Qin (English edition)

The Terracotta Army of the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210 BC), was discovered in 1974. The army with about 8000 life-size warriors is part of a gigantic tomb complex, the center of which is an image of the world. The Terracotta Army is considered one of the most famous archaeological discoveries of all time. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987. Qin Shi Huangdi himself is a key figure in the history of China: he unified large parts of modern China, started the construction of the Great Wall of China and unified currencies, weights and measures. The Bernisches Historisches Museum is dedicating a sensational exhibition to the First Emperor of China - a major event similar to the exhibitions on Tutankhamun in 2004 or van Gogh in 2009 in Basel. The exhibition and catalog focus on the emergence of the Chinese Empire in 221 BC, the dazzling figure of the First Emperor and his monumental tomb with the spectacular terracotta army, and the legacy of this era for China.