1. Things To Know Before You Go
Once upon a time, they were splendidly attired and full of high spirits, yet they "lived" in the underground world, swallowed by darkness for over 2,200 years. It was not until a "ray of light" in 1974 that they were illuminated and astonished the world. However, their glorious colors vanished completely during the trials of the underground years and the accelerated aging process after being unearthed. What remained was a khaki-colored legion composed of more than 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors, known as the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Even so, these terracotta warriors still look vivid and lifelike, as if they were alive. Each of them has a distinct appearance, the Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974. In 1987, the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and the pits of the Terracotta Army were approved by UNESCO to be included in the World Heritage List and were hailed as "the Eighth Wonder of the World".
2. Why Is It So Special?
2.1 The Story Of Terra Cotta Warriors And Horses
In 247 BC, Ying Zheng, who was only 13 years old, ascended the throne. From that day he inherited the kingship and began to construct his own mausoleum. This huge project lasted for as long as 39 years, with 720,000 conscript laborers being forced to engage in it. After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, this luxurious mausoleum, which had 618 burial pits, more than 8,000 terracotta warriors, and countless rare treasures, also lay dormant underground. It was not until 1974, thousands of years later, Yang Zhifa, a farmer in Lintong District, Xi'an, accidentally dug up some fragments of terracotta warriors, and the astonishing number of terracotta warriors were thus brought to light again.
2.2 The Value Of Terracotta Warriors
Since the Qin Terracotta Army Museum opened on October 1, 1979, many important leaders from numerous countries have visited this museum. What's more, millions of Chinese and foreign tourists have traveled thousands of miles to visit this wonder of mankind. French President Jacques Chirac once left a message saying, "There were originally seven wonders in the world. However, the discovery of the Qin Terracotta Army can be regarded as the eighth wonder, one cannot claim to have truly been to Egypt without seeing the pyramids, and one cannot claim to have truly been to China without seeing the Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors. It has become a famous card of the glorious ancient Chinese civilization and is also renowned as one of the ten rarest treasures in the world's ancient tombs."
2.3 Attractions Overview
2.3.1 Geographical Location
Terracotta Warriors are located in the pits of the Terracotta Army, 1.5 kilometers east of the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in Lintong District, Xi'an City, Shanxi Province, it takes tourists about 50 minutes to get there by bus from the urban area of Xi'an city.
2.3.2 Architecture Structure
The pits of Terra Cotta Warriors in the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang are arranged in a triangular pattern facing east. The first pit of the Terracotta Army, which was discovered earliest, is rectangular in shape. There are more than 8,000 terracotta warriors and horses in the pit with sloping entrances on all four sides. On the left and right sides of the first pit, there is a pit of the Terra Cotta Warriors respectively, known as the second pit and the third pit.
The pits of Terra Cotta Warriors are underground tunnel-type earthen and wooden structures. That is to say, a large pit about 5 meters deep is dug from the ground, and a series of parallel earthen partition walls are built in the middle of the pit. Wooden columns are arranged on both sides of the walls and crossbeams are placed on the columns. The crossbeams and the earthen partition walls are densely covered with roofing timbers, a layer of reed mats laid above them (roofing timbers). Finally, all of them are covered with loess, thus forming the pit roof. The pit roof is about 2 meters higher than the ground surface at that time, the bottom of the pit is paved with blue bricks, the height of the space from the pit roof to the inside of the pit bottom is 3.2 meters. After the terracotta warriors and horses are placed in the pit, the entrances around the pit are blocked with standing timbers, and the entrances are filled with rammed earth, hence forming a closed underground building.
2.3.3 Characteristics Of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors
The shaping of the Terracotta Army is normally based on real life with delicate and lively techniques, the attire and expressions of each terracotta figure are different. There are many kinds of hairstyles for the figures, and their hand gestures also vary from person to person, even the facial expressions are more distinct from each other. From their attire, expressions and hand gestures, one can tell whether they are officials or soldiers, infantrymen or cavalrymen. Generally speaking, all the faces of the Qin Terracotta Army reveal the unique dignity and composure of the Qin people, possessing distinct personalities and strong characteristics of the times.
