destinationEmperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Army)

Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Army)

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The Museum of Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is also known as the Terracotta Army or the Qin Terracotta Army. It is a burial pit of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum and, together with the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, forms the Museum of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is known as the Eighth Wonder of the World. More than a thousand terracotta soldiers unearthed here have different images and vivid expressions. They are a bright pearl in the history of ancient Chinese sculpture art and are hailed as "one of the great archaeological discoveries of the 20th century." ### Historical Background Emperor Qin Shi Huang began to build his mausoleum as soon as he ascended the throne at the age of 13. Nearly 720,000 people were involved in the project, and the construction lasted for 38 years, making it a huge project. The mausoleum was not completed until Emperor Qin Shi Huang's death, and his second - son, Emperor Qin Er Shi Hu Hai, continued the construction for more than a year to finish it. It is rumored that Emperor Qin Shi Huang spent countless manpower, material resources and financial resources to build an underground palace for himself, and the Terracotta Army was the guards of the underground palace. The Qin Terracotta Army is a typical example of using figurines to replace human sacrifices. The reason why the Qin Terracotta Army reached such a high level in terms of scale and realism is not only due to the wisdom of the craftsmen but also inseparable from the will of this emperor. In March 1974, some peasants in Xiyang Village, Lintong District, Shaanxi Province accidentally discovered some fragments of terracotta figures while digging a well. After more than a year of exploration and trial excavation by archaeologists, it was confirmed to be a large - scale figurine pit, which is the world - famous No.1 Terracotta Army Pit. In April and May 1976, No.2 and No.3 Terracotta Army Pits were discovered on both sides of the No.1 Pit. Each pit differs in size, shape and unearthed artifacts. Some scholars believe that the No.3 Pit is the command post for the No.1 and No.2 Terracotta Army Pits, which was called "military tent" in ancient times. The Museum of Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, built on the site of the Qin Terracotta Army burial pits, officially opened in 1979. The main attractions include the No.1, No.2 and No.3 Terracotta Army Pits, the Bronze Chariot and Horse Exhibition Hall and related temporary exhibitions. ### Visiting Guide The museum ticket allows visitors to access three Terracotta Army Pits including the No.1 Pit, the unearthed cultural relics exhibition hall, the Bronze Chariot and Horse Exhibition Hall and the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The terracotta warriors unearthed here can be divided into general figurines, warrior figurines, charioteer figurines, etc., according to their costumes, expressions and hairstyles. Each terracotta figure has a different face, hairstyle, body and expression. The terracotta figures and horses were originally painted, but most of the paint has peeled off and changed color due to later fires and soaking. The No.1 Pit in the No.1 Pit Scenic Area was excavated earlier. The pit is about 230 meters long from east to west and about 62 meters wide from north to south. According to the arrangement density of the unearthed terracotta figures and horses in the trial excavation, there are about 6,000 terracotta figures and horses buried in the No.1 Terracotta Army Pit, along with a large number of bronze weapons. The No.1 Pit is also the most spectacular exhibition hall currently. You can see a huge army of terracotta soldiers standing in the pit, with various postures. It is said that there are more than 30 kinds of beard styles alone. Upon closer inspection, each soldier is lifelike, from the armor to the expression, from the weapon to the lines on the palm, all of which are amazing. ### The No.2 and No.3 Pits The No.2 and No.3 Pits are located on both sides of the No.1 Pit. Like the No.1 Pit, there are nearly 2,000 terracotta figures and horses, similar in size to real people and horses. There are different military branches such as chariot soldiers, cavalry and infantry, arranged neatly. Although it is not as shocking as the No.1 Pit, since each pit has different formations and functions, they are also worth visiting. The terracotta warriors were created based on real - life experiences, with delicate artistic techniques. The terracotta figures have different costumes and expressions, showing distinct personalities and strong characteristics of the era. The bronze weapons unearthed in the pits include swords, pi halberds, spears, ge halberds, ji halberds, shu staves, crossbow mechanisms and a large number of arrowheads. Most of the weapons are still sharp after more than two thousand years, indicating that there was already a high - level metallurgical technology at that time. ### Travel Tips The Museum of Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is always crowded with tourists. You can avoid the peak hours and start your visit from the No.3 Pit. After the visit, tourists can take the scenic area shuttle bus to the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
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