Shi Huang army. Underground Guardians: The Mystery of the Terracotta Army

There are 3 capitals in the world known for their ancient values ​​- Rome, Athens and Xi'an. There is an entire army in Xi'an, whose purpose was to guard the emperor's tomb. More than two thousand years have passed, and the motionless soldiers still stand, silently fulfilling their destiny. Their name is . All the figures are made so realistically that you doubt that they are made of clay: each has its own facial expression. At the same time, everyone is absolutely different - there is not a single soldier who is similar to another.

The Terracotta Army is located in Xi'an Province near the city of Lintong. The stone army accompanies the burial of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. It was on his initiative that construction began. There is no doubt that the purpose of this army was to guard the emperor and fight for him in the Kingdom of Death. Until today, 8,000 figures have been found in underground halls or pits. That's what it is .

Infantrymen, archers, crossbow shooters, cavalrymen, military chariots with horses are lined up in battle formation. The height of the warriors is from 1.6 to 1.7 meters, and none is similar to the other. Everyone is in different poses - someone stands like a pillar, someone holds a sword as if repelling an attack, and someone, kneeling, pulls the bow string. The statues themselves are hollow, with the exception of their legs, otherwise they would not be able to stand for so long.
Previously, the entire army was painted in bright colors, but over time the paint, of course, faded. Not all warrior figures depict the Chinese; there are also Mongols, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and so on. All details of clothing or hairstyle strictly correspond to the fashion of that time. Everyone has their own weapon, by the way, for many it is not stone, but the most worthless. True, most of the swords and bows were stolen in ancient times by looters.

Terracotta Army: interesting facts

In 246 BC, after the death of King Zhuang Xiang-wan, his son Ying Zheng, known in history as Qin Shi Huang, ascended the throne of the Qin kingdom.

By the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Qin kingdom occupied a fairly vast territory. At the time of his accession to the throne, Ying Zheng was only thirteen years old; until he came of age, the state was actually ruled by the king's first adviser, Lü Bu-wei.

In 230 BC, Ying Zheng sent a huge army against the neighboring Han kingdom. The Qin defeated the Han troops, captured the Han king An Wang and occupied the entire territory of the kingdom, turning it into a Qin district. This was the first kingdom conquered by the Qin. In subsequent years, their army captured the kingdoms of Zhao, Wei, Yan, and Qi.

By 221 BC, the Qin kingdom victoriously ended its long struggle to unify the country. In place of scattered kingdoms, a single empire with centralized power is created. Since Ying Zheng became the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, he ordered himself to be called Shi Huangdi - “the first highest emperor.” He was virtually an unlimited head of state and was particularly despotic.

The first emperor did not doubt for a minute that his dynasty would rule forever, and therefore tried to create attributes befitting eternity. The construction industry developed especially rapidly during the imperial period. During his reign, beautiful palaces were built (the largest palace was the Efangong Palace, erected by Qin Shi Huang not far from the capital of the empire, on the southern bank of the Wei-he River). In order to protect the outskirts of the empire from enemies, Qin Shi Huang decided to begin construction of a grandiose structure - a defensive wall along the entire northern border of the empire, which is known to our contemporaries as the Great Wall of China.

In 210 BC, the almighty Qin Shi Huang passed away, his body was buried in a special mausoleum. A detailed description of the grandiose underground palace and the colossal mound above it belongs to the father of Chinese history, Sima Qian, the chief court historiographer of the emperor. Over the course of 37 years, 700 thousand slaves, soldiers and forced peasants took part in the construction of the mausoleum.

Just as many people built and.

Records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (the now preserved earthen mound, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high). Qin Shi Huangdi sincerely believed that he could rule his empire even from the other world. To do this, he believed, he would need an army - this is how the Terracotta Army appeared. During his lifetime, the emperor wanted clay idols to go with him to another world after death, since he believed that the souls of the imperial soldiers would move into them (at least, that’s what the ancient Chinese legend says).

