Terra Cotta Warriors

We drove to the National Geographic Museum today to see the Terra Cotta Warriors traveling exhibit. Last fall Evan read The Magic Treehouse book about the Dragon King, and along with my seven year old, I learned all about the Terra Cotta Warriors. I am sure my 9th grade world history teacher must have mentioned it at one time, and I was so taken with Egyptian history and King Tut that China slipped right past me unnoticed.

I couldn't believe my luck when I learned the exhibit would be in DC for a few months this winter. Although only fifteen of the original 7000 warriors were actually brought here from China, there were several replicas and other artifacts. Forget the actual warriors, Evan was transfixed with a piece of artwork that depicted the attempted murder of the first emperor. 

Keagan, on the other hand, was more impressed with a photograph of a penguin in the mouth of a seal on display in the museum lobby.

All of this history. The stories that were told around every corner in the museum. The beautiful pieces of jade. The beauty in such detailed stone work. And both boys were taken with violent images. The death of a man and the death of a penguin.