Terracotta Warriors Teacher Support Notes

Transcription

1 Terracotta Warriors Teacher Support Notes Before your visit These teachers' resources complement the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition at World Museum, Liverpool in The offer to schools for the Exhibition's duration includes an immersive theatrical experience, the Rise of the Warriors, based on the themes of the Exhibition, and an archaeological workshop, the Tiger of Qin, which schools will be able to explore and book via the Museum website ( The theatre piece and the resources are designed for KS1 and KS2 pupils and the archaeological workshop for KS2. Schools who book the drama will be sent a letter to prepare them for the experience. A copy of this is appended to these resources. We recommend preparing all pupils for their visit to the Museum with some important basic facts to enhance their understanding and help focus their visit. Follow up activities and ideas for work back in school are also included. Whatever focus schools choose, it is important that pupils see their visit as a quest of discovery. This will create a sense of anticipation and enhance the pupils' experience. Resources include background information about China, its culture and its people and the historical context of the First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, as well as information to introduce specific teaching and learning opportunities in school. This resource will make links between the teaching activities and the curriculum so teachers can account for their planning. Although it will sometimes suggest slightly different tasks or teaching strategies for different ages and abilities, we anticipate that teachers will adjust our suggestions and ideas to suit their own particular classes.

2 1 Where is China? Where in China is the Terracotta Army? China in the world Image from Wikipedia The above maps show China in relation to the rest of the world and also the seven warring states around the time of the First Emporer of Qin. Shaanxi province, where the Terracotta warriors are located, has a hot, rainy climate for much of the year and its rivers, hills and mountains are lush with forests and vegetation. Often the mountains rise to great heights from vast plains. This makes the region an ideal habitat for a wide variety of birdlife and animals such as wild boar, pheasants and deer. This is rich fauna is reflected in the great number of bronze geese, swans and cranes, carved in differing gestures, as well as horses to pull the cavalry's and emperor's chariots, that have been excavated from the burial site at Xi'an.

3 2 Who was the First Emperor? The regional lords were so strong between 722 and 481 BC that no one Chinese state was all powerful. Around 475 BC Qin in the west of China is strong but there are still six powerful kingdoms in the east which strive to build and extend their power. For 250 years there is violence and war between these states and thousands die in huge battles. The First Emperor, Qin National Museums Liverpool Eventually the Qin state becomes the most powerful chiefly through advanced military tactics, innovative technology and efficient administration. Finally Qin becomes the unifying ruler of all and the First Emperor. He rules as such from BC. It would be a useful exercise for students to research via dictionaries the differences between a king and an emperor to help them appreciate the significance of the titles and hierarchies involved.

4 3 The Terracotta Warriors The Terracotta Warriors were a ceramic army of over 8,000 full sized, sculpted soldiers designed to come alive and protect the First Emperor in the afterlife against any challenge from rival Lords. They are stood at attention rather than in battle formation which might explain their lack of helmets. Located in pits in an enormous imperial burial site in Xi'an in Shaanxi province, China, the majority of the figures were built up from a solid base at the feet to ensure support for the body weight. The trunk was fashioned around the legs and then coils of clay were shaped into the waist, chest and shoulders. Arms, hands and heads were manufactured separately and added later; while hands, fingers and faces were produced in molds. Artisans modeled individual features such as beards, hair details and eyebrows to avoid any impression that the figures had been mass-produced. Armour and headdresses denoted rank and each warrior was armed, although the ordinary foot soldiers wore no armour at all and were placed in the front lines of the army. After the First Emperor's death the pits were looted and weapons stolen for use in uprisings. When the Terracotta Warriors were first excavated they were seen to be brightly painted but these colours soon disappeared altogether when exposed to air and sunlight. 4 What is an archaeologist? An archaeologist is a person who works on understanding how past people lived by carefully digging up artefacts and using them to help us understand past events or cultures. The place where an archaeologist excavates ancient artefacts or remains is called an archaeological site or dig. The archaeological workshop, the Tiger of Qin, in World Museum, Liverpool, looks at the sorts of evidence archaeologists encounter and how they can learn from them. This workshop is aimed at KS2 pupils. Today archaeologists also use many scientific techniques to help their investigations.

