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The terracotta warriors consists of soldier, archers, and etc. They are supposed to be accompanied with
Emperor Qin in the afterlife. They are there because Emperor Qin wanted an army in the afterlife

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In March 1974, a group of peasants digging a well in drought-parched Shaanxi province in northwest China unearthed fragments of a clay figure-the first evidence of what would turn out to be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of modern times. Near the unexcavated tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi-who had proclaimed himself first emperor of China in 221 B.C.-lay an extraordinary underground treasure: an entire army of life-size terra cotta soldiers and horses, interred for more than 2,000 years.

The site, where Qin Shi Huangdi's ancient capital of Xianyang once stood, lies a half-hour drive from traffic-clogged Xi'an (pop. 8.5 million). It is a dry, scrubby land planted in persimmon and pomegranate-bitterly cold in winter and scorching hot in summer-marked by dun-colored hills pocked with caves. But hotels and a roadside souvenir emporium selling five-foot-tall pottery figures suggest that something other than fruit cultivation is going on here.

Over the past 35 years, archaeologists have located some 600 pits, a complex of underground vaults as yet largely unexcavated, across a 22-square-mile area. Some are hard to get to, but three major pits are easily accessible, enclosed inside the four-acre Museum of the Terracotta Army, constructed around the discovery site and opened in 1979. In one pit, long columns of warriors, reassembled from broken pieces, stand in formation.With their topknots or caps, their tunics or armored vests, their goatees or close-cropped beards, the soldiers exhibit an astonishing individuality. A second pit inside the museum demonstrates how they appeared when they were found: some stand upright, buried to their shoulders in soil, while others lie toppled on their backs, alongside fallen and cracked clay horses. The site ranks with the Great Wall and Beijing's Forbidden City as one of the premier tourist attractions within China.

For those unable to make the journey to Xi'an, some of the choicest specimens unearthed there form the centerpiece of two successive traveling exhibitions that survey the reign of Qin Shi Huangdi (221 B.C.-210 B.C.). "The First Emperor," organized by the British Museum, debuted in London before moving to the High Museum in Atlanta. A second show, "Terra Cotta Warriors," then opened at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California. It is now at the Houston Museum of Natural Science through October 18, and then moves to the National Geographic Society Museum in Washington, D.C. for display from November 19 to March 31, 2010.

In addition to showcasing recent finds, the exhibitions feature the largest collection of terra cotta figures ever to leave China. The statuary includes nine soldiers arranged in battle formation (armored officers, infantrymen, and standing and kneeling archers), as well as a terra cotta horse. Another highlight is a pair of intricately detailed, ten-foot-long bronze chariots, each drawn by four bronze horses. (Too fragile to be transported, the chariots are represented by replicas.) The artifacts offer a glimpse of the treasures that attract visitors from around the world to the Xi'an museum site, where 1,900 of an estimated 7,000 warriors have been disinterred so far.

The stupendous find at first seemed to reinforce conventional thinking-that the first emperor had been a relentless warmonger who cared only for military might. As archaeologists have learned during the past decade, however, that assessment was incomplete. Qin Shi Huangdi may have conquered China with his army, but he held it together with a civil administration system that endured for centuries. Among other accomplishments, the emperor standardized weights and measures and introduced a uniform writing script.

Recent digs have revealed that in addition to the clay soldiers, Qin Shi Huangdi's underground realm, presumably a facsimile of the court that surrounded him during his lifetime, is also populated by delightfully realistic waterfowl, crafted from bronze and serenaded by terra cotta musicians. The emperor's clay retinue includes terra cotta officials and even troupes of acrobats, slightly smaller than the soldiers but created with the same methods. "We find the underground pits are an imitation of the real organization in the Qin dynasty," says Duan Qingbo, head of the excavation team at the Shaanxi Provincial Research Institute for Archaeology. "People thought when the emperor died, he took just a lot of pottery army soldiers with him. Now they realize he took a whole political system with him."

