Terracotta Army 秦始皇兵马俑

About Terracotta Army

The roofed pits show both reconstructed figures and the archaeological ground around them. Pit 1 conveys the scale, while the smaller pits and close-up displays make differences in posture, armour and role easier to see. The emperor’s sealed tomb and the bronze-chariot museum lie in the separate Lishanyuan area, so keep that connection distinct when planning the visit.

The terracotta pits were discovered on 29 March 1974, during a drought, when a villager named Yang Zhifa (杨志发) struck fragments while digging a well in Lintong; local residents initially called the fragments 'waye'. Because the army went unrecorded in historical texts, it remained undisturbed for over two thousand years; excavators found that the original colours of the clothing and weapons faded within minutes of exposure to air, leaving the clay tone now typically seen. Archaeological teams were expanded between 1976 and 1978 to carry out full-scale excavation, and the site opened to visitors on 1 October 1979.

Qin Shi Huang began constructing his mausoleum on taking the throne, and work continued throughout his reign; historians estimate that as many as 700,000 people took part in the project at its peak. The mausoleum complex, including the terracotta pits, covers a total area of 50 square kilometres.

The mausoleum and the terracotta pits were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987 under the name 'Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor'. According to 2007 estimates, the three pits together contain more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses, most of which remain in situ; other pits have also yielded non-military figures such as officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.

What to look for

• Pit 1’s long ranks of soldiers and horses, viewed across the excavation hall.
• The contrasting arrangements of Pits 2 and 3 and the detailed figures displayed near the excavations.
• The surviving traces of construction and restoration around the excavated army.

The surrounding area

An outlying city district containing the emperor's mausoleum and Terracotta Army; an excursion with its own transport and visiting plan.

Location & getting there

Getting to Terracotta Army

Travel to the Terracotta Warriors museum in Lintong, east of Xi’an. Metro Line 9 reaches Huaqingchi, from which onward road transport is required.

• If adding Lishanyuan, follow the museum’s designated shuttle connection between the two visitor areas and confirm the current boarding point.