Terracotta Warriors & Horses

Introducing Terracotta Warriors & Horses
The Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaanxi province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China. Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211 –206 BC). The State Council authorized to build a museum on site in 1975. When completed, people from far and near came to visit. Xian and the Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses have become landmarks on all travelers’ itinerary. Life size terracotta figures of Warriors and Horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor. The Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses is a sensational archeological find of all times. Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses has put Xian on the map for tourists. Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.

Terracotta Warriors & Horses Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Bing Ma Yong 兵马俑
• Best Time to Visit: All year round
• Recommended Visiting Hours: About 3 to 5 hours
• Things to Do: Photography, Intangible Cultural Heritage Study
• Opening Hours: 9:00 – 16:00
• Entrance Fee: ¥120/person
• Address: Lintong, 30km northeast of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province

What to expect at Terracotta Warriors & Horses

The Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses Museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into four sections: No.1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, No. 3 Pit and Exhibition Hall respectively. The Pits were then named Pit 1, Pit 2, and Pit 3 by order of discovery. 

Pit One
Pit 1 is the largest pit of the three pits. Pit 1 takes an oblong shape, measuring 230 meters long, 62 meters wide and 5 meters deep. The total area is 14, 260 square meters, as large as two football fields. The terracotta warriors and horses in Pit 1 are arrayed in battle formation.It is assumed that there are more than 6, 000 terracotta warriors and horses in Pit 1, of which 1, 000 have been unearthed. In the long corridor to the east end of the pit stand three rows of terracotta warriors facing east in the battle robes, 70 in each row, totaling 210. Armed with bows and arrows, they constitute the vanguard. There is one row of warriors in the south, north and west of the corridor respectively, facing outward. They are probably the flanks and the rear guard. Holding crossbows and arrows and other long-distance shooting weapons, they took up the job of defending the whole army. The ten rammed partition walls divide Pit 1 into 11 latitudinal corridors where stand 38 columns of warriors facing east with horse-drawn chariots in the center. These warriors are probably the main body of the formation and represent the principal fighting force.

Pit Two
Pit 2 was found in 1976, which is 20 meters to the northeast of Pit 1. The pit is L-shaped and measured 6, 000 square meters. It consists of four different mixed military forces, including infantry, charioteer, cavalry and archers. It is estimated that there are over warriors and horses, and thousands of bronze weapons inside it. The four arrays are closely connected to constitute a complete battle formation and can be divided up to act independently, capable of attacking and defending and quick response. Three of the four arrays in Pit 2 have charioteers. The chariots took up most of the battle formation. The wooden chariots have become decayed with age, but the shafts, and wheels left clear trances in the clay. The bronze parts of the chariots remain intact. It is a revelation to first discover the terracotta general, the kneeling archer and the cavalry warrior with saddle horse in the pit. There are two sloping entrances on the northern side, and four on both ends of the eastern and western sides.

Some of the figures in Pits 1 and 2 show fire damage, while remains of burnt ceiling rafters have also been found. When it was burnt down and who did it was not recorded in history. There are various opinions about its destruction in the academic world.

Pit Three
Walk 25 meters from northwest of Pit 1, we will arrive at P3. P3 is the smallest of the three main pits and was found to be much different from the first two. It is in the shape of a U, totaling about 520 square meters. Only 68 pottery figures, one wooden chariot drawn by four horses and 34 bronze weapons have been unearthed from this pit. The warriors in Pit 1 and Pit 2 are placed in battle formation. But those in Pit 3 are arrayed opposite to each other along the wall, in two rows. Only one kind of weapon called Shu was discovered in Pit 3. This kind of weapon had no blades and is believed to be used by the guards of honor. A remaining deer-horn and animal bones were also unearthed in this pit. This is probably the place where sacrificial offerings and war prayer were practiced. Judging from the layout of Pit 3, most scholars believe that Pit 3 is the headquarters directing the Emperor’s underground army.

Bronze Chariots and Horses

Various articles from Qin Dynasty and the models of Bronze Chariot and Horses are displayed in the Exhibition Hall of Historical Relics of Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum next to Terracotta Warriors Pit 2.

