China's Terra Cotta Warriors: East Goes West

WHAT:"Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China's First Emperor" at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana, Calif.

WHEN: Through Oct. 12.

HOW MUCH:$25 weekdays, $27 weekends. On Friday nights, the museum is free for the first 100 visitors per hour between 4 and 7 p.m.

WHY GO: In 1974, farmers digging a well near Xi'an, China, discovered something more valuable than water: an estimated 7,000 terra cotta warriors that were crafted in the 3rd century B.C. and placed inside the massive mausoleum of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

"Often called the eighth wonder of the ancient world, the terra cotta warriors represent an amazing display of human ingenuity," says Albert E. Dien, guest curator of the exhibit and a professor emeritus in Chinese history at Stanford University. "There was nothing created like them before or after in China."

Some scholars theorize that Qin, who was obsessed with immortality, commanded more than 1,000 artisans to spend years creating the warriors as the ultimate symbol of his power, even post mortem. Others surmise that the brutal emperor believed that the soldiers would protect him in the afterlife from the spirits of those he killed, Dien says.

The Bowers exhibit is the largest Chinese loan of the terra cotta sculptures and accompanying artifacts ever displayed in the United States. (After its first stop in Southern California, the exhibit travels to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the National Geographic Society museum in Washington in 2009.) Each of the 14 life-size sculptures, some taller than six feet, seemingly depicts an individual character -- a general in armor or a chariot driver, for example. With their unique hairstyles and facial expressions, the warriors are so realistic some experts wonder whether they were modeled after Qin's contemporaries.

The exhibit also features artifacts buried with the warriors, including a bronze crane and an enormous clay horse weighing more than 750 pounds. Objects from 3rd century B.C. China, including weapons, musical instruments, cooking utensils and jewelry, also are on view.

DON'T MISS. . . " Kneeling Archer," which represents a "miracle of Chinese artistry," Dien says. "That these ancient craftsmen could create a twisted, kneeling pose in clay was just incredible. They weren't able to do that in other cultures until centuries later." . . . The elaborate suits of armor, which are constructed of scale-like limestone plates and strung together with bronze cords.

EXTRAS: Every Friday at 6:30 p.m. during the exhibit's run, the Bowers presents a documentary film (included with admission) on the culture and life of China. Films include "First Emperor of China," with footage of the terra cotta warriors in situ in Qin's tomb, and "Ancient China," which shows scenes from Beijing's Forbidden City and a re-creation of a 7,000-year-old Chinese village.

At the Bowers Kidseum (1802 N. Main St., 714-480-1520, http://www.bowers.org/visit/kidseum.jsp; $5, but free with ticket to "Terra Cotta Warriors"), two blocks from the main institution, "Monkey King: A Journey to China" (through Aug. 31) introduces children to Chinese culture though a 16th-century story about a pilgrim's travels along the Silk Road. Visitors experience the Monkey King's adventures through illustrations, folk art and interactive stations with costumes and puppets.

EATS: At Tangata (714-550-0906), the museum's restaurant, dine on California-French cuisine inside or on either of two patios facing a scenic courtyard. Dishes include steamed vegetable pot stickers ($10) and free-range chicken with artichoke gnocchi ($19).

For lighter fare in a coffeehouse setting, stop by the Gypsy Den Grand Central Cafe (125 N. Broadway Ave., 714-835-8840) in downtown Santa Ana, where you can grab lunch for about $10. Order a sandwich served on fresh-baked "bread of the day" and a Gypsy Juice (lemonade mixed with strawberry juice).

SLEEPS: Because of neighboring Disneyland in Anaheim, accommodations close to the museum veer toward chains and Disney-owned resorts. The Anaheim Hilton (777 Convention Way, 714-750-4321, http://www.hilton.com), less than five miles from the museum, is offering special rates for exhibit visitors. Book online via the Bowers Web site, http://bowers.org/exhibits/TerraCotta_Warriors/shop.jsp. Rates from $89. The 129-room, ornately decorated Ayres Inn Orange (3737 W. Chapman, Orange, 800-706-4885, http://www.ayreshotels.com/orange) also offers reasonable rates of $119 per night and is three miles from Bowers.

For an artistic splurge worth the half-hour drive, book a room at the oceanfront Montage Laguna Beach (30801 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 888-715-6700, http://www.montagelagunabeach.com). The 250-room resort features decor reminiscent of the California Arts and Crafts movement, a beachfront spa and works by regional artists. Rates from $795.

INFO: Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, 2002 N. Main St., 714-567-3600, http://www.bowers.org. Pre-order tickets at 877-250-8999, http://www.museumtix.com.

--Kristin Harrison