Qin Shi Huangdi decreed a mass-production approach; artisans turned out figures almost like cars on an assembly line. Clay, unlike bronze, lends itself to quick and cheap fabrication. Workers built bodies, then customized them with heads, hats, shoes, mustaches, ears and so on, made in small molds. Some of the figures appear so strikingly individual they seem modeled on real people, though that is unlikely. "These probably weren't portraits in the Western sense," says Hiromi Kinoshita, who helped curate the exhibition at the British Museum. Instead, they may have been aggregate portraits: the ceramicists, says Kinoshita, "could have been told that you need to represent all the different types of people who come from different regions of China."

The first emperor's capital, Xianyang, was a large metropolis, where he reportedly erected more than 270 palaces, of which only a single foundation is known to survive. Each time Qin Shi Huangdi conquered a rival state, he is said to have transported its ruling families to Xianyang, housing the vanquished in replicas of palaces they had left behind. At the same time, the emperor directed construction of his tomb complex; some 720,000 workers reportedly labored on these vast projects.

Upon the death of his father, Yiren, in 246 B.C., the future Qin Shi Huangdi-then a prince named Ying Zheng who was around age 13-ascended the throne. The kingdom, celebrated for its horsemen, sat on the margin of civilization, regarded by its easterly rivals as a semi-savage wasteland. Its governing philosophy was as harsh as its terrain. Elsewhere in China, Confucianism held that a well-run state should be administered by the same precepts governing a family: mutual obligation and respect. Qin rulers, however, subscribed to a doctrine known as legalism, which rested on the administration of punitive laws.

In his early 20s, Ying Zheng turned for guidance to a visionary statesman, Li Si, who likely initiated many of his sovereign's accomplishments. Under Li's tutelage, Ying Zheng introduced a uniform script (thereby enabling subjects of vastly different dialects to communicate). Standardization, a hallmark of the Qin state, was applied to weaponry as well: should an arrow shaft snap, or the trigger on a repeating crossbow malfunction, the component could be easily replaced. The young ruler also presided over creation of an advanced agricultural infrastructure that incorporated irrigation canals and storage granaries.

With methodical zeal, Ying Zheng set about conquering the warring states that surrounded him in the late third century B.C. As his armies advanced, principalities fell. No one could thwart consolidation of an empire that eventually stretched from parts of present-day Sichuan in the west to coastal regions along the East China Sea. Having unified the entire civilized world as he knew it, Ying Zheng in 221 B.C. renamed himself Qin Shi Huangdi, translated as First Emperor of Qin.

He then invested in infrastructure and built massive fortifications. His road network likely exceeded 4,000 miles, including 40-foot-wide speedways with a central lane reserved for the imperial family. On the northern frontier, the emperor dispatched his most trusted general to reinforce and connect existing border barriers, creating a bulwark against nomadic marauders. Made of rammed earth and rubble, these fortifications became the basis for the Great Wall, most of which would be rebuilt in stone and brick during the 15th century A.D. under the Ming dynasty.

As the grandeur of his tomb complex suggests, Qin Shi Huangdi kept an eye on posterity. But he also longed to extend his life on earth-perhaps indefinitely. Alchemists informed the emperor that magical herbs were to be found on what they claimed were three Islands of the Immortals in the East China Sea. The emissaries most likely to gain entry to this mystical realm, they asserted, were uncorrupted children; in 219 B.C., Qin Shi Huangdi reportedly dispatched several thousand youngsters to search for the islands. They never returned. Four years later, the emperor sent three alchemists to retrieve the herbs. One of them made it back, recounting a tale of a giant fish guarding the islands. Legend has it that the first emperor resolved to lead the next search party himself; on the expedition, the story goes, he used a repeating crossbow to kill a huge fish. But instead of discovering life-preserving elixirs, the emperor contracted a fatal illness.

As he lay dying in 210 B.C., 49-year-old Qin Shi Huangdi decreed that his estranged eldest son, Ying Fusu, should inherit the empire. The choice undercut the ambitions of a powerful royal counselor, Zhao Gao, who believed he could govern the country behind the scenes if a more malleable successor were installed. To conceal Qin Shi Huangdi's death-and disguise the stench of a decomposing corpse-until the travelers returned to the capital, Zhao Gao took on a cargo of salted fish. The delaying tactic worked. Once Zhao Gao managed to return to Xianyang, he was able to operate on his home turf. He managed to transfer power to Ying Huhai, a younger, weaker son.