The warrior statues were made from casts of selected bodyguards of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The manufacturing technology was as follows. The main material for statues is terracotta, that is, yellow or red fired unglazed clay. First the body was sculpted. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. This is where the center of gravity falls. The top part is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it was burned in the oven. Finally, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it a personalized expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of his clothing and ammunition. The sculptor accurately conveyed the hairstyle of each warrior, which was the subject of special attention at that time. The firing of the figures lasted several days, at a constant temperature of at least 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were sculpted became as strong as granite.

The emperor's tomb stands 100 meters west of the pits with terracotta soldiers. Qin Shi Huang himself died in 210 BC, which is the date that should be considered the approximate date for the construction of the terracotta army. The tomb itself also deserves attention. It is assumed that more than 70,000 people were buried with the emperor: courtiers, servants and concubines, who could serve their master in another world as well as during his lifetime.

Why was it “supposed”? The fact is that no one knows where to look for the entrance. It is very possible that those workers who built the tomb were later killed and buried there - so that the secret would never be revealed. And now the pyramid is under a large earthen rampart. By the way, under the same rampart there would have been a clay army if scientists had not dug it up.
It is not entirely clear why Terracotta Army of China and the tomb were buried under a large layer of earth. Scientists doubt that they were buried on purpose. Most are still inclined to another version: most likely, this happened due to a large fire (traces of fire were found). Perhaps the robbers either could not get into the tomb, where, in their opinion, there should have been a lot of treasures. Angry, they started a big fire. It is possible that they nevertheless ended up inside the tomb, and they needed the fire to eliminate traces of the crime. One way or another, the fire led to a collapse, burying thousands of clay troops in wet soil for more than two thousand years...

Terracotta Army: History of Discovery

Until 1974, they had no idea about the existence of the Terracotta Army. It was this year that several peasants began to dig a well, but were forced to suspend their work - unexpectedly, right from the ground, they began to dig human-sized statues of soldiers; in addition to people, horses and entire chariots appeared.

The well, of course, was no longer dug; archaeological excavations began here, and the most unusual ones in recent times. Thousands of soldiers and animals were brought into the world.

In total, 3 holes were dug, slightly distant from each other. The first contained statues of infantrymen, chariots and archers. This pit is the deepest - 5 meters, and its area is 229 by 61 meters. In the second pit, which was smaller in size, there were not 6,000 soldiers, as in the first, but only 100. The smallest recess hid 68 figures, apparently representing the command headquarters. Nowadays, anyone can look at the Terracotta Army. True, only the first pit is reserved for the museum, but the main part of all the statues is there.

The museum shows video footage of the excavations, and other figures are on display, including two miniature bronze chariots with half-life-size horses and drivers. The latter were discovered in 1980 and represent exactly the vehicles used by the emperor, his concubines and his staff of courtiers. In order to further preserve this miracle, a pavilion with a vaulted ceiling was built above the terracotta army. Its dimensions are 200 by 72 meters. It is shaped like an indoor swimming pool or stadium.

The excavations are not yet completely finished; they are still ongoing. And they will probably not end soon. The reason for this is not only the size of the tomb and not the lack of financial assistance to archaeologists from the state. To a greater extent, this is the eternal fear of the Chinese before the world of the dead. Even today they treat the ashes of their ancestors with trepidation, fearing to desecrate them with their unholy touch. So, according to Professor Yuan Jungai: “Many years will pass before we can finally continue the excavations.” The discovery in Xi'an province is of great historical significance. It made it possible to learn about how the ancient Chinese army was equipped. And, moreover, it is a real sculptural miracle.

Terracotta Army: how to get there

Usually people depart for the attraction from Beijing or Shanghai, but you can fly directly to Xi'an. If you go through the first 2 cities, then from there you can get to Xi'an by car (11 hours drive), by train (6 hours) or by plane (2.5 hours drive).
From Xi'an you can get to the Terracotta Army by buses No. 306, 914, 915. They will take you to the place in an hour. Ticket price is around 12 yuan.

