The First Emperor Exhibition

There is an exciting exhibition at the British Museum, which for those of you who are planning a trip to China or who are just fascinated by the marvel of it all, is a must see.

Superbreak is offering a fantastic short break to The First Emperor Exhibition at the British Museum.  You could also combine this with the Tutankhamen exhibition at the O2 Arena if you like.  Both breaks include a stay in a top London Hotel of your choice.

The trip starts with an evening tour round the British Museum to see one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, the Terracotta warriors.  Auto tours are recommended for this exhibition and can be paid for locally at the British Museum and at the O2 complex in Greenwich which you can visit the following morning.  For more than 3,000 years the treasures of King Tutankhamen lay undiscovered beneath the Egyptian sand. The spectacular exhibition contains 130 priceless treasure from the tombs of Tutankhamen and his royal ancestors.

A little bit of history about the Terracotta Warriors: these were originally discovered in 1974 and it is believed that over 8000 soldiers, horses, chariots and weapons have been found in the multiple study pits.
The Terracotta army was built for the First Emperor of China - Qin Shi Huang and arranged in a battle formation outside his tomb to defend him in the afterlife.

The statues are freestanding; to do this the legs were made solid and the rest of the body hollow. Heads, arms and legs are made of coiled earth, joined together with strips of clay and then set upon the solid legs. Once the complete model was finished a thin clay-slip was added and then smaller details such as facial details and dress details were carved in. Ears, beards and armour were modelled separately and attached before the whole model was fired. Each warrior looks different, but made to replicate what the Imperial Guard would have looked like in Huang's time.

The tomb's central chamber was decorated to represent Heaven and Earth. The ceiling was inlaid with pearls to represent the starry Heaven and the floor was made of stone and formed a map of the Chinese Kingdom - rivers were also represented with flowing mercury.

Price for this excellent London experience includes:
2 adults staying at the Washington Mayfair Hotel (Mayfair) for one night on a bed and breakfast rate and 2 event tickets to both exhibitions are from £107.50 per person - one night supplement £10.00 per person.  If you would like to stay longer, this can also be arranged.

Call one of our knowledgable consultants on  01603 402323 and experience a little taste of China's history today!

Holiday operated by Superbreak Mini Holidays
Photographs provided by Wendy Wu Tours