but it remains a fact that the caste system and hierarchy he initiated survived for more than two thousand years. By now, we all know the story told in the movie "The Last Emperor," where the outdated style of government had to make way for 20th-century practices. So yes, this was quite an achievement on the part of Qin.

I just wonder, however, what would have happened if he and Alexander the Great had met. Of course, this is an absurd and most speculative idea, for Qin was not even born at the time of Alexander's death, but just imagine the huge impact this would have had on today's world! Fascinating stuff!

So much for my impressions and my philosophy. For those living on the other side of the Atlantic, the good news is that some parallel exhibitions are running or will be soon:

The Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, Michigan, is organizing an exhibition, "1500 years of Ancient China," running from January 18uary8 to April 133, 2008.   

The Bowers Museum of the Arts, Santa Ana, Ca, is also planning "Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of the First Emperor" from May 188 till October 12ober2, 2008.

After premiering at the Bowers Museum, this exhibition is scheduled to travel to the Houston Museum of Natural Science May 188September 255, 2009) and the National Geographic Society Museum November 199, 2009March 311, 2010).

[Photo Source: The British Museum]

[Pictures from Wikipedia, except map, which is from History of Qi]