The Terracotta Army is rightfully considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, since such a cultural monument cannot be found anywhere else. Emperor Qin Shi Huang's warriors, horses and chariots testify to his strength and power. True, it is believed that he was a very progressive ruler of his time, since according to tradition, everything most valuable was buried with the ruler, including people, and his grandiose army was only sculptures.

What does the Terracotta Army look like?

The found soldiers are located under Lishan Mountain, which looks more like a buried city with a huge number of valuable historical items. Among the sculptures there are not only soldiers, but also horses, as well as richly decorated chariots. Each person and horse is made by hand, the warriors have special, unique facial features and figures, each has their own weapons: crossbows, swords, spears. Moreover, in the ranks there are infantrymen, cavalry and officers, which can be seen in the specifics of the attire, the details of which are worked out to the smallest detail.

Many people are interested in what the entire stone army of terracotta sculptures is made of. It is made of clay, but the soldiers were brought from different regions of the country, since most of them differ in the composition of the raw materials used. The horses, according to researchers, are made from a breed taken from Mount Lishan. The reason for this is their large weight, which would significantly complicate transportation. The average weight of horses is over 200 kg, and the human figure is about 130 kg. The technology for making sculptures is the same: they were given the desired shape, then baked, covered with special glaze and paint.

The history of the great burial

There can be no doubt as to which country the warriors were found in, because in China of that period it was customary to bury alive with the deceased ruler all that was most valuable to him. It was for this reason that the first ruler of the Qin dynasty, at the age of 13, began to think about what his tomb would look like and began large-scale construction of the tomb.

His reign can be called significant for Chinese history, as he united the warring kingdoms, ending a period of cruelty, robbery and disunity. As a sign of his greatness, he destroyed all monuments dating from before his reign and burned manuscripts describing the course of early times. From 246 BC Construction of Qin Shi Huang's tomb began and was completed by 210 BC, when the emperor was placed there after his death.

According to legend, he initially planned to bury 4,000 warriors with him, but the population of the empire was already too small after many years of endless wars. It was then that he came up with the idea to place the Terracotta Army with him, while it should resemble a real army. No one knows exactly how many warriors were placed in the tomb. It is estimated that there are more than 8,000 of them, but perhaps there are many more unsolved mysteries hidden underground.

In addition to his army, the great emperor buried his concubines with him, as well as about 70,000 workers who worked on the creation of the cultural monument. The construction of the tomb lasted 38 years, both day and night, as a result of which it stretched for about one and a half kilometers, forming an entire city buried underground. The manuscripts about this place contain many strange facts that may indicate new secrets that have not yet been revealed.

Exploring the Mystery of China

For many years, the residents of Xi'an walked around the hilly terrain and did not even imagine that hidden under their feet were miracles with a thousand-year history called the Terracotta Army. Clay shards were often found in this area, but according to legends they could not be touched, much less taken with them. In 1974, the tomb was discovered by Yan Ji Wang, who wanted to dig a well near Mount Lishan. At a depth of about 5 meters, the farmer came across the head of one of the soldiers. For historians and archaeologists, the discovery was a real shock and the beginning of long-term research.

The excavations took place in three stages, the last of which is still not completed. More than 400 warriors of the Terracotta Army from those who were first found were sent to museums around the world, but most remained in China, where the emperor is located, who created an amazing historical monument. At the moment, the guarded tomb is the most valuable asset of the country, because the highest-ranking guests are invited here in order to appreciate the greatness of the first king of the Qin dynasty.

Every tourist can take an excursion to the buried city. To do this, you don’t even need to know how to get there from Beijing, because most tours include a visit to the Terracotta Army. During it, you can take photos of a huge array of clay sculptures with different facial expressions, as if petrified over thousands of years.

In the spring of 1974, in the Chinese province of Shaanxi, the digging of a well on one of the land plots was suspended. At a depth of 4–5 m, a figure of an ancient warrior made of dark clay was discovered. The accuracy and realism of even the smallest details of this find indicated its exceptional uniqueness. This is exactly how the story of the most grandiose archaeological discovery of the 20th century began - the terracotta army of Qin Shi Huang.