5 5 Chinese Philosophy Having conquered and subdued his opponents, Qin had to keep control over his new empire. Chinese society had a number of well developed social philosophies which Qin could choose to adopt: Legalism - Legalism was based on the principle that everyone is selfish and inclined to do wrong rather than right. It teaches that order can only be preserved by punishment, rewards and strict laws. Confucianism - The philosopher Confucius lived around 551BC so his teachings were already known during the First Emperor's rule. Confucianism emphasized that, if people and governments lived and ruled justly and sincerely by moral and ethical principles, they would be happy and bring harmony to the world. Following the victory of Han over Chu after the collapse of Qin, Confucius' thoughts were further developed. Daoism - The founder of Daoism was Laozi. He believed that people should follow the Dao or way of nature. His belief was that energy flowed through everything that exists and, if people lived a simple balanced life in harmony with nature, they could achieve immortality. Yin and yang are important elements of this philosophy. The above symbol represents yin and yang. The dark side is the yin and the light side is the yang. These two sides of the circle are not simply opposites but relate to each other. This short video explains the concept. Teachers may find it useful for themselves and more able pupils. Legalism was Qin's philosophy of choice.

6 6 Calligraphy Calligraphy means beautiful writing and was, and still is, seen as an art form in China. Qin used writing to administer his extensive empire effectively so that laws, orders, accounts, weights and measures could be administered and controlled consistently and efficiently across his rule. Apart from the practical uses of writing, Qin also erected a set of seven monuments (stelae) on mountain peaks around his empire. These were inscribed with calligraphic inscriptions celebrating his achievements and the extent of his empire. The fact that the origins of Chinese calligraphy (Shang Dynasty) predated Qin's reign by over a thousand years added gravity to the force of his pronouncements. The traditional materials for calligraphy are still in use. They are: a bamboo brush with animal hair or a pen, a paperweight to hold down the paper or silk, black ink. Ink is traditionally made from soot and water. First the soot is solidified into an inkstick which is ground down by an inkstone and mixed with water. The inkstone can be ceramic and it contains the ink. Paint can also be used. As it is an art form, the discipline of writing takes years of practice and the process has strict rules which should be followed carefully but calligraphy can still be practiced and enjoyed at a more amateur level.

7 7 Weapons In his lifetime Qin unified seven different warring regions into one Empire. Perhaps the most effective element of his rule, however, was the supremacy of his army and the weaponry at its disposal. The use of a rotary lathe to keep bronze and iron weapons sharp was critical in maintaining the Qin army's equipment ahead of his rivals. Bronze swords, lances and javelins found in the burial pits remain sharp today. His archers not only had bows but also crossbows which were effective, accurate and lethal over large distances. The crossbow, for example, could hit targets over 800 metres away. This particular weapon was rendered more effective by the insertion into its stock of a precision bronze trigger. In order to ensure quality control the artisans involved in weapon making (as well as other manufacture such as the terracotta warriors) had to leave their mark on the product.

8 To complement advanced metallurgical technologies, Qin ensured that the organisation of his forces left little to chance. - Doctors and vets accompanied his army to tend quickly to the wounded. - From the covered protection of their chariots generals, protected by heavily armed guards, signalled orders to their troops with a sophisticated system of flags, drums and bells. - Everyone in the army knew their role and rank. The individual heads of the terracotta warriors indicate that headgear, hairstyle and beard, as well as the quality of armour, enabled immediate recognition of status. - From the age of 16 Qin s men were trained in fighting and their skills were continually refreshed. - Tactically the army was well drilled and effective. - Ranks of crossbow archers enabled one line to reload while the otherwas firing. - Cavalry were skilled in fast operations such as scouting,harrying, raiding and sudden strikes.

9 8 The Burial Site The Emperor's tomb and the three terracotta warriors pits discovered so far are part of a burial site, covering an area of 56 square kilometres. This is well over half the size of the city of Liverpool and as much as the whole area of New York's Manhattan Island, which makes it the largest burial site in the world. This tomb has not been excavated for two main reasons: a b the Chinese people's respect for their ancestors; the need to ensure that the technology is advanced enough not to damage the tomb when it is opened. Scientists are exploring non-intrusive, perhaps even robotic, technology or ground penetrating radar to collect data and conduct an extensive survey of the site. Its construction took 700,000 artisans 12 years to build. The actual mausoleum of the Emperor is a man made mound 76 metres in height, constructed in the shape of a truncated pyramid. Five metres into the pyramid is said to be a necropolis which recreates the palace and world of the emperor. Geophysical tests on the tomb mound indicate that there is a high level of mercury in the tomb which tallies with the above description. In this landscape, where the First Emperor's spirit will be free to roam, were also interred the Emperor's officials, musicians, acrobats, and servants to serve him in the afterlife. Pottery figures have also been excavated of servants for Qin in the afterlife as well as jade shoes and bronze chariots for the emperor's transport. Even today modern Chinese give miniature models of servants, cars, houses and money as offerings to their relatives so that they can enjoy them life in the next world.

