We went to see the Terracotta Army at the British Museum this evening.
It makes the old Reading Room of the British Library look good (but I still don't think they should have used this lovely public reading room for a fee paying exhibition), and it is great to get close to the figures. The details are amazing the soldiers with their top nots, and their wooden clogs. The figures and the chariots are the stars of the Exhibition - but can't help feeling there should be more than the dozen or so figures they have. The other objects are ok but the panels have that stripped down overly edited feel that makes them filletted of any interesting information. I felt after visiting the exhibition that I knew no more about the First Emperor, than I did before entering (although that may be because I watched an excellent documentary on the subject a few months ago). There is also a feeling of undue reverence as if the writers could say nothing that was in the least controversial in case it offended the Chinese.
Can't help wishing that we could look inside the mound above the emperor's throne. I also assume there must be a terracotta harem in there too as the text mentioned hundreds of palaces full of booty and beautiful women. And there seem to be no women at all represented as yet.
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