Excavations continued at the site where the find was discovered. They included several stages. And, as the work progressed, the place was surrounded by a covered pavilion to protect it from external destruction.
During the first 12-year period, it was possible to excavate another 6,000 similar clay sculptures and, along with them, also realistically executed horses. During the next period (it lasted only a year) - another 2000. Excavations continue to the present day. Now, according to the results of a 40-year period of archaeological work, the number of clay soldiers is more than 8,000. They form three multi-meter ranks and are located according to the battle formation of the Qin Dynasty. This building is part of the ancient tomb of the first emperor of united China - Qin Shi Huang, who was obsessed with the idea of ​​his own immortality.

The history of the creation of the Terracotta Army

The beginning of construction of the burial complex dates back to 247 BC. At that time, the young man took over the reins. The history of his reign is quite controversial. On the one hand, he managed to unite several warring states of ancient China, creating a new empire. But on the other hand, his conquests were distinguished by cruelty and bloodshed. Young Shi Huangdi, from the first day of his reign, began to build a tomb for himself. The theme of immortality worried him throughout his life, which prompted him to create religious buildings. In addition to the grandiose tomb, his initiative included the construction of the Great Wall of China.

Terracotta Army today

Today, the excavation site is surrounded by a huge museum complex with an area of ​​50 sq.m. This is one of the iconic and grand sights of China. To see the monumental structure with your own eyes, you need to get to the village of Qinling, not far from Xi’an (about 30 km). It is easy to get here either by public transport or by your own car. Since the place is quite popular, it is always crowded. Before you buy a ticket, you will have to stand in queues for many kilometers in front of the ticket office. However, all these inconveniences are compensated by the impressions of visiting the museum.

Video about the Terracotta Army in China

Take a video trip to China to the pavilions of the Terracotta Army.

The museum is a complex that is striking in its scale. It consists of three rooms – pavilions. In some of them, excavations continue to this day. Museum visitors are advised to start their tour from the third pavilion, where the destroyed exhibits are collected, and then from the rest, where restoration work on the Terracotta Army has already been completed.

Address: China, 35 km east of Xi'an. Facility opening hours: 8:30 - 17:30. Ticket price from 150 yuan.

Among the capitals of the world most famous for their ancient values, along with Rome, Athens, Thebes, Memphis and others, is the ancient town of Xi'an, which once served for more than a century as the capital of 12 dynasties. Its inhabitants had no idea what a unique and stunning puzzle history would throw at them. In search of water in one of the agricultural hinterlands, which is located 30-40 kilometers east of the city, local peasants, laying an irrigation system, stumbled upon something unusual in 1974. The impact caused clay shards to fan out from under the pick. Having pulled the stone into the light, the villagers discovered in its relief eye slits and lips curled into a grin. Archaeologists who arrived at the site immediately called the discovery in the form of an entire city in an embankment a real sculptural miracle. Under the ground were full-size clay warriors of the legendary guard in full equipment with war horses and chariots, as well as statues of musicians, acrobats and officials. The terracotta army, numbering about nine thousand figures, has been preserved in its original condition and has been silently fulfilling its purpose for more than two thousand years, accompanying the burial of the first emperor of China - Qin Shi Huang, fighting for him in the Kingdom of Death.
Do you want to be involved in assembling one of the most mysterious puzzles in human history? Then, without hesitation, come here to see with your own eyes this attraction, famous no less than its brothers - the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China.

How to get to Xi'an

The most popular routes for exploring the object are built from the points of Beijing or Shanghai. And if you decide to fly directly to Xi’an, for example, from Moscow, you will not be able to do this, since in any case the flight involves transfers at the points indicated above.
Distance to Xi'an: from Beijing - 1090 km, Shanghai - 1380 km.
Air flight: from Beijing or Shanghai 2.5 hours flight, economy class ticket costs from 6500-7500 rubles.
Railway: travel time will be 6 hours, ticket price from 5600 rubles.
By car: It takes 11 hours to get to Lintong via Xitong Highway, and then about 7 km to reach the Terracotta Army Museum. Taxi cost is 120 yuan.
By bus: the trip is not recommended, since the buses may not always be new, with their own smells, moreover, the Chinese passengers themselves can smoke right in the cabin and talk loudly. In view of this, you will not be able to sleep over such a decent distance.

