The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries ever made, an astonishing buried force of thousands of life-sized terracotta soldiers, horses and chariots created over two thousand years ago to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, in the afterlife. Discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, each warrior has a unique face, and the vast ranks, still being excavated near Xi'an, are a UNESCO wonder.

History

Work on the mausoleum began in 246 BC, soon after the 13-year-old future first emperor became king of Qin, and the historian Sima Qian wrote that it eventually involved 700,000 conscripted workers and held palaces, towers and rivers of mercury beneath a ceiling of heavenly bodies, though he never mentions the terracotta army; high levels of mercury in the soil of the tomb mound have since lent his account credence. The army was buried with the emperor in 210-209 BC, and on 29 March 1974 the farmers Yang Zhifa, his five brothers and their neighbour Wang Puzhi, digging a well about 1.5 kilometres east of the tomb mound, found the first figures; archaeologists including Zhao Kangmin then revealed the largest group of pottery figures ever found, and estimates from 2007 put the three pits at more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses (Wikipedia, Terracotta Army).

Highlights

• Pit One - the great hall of ranked warriors, the largest excavation.
• The unique faces - the individually modelled soldiers and their expressions.
• The horses and chariots - the cavalry and bronze chariots.
• The ongoing excavation - the pits still being uncovered.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather; go early to beat the tour crowds, especially in the vast main pit. It is a half-day trip from Xi'an, whose own ancient city walls and Muslim Quarter are worth combining.

Things to know

It is extremely popular, so the main pit, viewed from a walkway above and around, is crowded, and you cannot get very close to the warriors. It takes a little imagination to appreciate the scale. It is best paired with Xi'an itself. A guide helps make sense of the history and the site.

Nearby

Xi'an with its ancient city walls, the Muslim Quarter and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is nearby.

Key facts