Ultimately, however, the scheme failed. Zhao Gao could not maintain order and the country descended into civil war. The Qin dynasty outlived Qin Shi Huangdi by only four years. The second emperor committed suicide; Zhao Gao eventually was killed. Various rebel forces coalesced into a new dynasty, the Western Han.

For archaeologists, one indicator that Qin rule had collapsed suddenly was the extensive damage to the terra cotta army. As order broke down, marauding forces raided the pits where clay soldiers stood guard and plundered their real weapons. Raging fires, possibly set deliberately, followed the ransacking, weakening support pillars for wooden ceilings, which crashed down and smashed the figures. Some 2,000 years later, archaeologists discovered charring on the walls of one pit.

Throughout recorded Chinese history, the first emperor's Ebang Palace-its site on the Wei River, south of ancient Xianyang, was not investigated until 2003- was synonymous with ostentation. The structure was said to have been the most lavish dwelling ever constructed, with an upper-floor gallery that could seat 10,000 and a network of covered walkways that led to distant mountains to the south.

"All Chinese people who can read, including middle- school students, believed that the Qin dynasty collapsed because it put so much money into the Ebang Palace," says archaeologist Duan. "According to excavation work from 2003, we found it was actually never built-only the base. Above it was nothing." Duan says that if the palace had been erected and demolished, as historians thought, there would be potsherds and telltale changes in soil color. "But tests found nothing," says Duan. "It is so famous a symbol of Chinese culture for so long a time, showing how cruel and greedy the first emperor was-and archaeologists found it was a lie." Duan also doubts accounts of Qin Shi Huangdi's expedition for life-prolonging herbs. His version is more prosaic: "I believe that the first emperor did not want to die. When he was sick, he sent people to find special medicines."

The emperor's tomb lies beneath a forested hill, surrounded by cultivated fields about a half-mile from the museum. Out of reverence for an imperial resting place and concerns about preserving what might be unearthed there, the site has not been excavated. According to a description written a century after the emperor's death, the tomb contains a wealth of wonders, including man-made streambeds contoured to resemble the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, flowing with shimmering, quicksilver mercury that mimics coursing water. (Analysis of soil in the mound has indeed revealed a high level of mercury.)

Yet answers about the tomb are not likely to emerge anytime soon. "I have a dream that one day science can develop so that we can tell what is here without disturbing the emperor, who has slept here for 2,000 years," says Wu Yongqi, director of the Museum of the Terracotta Army. "I don't think we have good scientific techniques to protect what we find in the underground palace. Especially if we find paper, silk or textiles from plants or animals; it would be very bad if they have been kept in a balanced condition for 2,000 years, but suddenly they would vanish in a very short time." He cites another consideration: "For all Chinese people, he is our ancestor, and for what he did for China, we cannot unearth his tomb just because archaeologists or people doing tourism want to know what is buried there."

Whatever future excavations reveal about Qin Shi Huangdi's enigmatic nature, some things seem unlikely to change. The emperor's importance as a seminal figure of history won't be diminished. And the mysteries that surround his life will likely never be completely resolved.

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A traveling exhibition of China's terra cotta warriors sheds new light on the ruler whose tomb they guarded

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The expressions of the terracotta army is different from one another. It makes all of the terracotta warriors unique and different.

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It has been said that going to China and missing seeing the Terracotta Army is like going to Egypt and missing the Pyramids. Viewing Emperor Qin Shi Huang's terracotta army guarding his burial site and protecting his entry to the afterlife from the earthen side of a continuing archeological project is certainly one of the most memorable parts of any trip to China. The site was made a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987.

Location of the Terracotta Army

A visit to the terracotta army is made from Xi'An (pronounced She-ahn), the capital of Shaanxi province. Xi'An lies to the southwest of Beijing. It is approximately a one-hour flight, or an overnight train ride from Beijing, and is easy to add on if you are already visiting Beijing. Xi'An is China's first historic capital, made a primary city by the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

The Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is located about thirty to forty-five minutes outside Xi'an by car.