How to get there from Xi'an

City bus No. 603 goes to the train station.
From the station square from the EAST SQUARE bus stop to your destination - buses: No. 914,915 and 306, travel time is about 1 hour. The fare ranges from 7-12 yuan.
After getting off the bus, go to the statue of the emperor, opposite which the sale of tickets to visit the attraction is organized.

Historical reference

In 246 BC. After the death of King Zhuang Xiang-wan, his thirteen-year-old son, Ying Zheng, ascended the throne of the Qin kingdom. In 230 BC. Ying Zheng with his huge army conquers the neighboring kingdom of Han, turning its entire territory into a Qin district. And only thanks to the first hero of the entire Celestial Empire, in 221 BC. the fragmented and ever-warring Chinese kingdoms are united into a single empire with centralized power, a single network of roads and a monetary system. In order to protect the outskirts of the empire from enemies, on the initiative of Qin Shi Huang, the construction of a grandiose defensive structure began - the Great Wall of China. Ying Zheng, who became the first emperor of the Qin dynasty at the age of 39, ordered himself to be called the “first highest emperor” - Shi Huangdi. By the way, he never doubted for a minute that he would be able to manage his empire even from the afterlife. And for this he needed an army. Therefore, having ascended the throne, he immediately initiated the construction of a tomb for himself, the construction of which took about 36 years.
Although Emperor Qin contributed to the prosperity of the empire, in history his name became synonymous with cruelty. He made life harsh and difficult for the people by introducing onerous taxes and labor conscription. Having issued a decree on harsh punishment not only for those convicted, but also for their relatives and neighbors. In addition, the manifestation of dissent was suppressed under him. He ordered the burning of precious books by famous authors, and thousands of enlightened people were killed because they condemned or criticized his policies. Numerous uprisings began to break out. That is why the powerful Qin dynasty lasted only fifteen years.
During the Qin Dynasty, there were about ten million people in the state, of which two million were conscripted to work on the construction of the Great Wall of China, and more than 700,000 workers rebuilt the tomb. Hundreds of their skeletons were discovered in the tomb. This was done for one simple reason - to give secrecy to this place and its treasures. After burying and sealing the treasure, the gate was closed, locking all the workers in so that no one could get out. Trees and grass were planted above the mausoleum so that from the outside it looked like an ordinary hill. The perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters. The now preserved earthen hill, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high.
In 210 BC. The almighty Qin Shi Huang passed away.

Museum pavilions

During excavations that have been going on for more than 40 years, three pavilions were formed at the site of the great find, distant from each other.
The first pavilion with 11 parallel corridors was opened to visitors in 1979. This is the deepest (5 meters) and largest storage (1230 by 60 m) of all. In appearance it is not remarkable: empty trenches, fragments of figures of infantrymen, chariots and riflemen. It’s as if they were deliberately left as is, without gluing them together. Perhaps to show the horrors of war?
At the time of the discovery of the find, two more burials were discovered 20 meters from the first storage facility. The second storage area with an area of ​​6000 sq.m. consisted of four blocks with archers and squires, chariots, infantrymen, and cavalrymen.
The third triangle-shaped storage is considered the smallest compared to the previous ones. Its dimensions are 17.6 by 21.4 m. Most likely, the command headquarters was located here, since figures of senior military commanders were found with chariots drawn by four horses.