The sculptures of Terra Cotta Warriors adopt the method of combining painting and sculpting. Although they are of a long history, the colors painted on the faces and clothes of the figures could still be faintly seen when they were first unearthed. In terms of techniques, they focus on vividness with ingenious composition and flexible skills, serving the authentic and decorative function. Precisely because of this, the terracotta Warriors and horses of Qin Dynasty occupy an important position in the history of Chinese sculpture. Judging from many terracotta figures and horses that have been sorted out and unearthed, almost none of them are identical, it is really amazing.
2.3.4 Craftsmanship
Most of terracotta figures and horses were made by the method of pottery firing. First, the initial embryo was made with a pottery mold, and then a layer of fine clay was applied for further processing, carving and coloring. Some were joined after being fired, while others were fired after being joined. The firing temperature was evenly controlled, resulting in a pure color and high hardness. Actually, there were different divisions of labor and a strict working system in each process to make all of them seem distinctive.
3. How To Get To Qin Shihuang's Terra Cotta Warriors And Horses
The main transportation methods to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang include public transportation, self-driving tours, chartered cars, online car-hailing, taxis, etc.
Public Transportation
Starting from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
Tourists can walk to the bus station of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport at first and then take the airport bus and get off at Chengxi Passenger Transport Station. After that, They can walk to Hancheng Road Subway Station and take Line 1 to Fangzhicheng Subway Station. When they get out of the station, they can take Lintong Tour Bus 613 or 602 and get off at the Terracotta Army Bus Station, finally walking 170 meters to reach the destination (the whole journey takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes).
Starting from Xi'an North Station
Visitors can take Line 2 to Beidajie Subway Station and transfer to Line 1 and get off at Fangzhicheng Station at first. And then they can transfer to Line 9 and get off at Huaqingchi Station. After exiting the station, they can take Lintong Tour Bus 613 or 602 and get off at Terra Cotta Warriors station.
Starting from Xi'an Railway Station
Tourists can take Line 4 of the subway to Wulukou Station, transfer to Line 1 and get off at Fangzhicheng Station. Then they can transfer to Line 9 and get off at Huaqingchi Station. After exiting the station, they can take Lintong Tour Bus 613 or 602 and get off at Terra Cotta Warriors station.
Self-driving Tours
It is very convenient for tourists to drive to the Terracotta Army by themselves. Starting from the urban area of Xi'an, they can reach the destination by driving eastward along Xi'an Ring Expressway. However, it should be noted that tourists need to park their cars in the parking lot at the entrance of the scenic area.
Direct Buses to the Scenic Area
Tourists can take the direct buses to the Terracotta Army Scenic Area at the Bell Tower, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and Wulukou. The departure times are 9:00 am and 10:00 am respectively. The fare for adult is 25 yuan and 20 yuan for children, the return times are from 14:00 to 17:00.
Chartered Cars/Carpooling/Online Car-hailing/Taxis
In Xi'an, visitors can also choose to take chartered cars, carpool, online car-hailing or taxis to go to Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors, which may enable them to reach the destination more conveniently and quickly.
4. What To See In Terracotta Warriors And Horses?
Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors is a large-scale burial pit in the mausoleum. Based on the terracotta army, it is the largest ancient military museum in China built on the original site. There are three pits of the terracotta army in total, pit No.1 is the main battle line with chariots and infantry alternating, containing about 6,000 life-sized terracotta figures, pit No.2 is a mixed formation of chariots, cavalry, and crossbowmen, pit No.3 is the command system of the military formation.
The unearthed terracotta figures are classified into general terracotta figures, warrior terracotta figures, chariot driver terracotta figures, etc. The facial features and expressions of each terracotta figure are different, they were originally painted, but due to being burned and soaked, most of the colors have faded and peeled off.
In addition, the bronze chariots and horses exhibited in the exhibition hall are made with a large amount of gold and silver and are exquisitely crafted, being hailed as "the summit of bronze". They are of great value to academic research on the Qin Dynasty.
4.1 Pit No.1
When tourists enter the second gate of the Terracotta Army, opposite the gate is the museum of Pit No.1, which is a burial pit of the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Because the ancients believed that people would go to the "underworld" to live after death, Emperor Qin Shi Huang thus ordered the production of such a huge number of terracotta warriors.
Pit No.1 of the terracotta warriors is 230 meters long from east to west, 62 meters wide from north to south, and 4.5 to 6.5 meters deep from the current ground surface, with an area of 14,260 square meters. There are approximately 6,000 terracotta warriors and horses buried in the pit of Terra Cotta Warriors, along with a large number of bronze weapons.
