Study Of Terracotta Warriors Of Bronze Chariots And Horses Unearthed From Wu Wei Lei Tai

In 1969,99 exquisitely cast terracotta warriors of bronze chariots and horses were unearthed from Lei Tai(the Han dynasty tomb)in the north of Wu Wei city.This group of bronze chariots and horses-the biggest number,line up Honor guards of bronze chariots and horses in the Han Dynasty-reflects the real structure of chariots and horses and metallurgical technology in the real life of the Han dynasty.The Han dynasty resisted the invading Huns cavalry;Emperor Wu(Han dynasty,157BC-87BC)sent troops to the west twice and introduced Ferghana horses.The bronze terracotta figures and bronze chariots and horses unearthed from the Han tomb of Wu Wei Lei Tai are evidence of the historical development of horse breeding and cavalry in the Han dynasty.The central government of the Han Dynasty launched a war to conquer the Huns in Hexi.And successively established four counties to rule the local area in Hexi.As a result,the Hexi area became an important area for the Huns and other nomads to conduct economic and cultural exchanges with farming peoples.Coupled with the excellent natural environment in the Hexi region,suitable for horse breeding,the central government of the Han Dynasty vigorously developed the horse breeding industry in the region,which accelerated the political,economic and cultural development of the Hexi region.By studying the buried bronze chariot and horse figurines unearthed in the Han and Jin dynasties,we can not only understand the customs of the chariot and horse funeral,but also fully explain the close relationship between the buried bronze chariot and horse warriors and the daily life of Hexi society in the Han Dynasty.This is also the social background of the unearthed bronze carts and horses from the Han tomb of Wu Wei Lei Tai.This paper firstly uses the methods of consulting historical documents and field investigations to make a comprehensive and detailed review of the origin of the chariot and horse warriors and the historical background of the chariot and horse ceremonial warriors unearthed from Leitai Tomb in Wuwei.Secondly,the specific situation and specific characteristics of the horse and carriage ceremonial figures unearthed from the Leitai Tomb in Wuwei are organized.On this basis,the artistic modeling and casting process of the bronze horses,bronze carts and bronze figurines unearthed from Leitai Tomb in Wuwei,Gansu,and the bronze horses,bronze carts and bronze figurines unearthed in different regions of the country during the same period and in Central Asia and West Asia are further compared.Finally,this paper deeply analyzes the funeral customs,the prevalence of horse breeding and cultural exchanges in Hexi area of Han Dynasty.