Qin Shi Huang was credited as the first unifiers of China and when he was buried in Xian it wasn’t alone. An army of a thousand life-sized terracotta warriors was also interred with him, either to protect him in the afterlife or help him continue his rule.
Since 3rd Century BC
The warriors had been carrying out their silent vigil since the 3rd century B.C and were only discovered on the off chance in 1974 when peasants who were drilling a well stumbled upon an underground vault which housed these figurines.
One of the most important facts to know is that no two soldiers’ faces are the same which an extraordinary feat is quite and gives rise to many, many questions.
Famous Today
The site has managed to put Xian on the map. Today its quite easy to find a plethora of best locations to stay in Xian. You can find a theatre that will give visitors a brief history of the site as well as an audio guide. If you stay at Citadines Xingqing Palace Xian, you can get to the site in under an hour.
The Pits
The underground theatre will allow you to explore pit by pit, starting from Pit 3 which houses 72 warriors and horses, to Pit 2 that has 1300 warriors and horses where you can scrutinise some of the soldiers up close. Finally, there is Pit 1 which is the largest and houses 6000 warriors and horses all facing east. It is truly a spectacle to behold.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