History of the Terracotta Army

The story goes that the terracotta army itself was discovered in 1974 when some farmers were digging a well. Their shoveling began the unearthing of a huge burial pit belonging to the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the founding Qin Dynasty emperor who unified China into a central state and also laid the foundation for the Great Wall.

It is estimated that the tomb took 38 years to build, between 247 BC and 208 BC, and utilized the labor of over 700,000 conscripts. The emperor died in 210 BC.

Features

The museum site is divided into three parts where one can view the three pits where ongoing reconstruction of the army is taking place.

After paying entrance, you will watch a 360-degree movie about the site and how the army was discovered.

You'll then visit the sheds that house Pits 1-3 (named in order of discovery). Pit 1 is the largest and has had the most restoration done. It is here you can see the columns of soldiers followed by war chariots. Carry on to Pits 2 and 3.

There will also be plenty of shopping opportunities built in. If you missed picking up your replica of the terracotta warriors in any of the markets you saw them in from Shanghai to Kashgar, then now's your chance to get them from their original location.

Getting to the Warriors Museum

Most visitors go on group or private tours. Group tours can be booked out of your hotel or even made from other cities, such as Beijing, or in your home country. Private Tours can be booked in the same way but will cost more. However, private tours will give you the luxury of taking your time.

On your own, you can take Bus #306 from the parking lot just east of the Xi'An train station. Ask your hotel for directions.

Essentials

Opening hours: 8:00am to 6:00pm

Recommended time for visit: three hours

Guide or Self-Guide?: if you're visiting on your own, you can hire a guide outside the gates of the museum. You'll be approached by English-speaking guides and asked if you want their services. Negotiate and agree on the price up-front. The nice thing about having a guide is that they are good at navigating the crowds and always know the best spot for a photo. But hiring is really up to you. You can visit the museum without a guide very easily.

Tips for Visiting the Warriors Museum

Don't buy your copies of the terracotta warriors on the way in! You'll have to lug them around, so buy them on the way out. There will be hawkers willing to make you a good deal.

You can buy books about history and discovery of the terracotta army in the museum bookstore. Usually one of the "farmers" who was digging the well on that fateful day in 1974 is there signing books. (He's probably not really one of the original farmers. Maybe a cousin? Maybe from the same village?)

Websites quote it is not possible to take photos but we had no trouble during our visit. Just remember not to use the flash.

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An Insider's Guide to Visiting the Terracotta Warriors Museum in Xi'an

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It has been said that going to China and missing seeing the Terracotta Army is like going to Egypt and missing the Pyramids. Viewing Emperor Qin Shi Huang's terracotta army guarding his burial site and protecting his entry to the afterlife from the earthen side of a continuing archeological project is certainly one of the most memorable parts of any trip to China.

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If you look closer, you can see that the positions of the terracotta army is different from one another. One of them looks like that they have their hands a little bit raised and some of the others don't

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This is the tenth post of our series on Myths and Legends. This is the legend of the Terracotta Warriors in China, told by China Country Manager Baoli Wang.
Many foreign visitors know about the amazing Terracotta Warriors in China, but few know that the site where you can see them is in the city of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is no doubt a must-see site for any visitors coming to Xi'an. Fortunately, it's easy to visit this site during one of the weekend days on your service program.

It is said that before Qin Dynasty (221BC), people in Shaanxi didn't use potteries. When Emperor Qin Shihuang came into power, he started the construction of his tomb right away. After looking at many places in the country, he picked Li Shan mountain as the spot. He ordered thousands of laborers to build the tomb. He also wanted to have thousands of young boys and girls be buried alive with him when he passed away. Li Si, his Prime Minister, was ordered to select the boys and girls and carry out the plan. Li Si was terrified at Qin Shihuang's order. He knew that would lead to civil revolt, so he suggested pottery figures to be buried instead. Qin Shihuang thought Li Si's suggestion made sense, so he accepted the idea but ordered life-sized warriors to be made by copying his real 8, 000 palace guards.

