2018年CRI Terracotta Warriors exhibition opens to acclaim in Liverpool

 

An exhibition featuring Chinese Terracotta Warriors¹ opened in Liverpool this week, with an estimated 450,000 visitors expected to view the show over the next eight months.

The exhibition, titled "China's First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors" has been hailed by local Liverpudlians as "breathtaking" and "unmissable." It's part of the celebrations marking 10 years since Liverpool was named the European Capital of Culture.

Hosted by Liverpool World Museum, the exhibition showcases more than 180 artefacts, spanning almost 1,000 years of Chinese history. The stars of the show are ten life-size Terracotta Warriors including a terracotta cavalry² horse. The museum said a record number of 120,000 tickets have already been sold in its early bookings. Virginia Tandy was one of the visitors to attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

"I think it's a once in the lifetime opportunity for people to see these magnificent works and really think about the scale of the ambition that the Emperor had when he planned and commissioned these amazing terracotta warriors. They speak to us from such a long way back in history. It's wonderful that they are building a bridge between the UK and China by being here and help us understanding more about Chinese culture," said Tandy. 

With the support of partner organizations in Shannxi Province, where the Terracotta Warriors were unearthed³, the exhibition took more than three years of planning. Flendon Robinson was involved in putting up the exhibition.

"To see it finally happen I'm very very excited. While I live in London I will definitely bring my family here to see the exhibition and also I want to go back to China again. I was very lucky since I have been to China three years ago on a business trip but I'd like to go back and take my friends and family as well," said Robinson. 

The Terracotta Warriors had been buried for 2,000 years, assembled to guard the tomb of the Qin dynasty's first emperor, Qin Shihuang, who unified⁴ China for the first time in history.

Each stone soldier in the Terracotta Army is carved with distinctive⁵ features.

The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974, near the capital of China's Shaanxi Province, Xi'an.

It has been eleven years since the last time the Chinese Terracotta Warriors were brought to the UK for display. The British Museum's terracotta exhibition in 2007 attracted 850,000 visitors.

Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the UK said that the Liverpool exhibition is "well-timed and significant" not only in bridging China-UK cultural links but also that it opens a window on the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Terracotta Warriors were unearthed in Xi'an, the current name for Chang'an, which was the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road. The relics⁶ from the past remind us of the glory of the ancient Silk Road. Their display here in Liverpool, thousands of miles away from home, is a fresh testament⁷ to the vitality⁸ of the new Silk Road," said Liu. 

The exhibition runs until October and will be accompanied by a series of special programmes celebrating Chinese culture.

1 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

2 cavalry   

n.骑兵；轻装甲部队

参考例句：

• We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
• The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

3 unearthed   

出土的（考古）

参考例句：

• Many unearthed cultural relics are set forth in the exhibition hall. 展览馆里陈列着许多出土文物。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

4 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

5 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

6 relics   

[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸

参考例句：

• The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。
• Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。

7 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

8 vitality   

n.活力，生命力，效力

参考例句：

• He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。
• He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。