Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Museum, National Archives & Records Administration.
Terracotta Warrior
Artifact ID1984.01604.01
Object Type
Sculpture
Maker
Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum
(Xi'an City, China)
Gifter
Li Qingwei
Date
210–209 BC (original), 20th c. (replica)
Medium
Ceramic (terra cotta)
DimensionsOverall: 18 x 6 x 5 in. (45.7 x 15.2 x 12.7 cm)
Physical DescriptionA scale replica of one of the terracotta warriors unearthed in Xi’an in China, a standing man in Qin Dynasty armor.Historical NoteThis sculpture is a replica of one of the thousands of life-sized terra cotta figures unearthed in Xi’an, China, in 1975. President and Mrs. Reagan visited the site of the Terra Cotta army during their visit to China April 26-May 1, 1975. President Reagan recorded in his diary, "This was our tourist day. We flew in A.F.1 to Xian the ancient capital of China. Then an hour & a half drive to the tomb of the 1st Emperor. This is the great excavation scene where they have uncovered 800 life size Terra Cotta figures of soldiers standing in ranks complete with horses & chariots guarding the Emperor’s tomb. They know there are more than 7000 they haven’t uncovered yet. It is an unforgettable experience. This plus the drive past villages surrounded by endless wheat fields dotted here & there with burial mounds & relics of Chinas ancient past—made for a day we’ll long remember." When they returned to Washington, DC he displayed the gift in the White House West Wing Picture Room.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteThe item was a gift from a foreign official to President Ronald Reagan during the Reagan administration. It was received through the Executive Office of the President and was on display in the White House until its transfer to the National Archives in January, 1989 for deposit with the Reagan Presidential Library.
National Archives Catalog CollectionRecords of the White House Gift Unit (Reagan Administration) (National Archives Identifier 6816362) and
National Archives Catalog SeriesGifts from Foreign Officials (National Archives Identifier 6816364)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestricted
Use Restriction NoteReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
Country/Culture