Several thousand artisans were selected to complete the task after a nation-wide search. However, none of the artisans had experience of kilning human figures, not to mention making life-sized ones. They tried and tried different techniques but failed. The officials got angry and ordered to have a hundred artisans killed. One of the older artisans, before his death, told his son to try to kiln the body parts first and then put them together. The son did what his father suggested and was able to make a complete warrior successfully after several attempts. The artisans were thrilled. They worked day and night using this special technique, and that was how the 8, 000 terracotta warriors were made.

After Emperor Qin Shihuang died, his son Qin Ershi ascended to the throne. He had Qin Shihuang's body moved into the tomb and held a celebration to reward each of the construction workers for their hard work. But as soon as all the workers walked in the tomb, the tomb passages were closed. It was said that only one of the workers escaped, and it was the son of the old artisan who successfully kilned the first warrior. He stayed in Shaanxi and made a living by making potteries. Just like the Terracotta Warriors in China, there are many other awesome stories you can find and experience directly during your service program in the country. Sign up now! We won't close the tomb passages behind you.

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The Terracotta Warriors in China - Global Volunteers Service Programs

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This is the tenth post of our series on Myths and Legends. This is the legend of the Terracotta Warriors in China, told by China Country Manager Baoli Wang. Many foreign visitors know about the amazing Terracotta Warriors in China, but few know that the site where you can see them is in the city of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province.

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As you can see, the terracotta army has different hairstyles. The different hairstyles also look well with the shape of their faces.

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To answer that question, archaeologists are looking at variations in the soldiers' ears

When farmers digging a well in 1974 discovered the Terracotta Army, commissioned by China's first emperor two millennia ago, the sheer numbers were staggering: an estimated 7,000 soldiers, plus horses and chariots. But it's the huge variety of facial features and expressions that still puzzle scholars. Were standard parts fit together in a Mr. Potato Head approach or was each warrior sculpted to be unique, perhaps a facsimile of an actual person? How could you even know?

Short answer: The ears have it. Andrew Bevan, an archaeologist at University College London, along with colleagues, used advanced computer analyses to compare 30 warrior ears photographed at the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China to find out whether, statistically speaking, the auricular ridges are as "idiosyncratic" and "strongly individual" as they are in people.

Turns out no two ears are alike-raising the possibility that the figures are based on a real army of warriors. Knowing for sure will take time: There are over 13,000 ears to go.

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Were the Terracotta Warriors Based on Actual People?

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When farmers digging a well in 1974 discovered the Terracotta Army, commissioned by China's first emperor two millennia ago, the sheer numbers were staggering: an estimated 7,000 soldiers, plus horses and chariots. But it's the huge variety of facial features and expressions that still puzzle scholars.

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Tourists go and see the extraordinary sight of the terracotta army.

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FAQs on Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Xian China

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Frequently asked questions abour Terracotta Warriors and Horses: Who, when and why were the terracotta figures and horses made? When and how were they unearthed? How far is it from Beijing?How tall are the Terracotta Warriors?

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The terracotta warriors didn't just have human terracotta, they also had animals! One animal that was part of Emperor Qin's terracotta army is the horse.

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Terracotta Warriors Xian: Museum of Terracotta Amy & Horses

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Terracotta Warriors in Xian, the historical & cultural heritage by UNESCO, is regarded as the most famous attraction for tourists to Xian, also a must-visit place

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The image represents the remains of the terracotta warriors that were either unfinished or destroyed (possibly from natural disasters).

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Terracotta Warrior Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di

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Emperor Qin's Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum near Xian, China is one of the most fabulous archaeological reserves in the world. Only a small portion of the believed 8,000 Terracotta statues have currently been reassembled.

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Emperor Qin's tomb is miles wide. A map can represent where all of his terracotta army is (including the terracotta musicians, acrobats, exotic animals, and etc.). As Emperor Qin questioned his mortality, he wanted to become immortal. So that is why he planned his workers to make a terracotta army where it could possibly surround his tomb when he dies. When he dies, he believed that his terracotta army will go with him in the afterlife.

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Map of Qin Shi Huang's Tomb · traditionaleastasia