Xi'an Army of Terracotta Warriors,Qinshihuang Bingmayong

Listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the World Cultural Heritage sites, the Army of Terracotta Warriors is the symbol of Xi’an, and indeed the symbol of ancient Chinese Culture.

The Army of Terracotta Warriors is the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaan’xi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China. Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had work begun on his mausoleum, which took 11 years to complete. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor for his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211 --206 BC). The museum covers an area of 16,300 sq m., divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China’s National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front, followed by war chariots at the back. Altogether, over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former glory