Terracotta statues

It must be said that making figures from baked clay has become a very popular business in Xi'an. When approaching the museum, pay attention to the roadsides along which they are displayed. They are used as decoration for homes, hotels and shops.
The museum complex itself is huge. It consists of 4 huge pits in which the statues are located. Take a close look! And you will understand that you cannot find identical faces in the entire army. Each soldier has his own hairstyle. Infantrymen, archers, riflemen, cavalrymen - all in different poses. Someone stands like a pillar, someone holds a sword, as if repelling an attack, and someone, kneeling, pulls the bowstring. The details of clothing are reproduced with incredible precision, strictly corresponding to the fashion of the time. Moreover, thanks to the jewelry work and the amazing diligence of the craftsmen, the warriors of the Terracotta Army differ even in rank: here you can meet generals, officers and ordinary soldiers.
It's simply amazing, because the figures are made so realistically that you begin to doubt whether they are really made of clay? Among the warriors there are representatives of various nations: Chinese, Mongols, Uyghurs, Tibetans, which once again emphasizes the multinationality of the Chinese empire.
In the museum shop for 2500 USD you can purchase a full-size copy of any
the warrior you like, a small figurine will cost a little less.
Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the panoramic cinema located right in the museum with a 360-degree viewing angle, where they show a 20-minute film about the creation of the army. Here you will meet the same peasant who unearthed the first warrior.

Chariots
One of the most masterful works of Chinese bronze technology and the amazing artifacts unearthed from these finds is without a doubt the bronze imperial chariots, comprising 3,000 parts, cast, forged, drilled, riveted, soldered, ground and polished each individually, with inlays made of gold and silver and classical motifs.

Warriors' weapons
The individuality of the terracotta figures is not the only feature that this find reveals. Each warrior has his own weapon: spears, battle axes, shields, bows, crossbows, swords and, by the way, for many it is not stone, but the most worthless, forged by blacksmiths from metal and bronze. In one of the pavilions alone, about 500 types of weapons and 1000 arrows were discovered, most of them quite sharp.
It is a particular mystery how this weapon remains sharp and shiny after so many centuries. After all, the modern method of chrome plating was developed in Germany only in the 20th century. And it seems that the answer has been received. Scientists believe that bronze armor was then coated with a mixture of chrome ore, vinegar and saltpeter, heated to 800 ° C.

Figure manufacturing technology
The main material for the statues was terracotta - clay that was fired at a constant temperature of at least 1000 degrees for several days. First the body was sculpted. Note that the statues of warriors were an exact copy of the selected bodyguards of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The lower part of the statue was monolithic and massive, otherwise it would not have been able to stand for so long. It was there that the center of gravity fell. For example, the weight of one horse statue reaches 200 kg, so most likely the heavy but fragile horses were made on site. Warriors weigh a little lighter, about 135 kg. The top part is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it was burned. The figures were fired, as if in a furnace, in caves, where the main work was carried out. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were sculpted became as strong as granite. And some researchers believe that the figures were fired using a special coating, which disintegrated when a maximum temperature of 500 ° C was reached, revealing the finished work of art.

Paints
After the figure's face was sculpted, the draftsmen got to work. They painted warriors, horses, and ammunition, covering them with a layer of black varnish, which, when dry, became a reliable protection against moisture. All the figures were dressed in colorful uniforms. The glaze on them has stood the test of time. During excavations, the soil adjacent to the clay shards “copied” many of the now lost colors. When removing the statues, the archaeologists just shrugged helplessly - the remnants of paint that survived underground captivity instantly disappeared under the influence of oxygen. Chinese scientists, together with German experts in the protection of cultural monuments, have come up with a way to preserve the colors. Once they find a painted fragment, archaeologists spray it with a solution of polyethylene glycol and then wrap it in film to retain protective moisture.
Now the Terracotta Army Museum serves as a springboard for archaeological excavations. In order to further preserve this miracle, a pavilion with a vaulted ceiling was built above the terracotta army. It is shaped like an indoor stadium.

