15
April 2025

The First Emperor of China 221-211 BCE: Qin Shi Huangdi & his Terracotta Legacy

Welcome to The Arts Society Medway
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - 11:00
Franklin Rooms
Franklin Road Gillingham ME7 4DG
Online Event

The story of China’s first Emperor, who proved to be an exceptional bureaucrat, creator of infrastructure and Patron of the Arts.

China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi (221-209 BC), unified China in 221 BC.  His greatest legacy, however, was born out of his obsession with immortality and this materialised in the form of the World’s largest Necropolis.  Its fame came originally from the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors in 1976 but now the site is recognised for its vast infrastructure of buildings, including the still sealed Emperor’s Mausoleum.  The lecture explores the excavation and re-creation of the Terracotta Army plus the other significant ‘Finds’ at the site.  In addition, there will be a review of current theories as to the purpose and construction of the Necropolis, including the risks and challenges of opening the Emperor’s Mausoleum.

THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER

Mr David Rosier

A Chartered Insurer by profession and a Fellow of the Assurance Medical Society, with extensive international experience as an author and lecturer in Medical Risk Assessment. He has in excess of 25 years of working and living in Asia. Whilst living in Hong Kong (1991-2004) he assembled a collection of approximately 700, predominately Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Imperial and related textiles/costume accessories. Past Committee Member of the Hong Kong Textile Society and frequent speaker on Imperial Insignia and Badges of Rank.

David can organise and lead Imperial Art Tours to China for Societies. In late 2019 the Collection of Imperial Court Costume was acquired, in its entirety, by The Shanghai Musuem, Peoples' Republic of China to be displayed in the new annexe of the museum which opened in 2021.