WORTH THE DRIVE: 5 reasons you need to see the famous Terracotta Warriors in Cincinnati

Many objects have never been seen in the U.S.

"Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China" opened at the Cincinnati Art Museum April 20 after a run at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond and will be on display until Aug. 12.

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Displayed in three large galleries, the exhibition focuses on the story of the First Emperor's rise to powerthe history of his Qin state, and his quest for immortality.

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Major objects come from the First Emperor’s well-known mausoleum complex in Xi’an and from other Qin tombs as well. Here are 5 reasons to go:

1. It’s the only place you’ll be able to see them in the U.S.

The Cincinnati Art Museum and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond collaborated on the exhibition and will be the only venues at which it can be seen before the precious objects are returned to China. The exhibit just finished its run in Virginia and will be in Cincinnati through Aug. 12.

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2. Dayton helped make this happen 

A close friendship between two art museum curators who first met when they worked in Dayton and Cincinnati has resulted in an exhibition of ancient Chinese artifacts, many of which have never before been seen in the United States.

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The two curators, both originally from China, met in 2003 when Li Jian, now the Curator of East Asian Art at the Virginia Museum, was working as the Kettering Curator of Asian Art at the Dayton Art Institute and Hou-mei Sung came to Cincinnati as curator of Asian Art.

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Daytonians will remember Li Jian’s impressive show at the DAI in 1998; she curated “Eternal China: Splendors from the First Dynasties” with 12 life-size terracotta warriors on display.

3. Many objects have never been seen in the U.S. 

Don’t assume because you’ve seen terracotta warriors in other cities — or even visited the mind-boggling site in Xi’an — you won’t learn a lot in Cincinnati.

This exhibit features about 120 objects drawn from 14 Chinese museums and archaeological institutes and provides an excellent education about a ruler who was ahead of his time in a variety of significant ways.

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It takes a big ego to order a 38-square mile tomb for your afterlife — complete with a palace, an armory, an entertainment area, stables, a garden pond and an estimated 8,000 life-size terracotta warriors.

But after touring this exhibit, you’ll see why Ying Zheng — who became king of Qin at age 13 and lived from 259-210 B.C. — had reason to boast and consider himself special.

4. Each figure is unique 

“No two warriors are alike,” explains Sung, who with her colleague selected the warriors that would come to America. “The body parts were molded and mass produced but each was then given individual features such as hair, mustaches and facial expressions. We wanted to show a variety of different ranks so you’ll see not just a general but a cavalryman, an armored charioteer, a kneeling and standing archer.”

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The exhibit is fortunate, she adds, to obtain warriors that still have traces of color on them. Originally all of the figures were painted in vibrant colors including purple, red, green, blue, brown, orange, yellow, white and black.

“The details on these objects are just amazing,”says Sung. “When we were installing the bronze goose, I had a flashlight and could see the webbing on the feet. And look at this horse’s braided tail!”

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Sung explains that the custom in China was for emperors to start building their tombs when they were first enthroned. “He wasn’t the first to build a tomb but it was the scale of his tomb that was so unusual,” she says. “He was obsessed with immortality.”

5. It’s family friendly! 

The terrific Family Guide takes children on an archaeological adventure. Kids can color a terra-cotta warrior, design a coin and use clues to search for specific items in the exhibit .

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Concludes Sung: “I hope visitors will realize that many of the unification efforts of the First Emperor have continued to shape and influence succeeding Chinese dynasties for 2,000 years.”

>>LEARN MORE: Get a rare glimpse at famous Terracotta Warriors in Cincinnati

WANT TO GO? 

What: "Terracotta Army: Legacy of the Firest Emperor of China" 

When: Through Aug 12

Where: The Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati

Admission: Timed tickets are free for museum members and are available for purchase by the general public at the online at cincinnatiartmuseum.org. General adult admission tickets are $16 at the front desk, $8 for college students, seniors (65+) and children (6-17 years). Free access to the exhibition will be available on Thursdays 5-8 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. during Art After Dark events on Friday, May 25, June 29 and July 27. Timed tickets are required during these times. Dayton Art Institute members are permitted one free ticket to the exhibition but must present their DAI membership card at the Visitor Services Desk.

Tours: Tours are self-guided. Be sure to pick up the excellent gallery guide and family guide which are free. Group tours are booked through May but are available starting in June and must be booked at least a month in advance.

Related programs: Family First Saturday: "Explore China" from noon to 4 p.m. May 5; The Fourth Annual Cincinnati Asian Art Society Lecture at 2 p.m. May 6; Evening for educators from 4-7 p.m. May 17 and Artist workshop focused on clay from 1-3 p.m. May 19.

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