Page 379 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

The figure exemplifies the key stylistic qualities The arm of the most common Qin crossbow
of Qin sculptures. Despite its slightly contrapposto measured between 135 and 145 centimeters; the
stance, with feet apart — a function of the archer's "cross," made of wood or bamboo, was approxi-
role — the figure is essentially two-dimensional. mately 76 centimeters long. The Qin army also used
The effect of literally transcribed elements, such as larger vertical bows that would have required the
his coiffure and his belt, is balanced by a certain use of one foot to secure the bow when drawing
stiffness and slightly distorted proportions. Each back the string to launch an arrow. 2 LK
figure, in its posture, gestures and attributes, em-
bodies the intrinsic parameters of a particular rank 1 Excavated in 1976; reported: Shaanxi i988b, 1:68-71;
2: fig. 63.
or specialization within the army. 2 Regarding the crossbows, see Wang 19943, 312 - 324;
Archery was considered one of six noble arts Ledderose and Schlombs 1990, 313-318.
in ancient China — a ritual as well as a military art.
Finds of bronze and copper arrowheads (approxi-
mately 45,000 were unearthed from the three pits)
and elaborately decorated triggering mechanisms
(which served to launch the arrow) testify to
the central role of the crossbow in the arsenal of
Bronze Age weaponry. The distribution of warriors
armed with such long-range weapons in Pits i and 2
gives some indication of the awesome shooting
force of an advancing Qin army.

37 8E A R L YI M P E R I A L CHIN A