Pit No.1 was also the first tunnel excavated by archaeologists, its discovery dated back to March 1974 when farmers in Xiahe Village dug a well in the south of the village, and the wellhead happened to be opened at the southeast corner of Pit No.1. In mid-July 1974, an archaeological excavation team jointly formed by the Shanxi Provincial Museum, the Cultural Relics Administration Committee, together with the Lintong County Cultural Center entered the construction site of Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors pits. Most of terracotta warriors were made in the form of wearing armors, with accessories on both sides and standing upright. Although their postures are quite similar, the appearance, clothing, hairstyle, and even beard of each terracotta warrior are different, truly achieving "a thousand people with a thousand faces".
4.2 Pit No.2
Coming out from the exit of Pit No.1 and walking forward for about two minutes in the direction of right hand is Pit No.2 of the Terracotta Army.
Pit No.2 has covered an area of about 6,000 square meters, with more than 1,300 terracotta warriors and horses together with 89 wooden chariots. It is composed of four small matrices, namely the crossbowmen matrix in the northeastern part, the standing archery matrix surrounding the crossbowmen matrix, the kneeling archery matrix in the central part, and the chariot soldiers matrix in the southern part.
Compared with Pit No.1, Pit No.2 has more abundant contents and a more complete variety of military branches, it is a mixed camp that combines the three major military branches of infantry, cavalry, and chariots. The terracotta warriors in the pit have various postures such as holding crossbows in a ready-to-shoot state, charioteers pulling horses, kneeling, and holding weapons. There are a total of more than 1,300 terracotta warriors and horses in Pit No.2, which is regarded as the essence of the pits of the Terracotta Army.
In addition, there is a special exhibition hall in Pit No.2, which is convenient for tourists to observe the details of the terracotta warriors at close distance. Among them, the kneeling archery terracotta warrior, the general terracotta warrior, and the cavalry terracotta warrior are the most famous. The height of the kneeling archery terracotta warrior is relatively low, so it avoided serious damage when the pit collapsed. It is the most intact among the currently unearthed terracotta warriors, and even the anti-slip patterns engraved on the sole of his shoes are still clearly visible. The general terracotta warrior is dressed in fish-scale armor with painted patterns on the edges of the armor, and the toes of his shoes are also raised high upward. The overall workmanship is extremely fine, which also shows his unusual noble rank. The cavalry terracotta warrior is the first image data of ancient cavalry discovered in the history of Chinese archaeology. The written materials recorded in historical books can be compared one by one with the images of the terracotta warriors. For example, the laws in Qin Dynasty prohibited riding uncastrated horses, so tourists can see that the tails of the horse terracotta warriors are dragged on the ground like braids. In addition, due to the special attributes of the cavalry military branch, the armors of these terracotta warriors have no capes, and their clothing is also lighter than that of other terracotta warriors.
4.3 Pit No.3
In May 1976, the Pit No. 3 of the Terracotta Army was discovered in the north of the western end of Pit No. 1. The scale of Pit No. 3 is relatively small with a concave shape, and it only contains 72 terracotta warriors and horses. Some scholars believe that it was the headquarters commanding the Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2 of the Terracotta Army, which was called "military tent" in ancient times. Obviously, the scale of Pit No. 3 cannot be compared with that of Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2, but its military significance is more prominent.
In addition, the Bronze Chariots and Horses Exhibition Hall in Pit No. 3 has the most precious chariots and horses in the world, as well as the superb bronze casting technology and the chariot of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor through the Ages.
It is worth mentioning that there is an unfinished Pit No. 4 between Pit No. 2 and Pit No. 3. According to research, the four pits originally planned to be built in the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang were respectively symbolic of the headquarters, the central army, the left army, and the right army. However, the coup d'état at the end of the Qin Dynasty finally put this plan on hold.
5. Best Time To Go
The best time to visit the Terracotta Warriors is before it opens at 8:30 am and before ticket checking stops in the afternoon. It is recommended that tourists may arrive around 9:00 in the morning so that they can avoid the peak time and quietly appreciate the Terracotta Army. Actually, the visiting time is about 3 to 4 hours, so tourists can enter before the ticket checking stops in the afternoon and plan off-peak routes according to the actual flow of people in each exhibition hall to enjoy a comfortable tour.
