30 kms east of the City of Xi’an, there is the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, a tomb 700,000 wokmen spent 36 years to complete. The tomb-as yet unexcavated-has naturally aroused considerable excitement in archaeological circles.

An enormous number of terracotta warriors were accidently discovered by Chinese peasants while digging a well several kms away from the tomb. They found the emperor was guarded by these warriors for his protection in the ancient burial site. The figures ,as tall as humans and all different, with their horses, chariots and weapons, are masterpieces of realism and also hold great historical interest. No doubt thousands of statues still remain to be unearthed on this archaeological site.

Pit #1 ,the largest ,contains mainly infantry. Nearly 1,000 of an estimated 6,000 figures of armored and unarmored infantrymen ,bowmen, crossbowmen, archers, and charioteers have been unearthed.

Pit #2 is smaller, with a more complex layout of military personnel divided into 4 units of archers, chariots and cavalrymen, approximately 1,000 soldiers, 40 horses and 80 chariots in all.

Pit #3 is partially excavated and open to the public.

The Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang as inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 1987.

How to get there and get around

Xi’an is extremely well connected by air, with international, and domestic flights operating to many cities. After arriving in Xi’an, you can take buses or cars to the Mausoleum.

Buses are plentiful but unfortunately tend to be overcrowded .So the best option for journeys of any distance is to travel by taxi.

You can also rent a car, or a minibus, or even a bicycle. The price will be reasonable.