STORY: China's "buried legions" | Stories shared by Xi Jinping
DATELINE: June 28, 2023
LENGTH: 00:04:46
LOCATION: XI'AN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1.  various of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
2.  Quotes from President Xi Jinping
3.  various of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
4.  various of reenactment of Xiyang Village residents digging wells for water
5.  SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YANG ZHIFA, Resident, Xiyang Village, Shaanxi Province
6.  various of the reenactment
7.  SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese) : WANG XUELI, Researcher of Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology
8.  various of the reassembled terracotta figurines
9.  SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese) : WANG XUELI, Researcher of Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology
10. various of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
11. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): XIA YIN, Director, Department of cultural relics protection, Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
12. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): MA YU, Cultural relics restorer, Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum   
13. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ZHOU PING, Deputy Director of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
14. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): TIAN JING, Deputy Director of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
15. various of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
16. SOUNDBITE 8 (Chinese): LI GANG, Director of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
17. various of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

STORYLINE:

The terracotta warriors, an extensive collection of life-size clay figures in Xi'an, stand as one of China's most famous and captivating attractions.

In March 2014, during a speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, many people know about the terracotta warriors, "the buried legions of Emperor Qin."

He said that President Chirac of France, after his visit to the site, said that a visit to Egypt will not be complete without seeing the pyramids, and that a visit to China will not be complete without seeing the terracotta warriors.

This is Pit No. 1 of the Mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang. A well at the southeastern corner of the pit is where the terracotta warriors were initially discovered.

In the spring of 1974, some regions of Shaanxi experienced a prolonged drought. Residents in Xiyang Village of Lintong County decided to dig wells for water.

Yang Zhifa and other villagers went to the south of the village in search of a suitable spot near a persimmon tree to locate the wells.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YANG ZHIFA, Resident, Xiyang Village, Shaanxi Province
"That place was a bit low, and I thought that water might have flowed through there in the past. The ground was higher on both ends and lower in the middle. I suggested that we dig there. And as we were digging with the hoes, the earth abruptly collapsed, forming a large cavity."

When digging to a depth of about three meters, the villagers came across traces of charcoal and burnt clay. They kept up with the work, and then a sculpture of a terracotta human head emerged.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese) : WANG XUELI, Researcher of Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology
"Upon seeing the fragments of the terracotta figurine unearthed, Zhao Kangmin, a cultural official of Lintong County at that time, noticed that it was different from the ones found in the past. He carefully collected these fragments and placed them on wooden rack trucks. He transported them to the county cultural center where he carefully affixed them together.

More than two months later, the reassembled terracotta figurines went on display at the Lintong County Cultural Center.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese) : WANG XUELI, Researcher of Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology
"In 1974, Lin Anwen, a correspondent with Xinhua News Agency returned to Shaanxi to visit his family. When he came to the Lintong County Cultural Center and saw the terracotta figurines restored by Zhao Kangmin, he immediately realized that the cultural relics bear significant cultural value."

Later Lin wrote a news report on the Qin Dynasty terracotta warriors unearthed from the mausoleum in Shaanxi.

As it turned out, Lin's report played a pivotal role in raising awareness and promoting the conservation for the terracotta warriors.

The Chinese government decided to conduct in-depth excavation work, and took a different approach compared to previous archaeological processes.

From the very beginning, a comprehensive plan was devised to carry out excavation, preservation, and exhibition simultaneously.

A number of breakthroughs have been made to protect the iconic cultural relics.

For instance, the terracotta warriors had been coated with a layer of raw lacquer.

However, during the excavation, the raw lacquer was prone to peeling due to dehydration.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): XIA YIN, Director, Department of cultural relics protection, Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
"We use polyethylene glycol, or PEG, to maintain moisture. Then we apply a polyurethane emulsion to reinforce it. Finally, we use a polyacrylic acid emulsion to stabilize the paint layer and ensure its secure adhesion to the surface of the terracotta."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): MA YU, Cultural relics restorer, Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum   
"As it was unearthed, figurine No. 28 consisted of 72 broken pieces and 12 small fragments. We first focused on assembling the fragments of the severely damaged lower body, and then pieced together the upper body. The waist area of the No. 28 warrior had a significant curve, which was a prominent stress point. Therefore, we customized a display stand specifically for it after repeated adjustments."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ZHOU PING, Deputy Director of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
"Each cultural relic is a comprehensive reflection of the social and cultural aspects of its time. Figurine No. 28 has vividly showcased the acrobatic skills in the Qin Dynasty."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): TIAN JING, Deputy Director of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
"To help people better understand the terracotta warriors, we have not only organized diverse exhibitions and interactive educational activities but also introduced a mobile app called 'Tracing the Mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang.'"

Now, the terracotta warriors have evolved into a symbol of Chinese culture, assuming an increasingly significant role in fostering cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world.

SOUNDBITE 8 (Chinese): LI GANG, Director of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
"The terracotta warriors embody the distinctive spiritual values, thought patterns, and aesthetics of the Chinese nation. These indigenous figurines have emerged as some of the most iconic symbols of Chinese civilization."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Xi'an, China.
(XHTV)