Chinese artist Xia Nan recreated the Terracotta Army for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and now they stand guard over Edinburgh, Scotland, to welcome Chinese New Year, 2014.
3rd Century BC Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang buried 8,000 terracotta soliders with him, to stand guard over his soul (they were discovered in his tomb in 1974). The originals, while also life-size, were nowhere near as colorful as these vibrant lanterns. When lit, they shine in beautiful reds, greens, blues and white. The frames are covered in Chinese lantern style and together they make an incredible army of light. Up to 2.5 meters tall (over 8 ft!), there are men, women, children and horses, as there were in the original discovery. The exhibition was installed at the University of Edinburgh and ran through the first week of February with over 90 figures. Said Professor Natascha Gentz, director of the Confucius Institute for the university: “We are delighted to be showcasing this incredible exhibition to coincide with Chinese New Year. People of all ages are sure to be wowed by the scale and beauty of the lanterns, while also learning about this important aspect of Chinese history.” Indeed – this colorful and artful collection will ensure that people don’t soon forget the story of Quin Shi Huang and his life-size terracotta army!
In Chinese lantern style, rice paper is wrapped over bamboo frames.

The colors are so vivid!

via: MyModernNet