6. What To Eat?
The main delicious foods in Shanxi are as follows
Roujiamo (Chinese Hamburger): It is a famous snack in Shanxi and means "meat sandwiched in a steamed bun" in ancient Chinese. There are various methods and different flavors of this delicacy in Shanxi, such as Lazhi roujiamo (Braised Pork with Spiced Sauce in Chinese Hamburger), Rousaozi jiamo (Chinese Hamburger with Minced Pork) and Tongguan Roujiamo. Roujiamo is usually made by stewing pork until it is tender and then people chop it up before sandwiching it into a Baijimo (a kind of flatbread). High-quality Roujiamo uses pure lean meat, while the ordinary ones have half lean and half fat. Whether it is the braised pork in spiced sauce or the minced pork, the taste is rich and fatty but not greasy, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
Yangrou Paomo (Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup): It is a specialty of Shanxi, which was formerly known as "Yang Geng" and is a delicacy in the northwest region. Its main ingredients include lamb, scallions, vermicelli, sweet pickled garlic, etc. It is carefully cooked with tender lamb and thick soup, fatty but not greasy with a rich aroma and it leaves a lasting aftertaste after eating. Because it warms the stomach and satisfies hunger, it is deeply loved by people of all ethnic groups in Xi'an and the northwest region. A lot of foreign guests coming to Shanxi also scramble to taste it, mutton and Beef Paomo has become the "general representative" of famous Shanxi cuisine.
Liangpi (Cold Noodles): It is a representative snack with a long history in Shanxi. It was already popular as early as the Qin Dynasty. Among them, steamed Liangpi is the most famous with a history of more than 2,000 years. It is paired with shredded cucumbers, cilantro, mashed garlic and chili peppers, the texture is chewy and elastic. Besides steamed Liangpi, there are also different types such as Sesame Paste Liangpi and Hanzhong Mipi. Liangpi can not only relieve the heat in summer and fatigue in spring, but also remove dampness in autumn, so it is indeed a delicious food suitable for all seasons.
7. Nearby Attractions
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum
It is located at the foot of Lishan Mountain facing east of Lintong County, Xi'an City. It is less than two kilometers away from the Qin Terracotta Army Museum. Completed in October 2010, it covers an area of 56 square kilometers and is a part of Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum, which is the third largest museum in China. It fully recreates the layout and construction of Xianyang City at that time.
The whole park is divided into four parts: the underground palace city (underground palace), the inner city, the outer city, and the area outside the outer city. The magnificent gate towers and palace complex, as well as more than 600 accompanying tombs and burial pits, they form the complete appearance of Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum on the ground.
When tourists come here, the Bronze Chariots and Horses Exhibition Hall is a must-visit. It is the two bronze chariots regarded as the earliest, the largest and the most intact preservation in Chinese archaeology history. Their entire bodies are painted, engraved with patterns such as cloud patterns, geometric patterns, and dragon patterns. The welds on the horse neck ornaments can only be seen under a 24-times magnifying glass, which shows the exquisiteness of its craftsmanship. Although the colors of the bronze chariots have now faded, the horses should have been snow-white based on historical records, also the whole chariot was dazzling and glorious. The exhibition hall was officially opened to tourists on May 18, 2021, aiming to improve the visiting environment for tourists and deepen their understanding about these stunning bronze chariots and horses.
8. Useful Travel Tips
Travel tips for Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors cover the following aspects:
Visiting Order and Route: The recommended visiting order is Pit No.1 - Pit No.3 - Pit No.2 - Exhibition Hall due to the fact that Pit No.1 is the largest pit and it displays terracotta warriors with various postures and costumes, and it was also the first to be discovered. Pit No.3 is the command system of the military matrix, with the smallest scale but its importance should not be underestimated. Pit No.2 contains cavalry, chariots and infantry, representing a complex and diverse array of troops.
Other Suggestions: Firstly, it is recommended that tourists bring self - guided tour devices or follow a tour guide so that they can learn more about the historical background and production techniques of the terracotta army. There are self - guided tour devices available for rent in the scenic area for free, tourists can choose to have a tour guide for explanations. In addition, there is an electric vehicle service in the scenic area, visitors can purchase tickets to conveniently visit major attractions such as the bronze chariots and horses.
