With the Chinese New Year now upon us, the British Columbia Lions Society for children with disabilities and the Starlight Casino unveiled a terracotta warrior sculpture on Jan. 18 at the casino located at 350 Gifford St. in Queensborough as part of the Lions Society's 2012 terracotta warrior public art project.
Unlike previous campaigns, this campaign is a limited edition art project designed to honor the province's multicultural population.
The terracotta warrior sculpture, designed by Vernon artist Erin Foggoa, will be on display until September, at which time it be sold at auction. All proceeds from the project will benefit the B.C. Lions Society's Easter Seals services for children with disabilities.
Foggoa said her work, titled The Son of Heaven, honours "the history of the terracotta warrior with a depiction of the imperial dragon, one of the greatest and most revered symbols of Chinese culture. This symbol of power, strength and luck is said to be the controller of seas, rainfall and floods, so I thought it an ideal depiction for placement in the oceanside city ... I hope it will be enjoyed by people as it was for me."
Terracotta warriors have a unique history. More than 7,000 terracotta warriors were discovered in 1974 in Xian, China by a group of farmers digging for water. They were designed by the Qin Emperor in 220 BC to protect his wealth and tomb. As the fable goes, the emperor was able to control everything around him except for life after death. He then commissioned the warriors, along with horses, chariots, acrobats and birds to create a life after death for himself.
The terracotta warriors exhibit at the Starlight Casino is open to the public.
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