Soldier On

Death fascinates us. We quibble, fight and debate over the possibility of an afterlife. Why? Because most of us refuse to believe that this is it. China’s first emperor, responsible for uniting the country and commencing the construction of the Great Wall, experimented with potions to prolong his life before finally accepting the inevitable—on his own terms, of course. Starting at the age of 13, Emperor Qin had a standing army of 7,000 terra cotta soldiers, horses, servants, musicians, acrobats and animals built to protect his tomb and to carry over his rule into the afterlife. Each life-sized figure was uniquely fashioned, with individual hair styles, weapons, facial features and expressions that appear all too real. The soldiers’ uniforms even vary in accordance with rank. This is the largest exhibit of the Terra Cotta Army to ever be seen outside China. Bowers presents this unique opportunity to view up close what’s often called the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World—in Santa Ana.
Tuesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Starts: May 18. Continues through Oct. 16, 2008