I’m sure most folks have at least heard of the Terra Cotta Warriors that are located in the scenic territory of China in Xian. It is such an amazing sight to behold that any tourist to China should be ashamed if they didn’t take the shuttle out to visit. Qin Shi Huang was the first Emperor of all China at the age of 13 and he quickly began work on his mausoleum to store his treasures and sacrificial objects for the afterlife. However, the true magnitude of his tomb was not uncovered until 1974 when some peasants unearthed pottery while digging for a well and archeologists swarmed the area to confirm that these were artifacts from the Qin Daynasty around 210 BC.
If you’re worried about getting to the destination and not knowing enough history or getting confused, don’t stress. A museum was built on the site promptly after it was discovered and there is plenty of helpful information to guide you along the way. The life size terracotta figures of both warriors and horses are arranged in various battle formations and are replicas of what the Emperor’s imperial guard looked like during that era. Covering over 16,000 square meters, the museum is divided into three sections, each containing a variety of different figures, horses and chariots and a command center of forces for the deepest protection. Each of these sections, No. 3 Pit, No. 2 Pit and No. 1 Pit were opened at different times in the history of the museum since they were discovered and analyzed subsequently. The No. 1 Pit is the largest and contains column after column of glorious soldiers backed by war chariots to fend off evil spirits.
I was stunned to learn that there are over 7,000 figures total and even weapons were uncovered. It sounds like such an astonishing number but it has even more of an impact when seen in person. You will be amazed at the detail that went into each and every piece and the stature of these warriors makes them seem intimidating even when made out of terracotta. I couldn’t help but wonder how many peasants and slaves must have contributed to the design and construction of this army and how much time it would take to make this sort of thing a reality for the Emperor. Not only was he trying to succeed in the after life, but he was showing his status and power in this life, something that still amazes us to this day. If you are touring through China, you must make this a must see destination since I have yet to encounter another sight with more historic intimidation and power.
