The Terracotta Warriors

What is the Terracotta Army ?

The Terracotta Army is the famed historical figures of "the Terracotta Warriors" and their horses.

These figures were unearthed in 1974 in the Shaanxi province. The site where the figures were discovered was later on revealed to be the burial ground for the Qin dynasty's first emperor. This is considered a great discovery because Qin Shia Huangdi is the emperor who united the empire. The 8099 life size and amazingly realistic Terracotta warriors were unearthed near the burial site of the First Qin Emperor.

Today, the site is considered as a World Heritage Site. It is, in fact, often regarded as the Eight Wonder of the World. The construction of this tomb spanned several decades. In fact, remains of those that helped in creating the site were found on the tomb as well.

The Terracotta Army is an exceptional archeological discovery. No other structure in China represents the history of the country as much as these artifacts do. These figures represent the security system that protects the emperor and the imperial palace in the old days.

The Terracotta warriors are life like. They are carefully crafted with their own unique physical attributes and weapons to represent their ranks and positions. They are all different. They have their own appearance, height, size and uniform. They were carrying real weapons used during the Qin dynasty. Some Terracotta warriors stride their horse while others were riding their chariots. There are many Terracotta warriors that are merely standing aligned in rows.

They were found in separate areas. The smallest area contained about 1,400 figures. Six thousands warriors were found in the largest pit. Figures representing warriors with higher ranks were found in the third pit. The figures were riding on chariots drawn by huge horses.

Visiting the Terracotta Warriors :

You wouldn't go to Egypt without visiting the Pyramids now, would you? It's the same with China. It's only after you have seen them that you could really say that you've visited China.

When visiting the site, you need to go to Xian, the capital of the Shaanxi province. It is approximately an hour away from Beijing by plane. The museum where the Terracotta Warriors are kept is about 30 minutes away from Xian. Once you've reached the museum, you need to first pay an entrance fee of $8.00 or $11.00 before you could proceed inside. You will then be entertained by a movie explaining the story behind the Terracotta warriors. After the movie, you will then be brought to the different pits or areas where the figures were found.

Foreign tourists would often go on group or private tours to visit the site. Depending on what you prefer, you can book yourself for either. If you are on a restricted budget, however, a group tour would be less costly. The museum is opened from 8 in the morning until 6 in the evening. It would take you at least three hours to completely finish the tour. Your tour to the Terracotta warriors museum is definitely worth every second.