Terracotta Army

Home

On February 25, 2011, in Cool Places, Cultural Experience, Xi'an, by Chloe

So you have booked your China flights and are extremely psyched about your holiday in China. The next stage is deciding on which wonders that China has to offer when.

Apparently, if you do not visit the terracotta army it is just like if you went to Egypt and didn’t see any pyramids. The terracotta army belongs to Emperor Qin Shi Huang and they are there to guard his burial site as well as protecting the entry to the afterlife. Seeing the terracotta army is most definitely one of the most unforgettable experience. The Qin Shi Huang terracotta warriors and horses can be found within a museum which is located just 30 minutes approximately from the outside of Xian proper by car. It was in 1974 that the terracotta army itself was discovered. They were uncovered due to some farmers digging a well. As they continued to shovel, they soon unearthed the huge burial pit which was home to the tomb of Emperor Qin Sin Huang. He was the dynasty Emperor who managed to unify China so that it became a central state and it was also because of him that the foundations of the great wall were laid down. It is estimated the tomb itself took a total of 36 years to build between the years of 247BC and 208BC. The whole project actually involved over 700,000 workers. The Emperor then died in 210BC.

When you get there, you will notice that the museum is split up into three parts. You can look at three pits where ongoing reconstruction work is still being carried out on the army. A 360 degree film about the site will be played to you once you have paid the entrance fee. In this film, you will also learn how the terracotta army were discovered.. After this they will show you the sheds which is where the pits 1-3 are located. Pit 1 is the largest and therefore has experienced most of the restoration work. It is here that you will be able to see the columns of soldiers and war chariots which will carry on to pits 2 and 3.