In December 1980, two sets of large painted bronze chariots and horses were unearthed 20 meters west of the First Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum. They were labeled as Chariot No. 1 and No. 2 respectively by the order of discovery. Due to the fact that the wooden crate naturally decayed over time and the rammed soil that surrounded the pit caved in, the bronze chariots and horses had been broken into nearly 3,000 pieces when archaeologists discovered them. Fortunately, as this pit had neither been looted nor disturbed, their original positions remained intact, moreover, all parts of the chariots and horses were complete and in a condition that made them restorable. After eight years of careful and painstaking restoration, they have been restored to their original shape and now are displayed in the exhibition hall.

The two sets of bronze chariots and horses were intended to be used by the soul of the Emperor for his travels in the afterlife, so they are exact imitations of the actual ones of Emperor Qin Shihuang in half life-size. The two bronze chariots and horses represent the pinnacle of ancient Chinese metallurgical technology, and provide valuable materials and data for the research of the mechanism behind chariots of the Qin Dynasty. They are the largest, most complex and best preserved bronze wares discovered in the history of the Chinese archaeology, and have been praised as the “the top bronze works” of Ancient China.

The bronze chariots drawn by four horses, with a single shaft, were placed one before the other vertically.

No. 1 Chariot is 2.25 meters long, 1.52 meters high, with the total weight of 1,061 kilograms. It was equipped with crossbows, arrow heads and shields. There is a large umbrella providing shade from the sun. Its handle is flexible and rotatable to block the sun from different angles. The charioteer wore a hat. This shows that it was employed to protect the No. 2 Chariot behind.

No. 2 Chariot is larger than the No.1 Chariot. It is 3.17 meters long, 1.06 meters high, with the total weight of 1,241 kilograms. The chariot was fitted with more than 1,500 pieces of silver and gold and other ornaments, and was probably used for the Emperor Qin Shihuang’s soul to go out on inspection. The chariot has three windows, one to the front, and one on either side in the compartment, and a door opens at the back. One may open and close the windows and the door. The roof is umbrella shaped, said to be symbolic of the round sky. There is a kneeling figure driving the No. 2 bronze vehicle.

How were the terracotta warriors & horses made?

The terracotta figures are life-sized, typically ranging from 175 cm to about 200 cm. They vary in height, uniform, and hairstyle in accordance with rank. Their faces appear to be different for each individual figure. It is presumed that each warrior was made according to the real valiant Qin army soldier. They were manufactured in workshops by government laborers and local craftsmen using local materials. Heads, arms, legs, and torsos were created separately and then assembled by luting the pieces together. After the figures are readily made, they were put into kilns to be baked. After then, the clay figures were carefully painted with colors. As the figures have been burnt and gone through a natural process of decay, we can’t see their original gorgeous colors. However, most of the figures bear the traces of the original colors, and a few of them are still as bright as new.

How to get to Terracotta Warriors & Horses
There is no direct public transportation going to Terracotta Warriors & Horses. It is recommended to rent a car on GoGrandChina.com or try the following instructions:

From downtown Xian to Terracotta Warriors
• Take Metro Line 1 to the terminal stop Fangzhicheng. Take tourist bus No.5 or 306 from a roadside bus stop 25-30 meters north to the nearby Fangzhicheng Bus Station, which operate between 7:00 and 19:00. It will take you to the Terracotta Warriors Museum.
• By taxi: 1 hour; about ¥170.

From Xian International Airport to Terracotta Warriors
• Take airport shuttle bus to Fangzhicheng Bus Station and transfer to tourist bus line 5 or 306 to the museum.
• Take Metro Line 13 to Xi’an North Railway Station, change to line 4 to Wulukou, then change to line 1 to Fangzhicheng, where you can take tourist bus line 5 or 306 to the museum.
• Take airport shuttle bus to Lintong, and then take bus Lintong 101 to the museum.
• By taxi: 70 minutes; about ¥230.

From Xian North Railway Station to Terracotta Warriors
• Take Metro Line 2 to Beidajie, then change to line 1 to Fangzhicheng, finally take a tourist bus line 5 or 306 to the museum.
• By Taxi: 1 hour; about ¥160.

Additional travel advice on Terracotta Warriors & Horses
• To protect the Terracotta Warriors & Horses, please turn off the flash of your camera when you take photos.
• The admission ticket is a pass for Qin Terracotta Warriors & Horses Museum and Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum. Normally, it’s recommended to visit Terracotta Warriors first, and if you have extra time, you can take the free shuttle bus (about 2.2km) to the Mausoleum.
• The weather of Xian is very dry, drink more water and use some moisturizer to help your skin retain moisture. If you come in summer, use some sun block to protect your skin from the strong UV of Xian.