10 'They dug through three layers of groundwater, and poured in bronze for the outer coffin. Palaces and scenic towers for a hundred officials were constructed, and the tomb was filled with rare artefacts and wonderful treasure. Craftsmen were ordered to make crossbows and arrows primed to shoot at anyone who enters the tomb. Mercury was used to simulate the hundred rivers, the Yangtze and Yellow River, and the great sea, and set to flow mechanically. Above were representations of the heavenly constellations, below, the features of the land. Candles were made from fat of "man-fish", which is calculated to burn and not extinguish for a long time...after the burial, it was suggested that it would be a serious breach if the craftsmen who constructed the mechanical devices and knew of its treasures were to divulge those secrets. Therefore after the funeral ceremonies had completed and the treasures hidden away, the inner passageway was blocked, and the outer gate lowered, immediately trapping all the workers and craftsmen inside. None could escape. Trees and vegetation were then planted on the tomb mound such that it resembles a hill.' Sima Qian, Shiji, Chapter 6.

11 9 Qin's Legacy Qin's most important legacy was the unification of several warring states into one unified whole to which he gave his name, China. This was achieved by a range of measures which enabled him to govern and control more easily: - the introduction of a single, circular bronze coin to replace an assortment of bronze money of different shapes and sizes with every coin weighing the same standard weights and measures to be used throughout his empire - standardised written Chinese characters to produce a universal script (People in China today still use characters based on his innovations.) - a great wall to protect China from northern invaders (The Great Wall of China we know today is built on the foundations of Qin's wall.) - road networks for ease of movement, communication and subjugation 10 China and Liverpool Liverpool itself has one of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe. Chinese sailors came over in the mid 1800s and settled here. The majority of the trade was in silk, cotton and tea at the time. Relations have occasionally been difficult, however. In 1942 there was a strike by Chinese sailors in Liverpool, as they were seeking the same rates of pay and conditions as British sailors. They were branded as troublemakers by the British Government and shipowners. At the end of the four month long dispute their pay was reduced by two thirds and they were prevented from taking jobs on shore. Some had to leave their families and return to China.

12 Liverpools Chinese arch Alan Walker The Chinese arch in Great Georges is the largest multi span arch outside China. Standing at 13.5 metres, the arch is the tallest in Europe and the second tallest in any Chinatown outside mainland China. The arch boasts 200 hand carved dragons, 12 of which are pregnant; the meaning of this is to symbolise good fortune between Liverpool and its twin Chinese city, Shanghai, where much of the arch was constructed. The word "Chinatown" is written on the centre of the arch from right to left using traditional Chinese characters. In 2010, as part of a 25,000 lighting scheme, multi-coloured, low energy lights were added to the arch to illuminate one of Liverpool's most iconic sites. The arch was constructed in only 90 days. The celebration of Chinese New Year attracts many locals and tourists to Chinatown. Many of Liverpool's students in its three universities come from China. Altogether there are 6,000 Chinese students in Liverpool which is the largest Chinese student population in the UK.

13 Acknowledgements The World of the Warriors travels with Qin Qin programme was created to support the China's First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors exhibition because National Museums Liverpool wished to create an inspiring and very special educational experience for younger visitors coming with their school. We hope you enjoy the programme! National Museums Liverpool's Education team created the Tiger of Qin Archaeology Workshop, other resources and commissioned Hope Street Ltd to develop the Rise of the Warriors story experience, supported by NML's New Media staff, and these teacher resources. Image courtesy of Qin Baby, Qin Baby # terracottawarriors National Museums Liverpool

14 Hope Street has been delighted to create Rise of the Warriors and the online teacher resources contained in World of the Warriors programme for KS1 & KS2. Delving into ancient China and learning about the First Emperor and his Terracotta Army has been a privilege and joy. I hope you and your pupils also enjoyed the experience and that we aided their, and your learning and have left you wanting to find out more about this fantastic archaeological discovery. Peter Ward, Director, Hope Street Ltd. Montserrat Gil Alice Lapworth Ilana Winterstein Luke Thomas Laura Spark Lois Maskell Vari Kenny Ruta Staseviciute Christina Beaumont Fiona Hilton Sian Gardiner Chis Ball Laura Spark Sarah Denvir Peter Ward Director Assistant Director Writer Composer A/V Designer Production Designer Design Assistant Design Assistant Lighting Designer Production Manager Stage Manager Writer, Teachers' Resources Designer, Teachers' Resources Finance & Operations Producer Thanks to: Zi Lan, and the young actors at Pagoda Arts, who feature in the filmed sequences. Charlie Wardle and Zhang Tian Qi at Pagoda Youth Orchestra the Everyman Base techs and YEP techs Yaoqian Shang Martin Hilton Luke Hodgkinson international creation centre liverpool