The incredible history of China's terracotta warriors - Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen

中國兵馬俑的奇異史 - 梅根．坎貝西與陳翩翩

譯者: Geoff Chen 審譯者: Marssi Draw

What happens after death?

死亡之後會發生什麼事？

Is there a restful paradise?

那裡有個安息的天堂？

An eternal torment?

還是永恆的煎熬？

A rebirth?

重生？

Or maybe just nothingness?

或者可能什麼都沒有？

Well, one Chinese emperor thought that whatever the hereafter was,

不過，有個中國皇帝覺得 無論死亡之後的世界是如何

he better bring an army.

他最好還是帶著他的軍隊

We know that because in 1974,

我們會這麼說，是因為在 1974 年

farmers digging a well near their small village

幾位農夫在村子附近掘井的時候

stumbled upon one of the most important finds in archeological history:

偶然找到了考古歷史上重大的發現

vast underground chambers surrounding that emperor's tomb,

巨大的地下墓穴與皇帝的陵寢

and containing more than 8,000 life-size clay soldiers ready for battle.

其中有著超過 8000 名 真人尺寸且全副武裝的陶俑

The story of the subterranean army begins with Ying Zheng,

這些地下士兵的故事是從嬴政開始的

who came to power as the king of the Qin state at the age of 13

公元 246 年前

in 246 BCE.

年僅 13 歲的他成為了秦國的王

Ambitious and ruthless,

野心勃勃與殘酷無情的他

he would go on to become Qin Shi Huangdi,

成為了秦始皇帝

the first emperor of China after uniting its seven warring kingdoms.

在他統一交戰的七國之後 成為中國史上第一個皇帝

His 36 year reign saw many historic accomplishments,

他在位的 36 年間 完成了許多歷史上著名的成就

including a universal system of weights and measures,

包括了統一度量衡

a single standardized writing script for all of China,

在中國全境推行統一文字

and a defensive barrier that would later come to be known as the Great Wall.

以及建造了現在眾所皆知的萬里長城

But perhaps Qin Shi Huangdi dedicated so much effort

不過秦始皇會如此努力

to securing his historical legacy

維護他所留下的歷史遺產

because he was obsessed with his mortality.

是由於他被死亡這件事所困擾

He spent his last years desperately employing alchemists

他在位的最後一年期間 不斷派遣術士

and deploying expeditions in search of elixirs of life

還有探險隊伍去尋找

that would help him achieve immortality.

讓他長生不老的藥

And as early as the first year of his reign,

另外，在他即位的第一年

he began the construction of a massive underground necropolis

他就開始建造巨大的地下陵墓

filled with monuments, artifacts,

其中存放著許多陪葬品與文物

and an army to accompany him into the next world

同時還有一支可以跟隨他 到另外一個世界的軍隊

and continue his rule.

讓他能繼續統治另一個世界

This magnificent army is still standing in precise battle formation

這支雄偉的軍隊 至今仍然以精確的戰鬥編隊站立著

and is split across several pits.

同時還被分配到不同的坑裡

One contains a main force of 6,000 soldiers,

第一個坑中有 6000 名主力士兵

each weighing several hundred pounds,

每個重量都上百公斤

a second has more than 130 war chariots and over 600 horses,

第二個坑當中有超過 130 輛戰車與 600 匹馬

and a third houses the high command.

在第三個坑裡，有軍隊的統帥

An empty fourth pit suggests that the grand project

第四個坑是空的 這可能是因為在計畫未完成之前

could not be finished before the emperor's death.

秦始皇就已經過世

In addition, nearby chambers contain figures of musicians and acrobats,

除此之外，在附近的墓穴中 有音樂家、雜技演員

workers and government officials,

工人與政府官員的人像

and various exotic animals,

還有許多異國的動物

indicating that Emperor Qin had more plans for the afterlife

代表秦始皇對於死後的計劃

than simply waging war.

並不僅止於發動戰爭

All the figurines are sculpted from terracotta, or baked earth,

所有的人像都是用陶土

a type of reddish brown clay.

或是一種經過窯烤的紅褐色黏土製造

To construct them, multiple workshops and reportedly over 720,000 laborers

為了製造這些陶俑 秦始皇動用許多工作坊

were commandeered by the emperor,

以及據稱超過 72 萬名工人

including groups of artisans who molded each body part separately

其中包含許多位 能夠分別鑄造身體部件的藝術家

to construct statues as individual as the real warriors in the emperor's army.

一起製造出如同 秦始皇軍隊般真實的戰士

They stand according to rank

它們依照階級來站立

and feature different weapons and uniforms,

而且每個陶俑身上都有不同的武器、制服

distinct hairstyles and expressions,

與獨特的髮型跟臉部表情

and even unique ears.

甚至還有獨特樣貌的耳朵

Originally, each warrior was painted in bright colors,

每個士兵原本都是漆成彩色的

but their exposure to air caused the paint to dry and flake,

但在接觸空氣後使漆變得乾裂

leaving only the terracotta base.

而僅留下原本陶土的基底

It is for this very reason that another chamber less than a mile away

也因為這個原因 一英里之外的另一個墓穴

has not been excavated.

尚未被挖掘

This is the actual tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi,

這是秦始皇帝真正的陵寢

reported to contain palaces, precious stones and artifacts,

據傳有皇宮、珍寶，和名器

and even rivers of mercury flowing through mountains of bronze.

甚至有水銀流經銅山之間

But until a way can be found to expose it without damaging the treasures inside,

但是在尋得不破壞這些珍寶的方法之前

the tomb remains sealed.

這陵寢仍然封閉著

Emperor Qin was not alone in wanting company for his final destination.

秦始皇不是唯一一位 希望自己在臨終時有伴的人

Ancient Egyptian tombs contain clay models representing the ideal afterlife,

古代的埃及墓穴也有 泥土模型來描繪理想的來世

the dead of Japan's Kofun period were buried

在日本的古墳時代

with sculptures of horses and houses,

人死後會和馬與房舍的雕塑 一起埋葬

and the graves of the Jaina island off the Mexican coast

墨西哥海岸附近的耆那島洞穴中

are full of ceramic figurines.

也有許許多多的陶俑

Fortunately, as ruthless as he was,

幸運的是，儘管秦始皇非常冷血

Emperor Qin chose to have servants and soldiers built for this purpose,

他卻選擇建造 僕人和士兵的陶俑一塊兒陪葬

rather than sacrificing living ones to accompany him,

而不是犧牲活人

as had been practiced in Egypt, West Africa, Anatolia,

那些以真人殉葬的習俗 在埃及、西非、安納托利亞

parts of North America

北美的某些地區

and even China during the previous Shang and Zhou dynasties.

甚至中國的商朝和周朝時期 都廣為存在

And today, people travel from all over the world to see these stoic soldiers

今天，人們從世界各地來到中國 看這些泰然自若的軍人陶俑

silently awaiting their battle orders for centuries to come.

他們已在這兒守望了幾個世紀 等待下一次戰爭號角的響起