Emperor Qin's Tomb

The burial place of the great ruler of the Empire has not yet been found. After all, the burial complex occupies a huge territory. There is a version that the emperor is buried in a completely different place and this is just decoration. And if this is so, then the scale of the true burial can only be imagined in the wildest fantasies.
Initially, the emperor wanted to bury four thousand young warriors with him, as required by ancient Chinese tradition, but his advisers managed to convince him not to do this. Living people were replaced by their exact clay copies, the number of which was doubled. This probably speaks of the progressiveness and humanism of the ruler, since his predecessors preferred to bury a living army with them to settle down in the other world.
However, in addition to the terracotta army, up to 70 thousand workers were buried with the emperor along with their families and about three thousand concubines of the emperor, while alive.
The emperor identified the site for his tomb at the foot of Mount Lishan because of the jade and gold riches in its depths. But it is still not completely clear why the army was buried under a large layer of earth. Most likely, this happened due to a large fire that the robbers started, angry that they did not find the treasure. Or, on the contrary, the fire was needed to hide traces of the crime. Headless statues also testify to thefts.
Although the tomb of Emperor Qin himself has not been excavated, it is believed to contain replicas of palaces, pavilions, and all sorts of traps. Precious stones represent the sky, and mercury rivers symbolize the waters of the empire. And partly, this fact was confirmed by chemical research. Samples from the earthen mounds were taken to test their mercury content. All sample results were positive.

In search of immortality
Emperor Qin was so afraid of death that he fanatically sought the elixir of eternal life, which would give him the immortality he desired. Servants and the best healers were sent for the drug. In anticipation of the secret of immortality, he decided to resort to mercury tablets, which may have led to his death at the age of 50. Of course, the subjects never returned to China, fearing the imperial wrath and punishment for an unfulfilled task. The dreams of the eternity of the Qin Dynasty were never destined to come true.

Excavations of the terracotta horde have not yet been completed and continue to this day. So far, about 1% of the area of ​​the burial complex has been explored. And the reason for this is not only the impressive size of the tomb. These are unfavorable geological conditions, and lack of financial support from the state, as well as the Chinese fear of desecration of the ashes of their ancestors. And, undoubtedly, new archaeological sensations await scientists ahead!

Terracotta Army (China) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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In March 1974, Chinese peasants digging a well accidentally discovered the now legendary Terracotta Army - from 7 to 9 thousand clay warriors weighing 135 kilograms each, made of baked clay and painted. The creation of such a unique army is associated with the Chinese belief in the afterlife and the tradition that existed even before our era of burying his entire palace and subjects along with the ruler of the country.

According to various estimates, the Terracotta Army “consists” of 7 to 9 thousand clay warriors.

The army of terracotta warriors was buried with Qin Shi Huang, its ruler and first emperor of China from 210-209 BC. e., and should probably testify to the progressiveness and humanism of the ruler, since his predecessors preferred to bury a living army with them to settle down in the other world.

However, it should be mentioned that in addition to the terracotta army, up to 70 thousand workers were buried with the emperor along with their families and about three thousand concubines of the emperor while alive.

Today, the entire clay army is kept in crypts 1.5 kilometers from the burial place of their ruler.

It is believed that the facial features of each of the warriors were copied from real living people.

This entire army is only part of the grandiose project of the majestic tomb of the Chinese emperor, on the construction of which about 700 thousand people worked. Here, on the ground, an entire miniature China with its rivers, mountains and palaces was built. Thus, the emperor seemed to continue to rule his country even after death.

Terracotta Army Museum

Whatever hotel you stay at, you will probably be offered an excursion program to visit the Terracotta Army Museum and the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

The museum itself, which also serves as a springboard for archaeological excavations, consists of 4 huge pits in which the statues are located. The warriors of the Terracotta Army differ even in rank - among them there are generals, officers and ordinary soldiers, in the presence of weapons and even in nationality. Once you look closely at these faces, it becomes clear that among the warriors there are representatives of a variety of nations.

In the museum shop for 2,500 USD you can buy a full-size copy of any warrior you like; a small figurine, of course, costs much less.

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the panoramic cinema located right in the museum with a 360-degree viewing angle, where they show a 20-minute film about the creation of the army.

Here you will meet the same peasant who unearthed the first warrior. Today he happily signs autographs and even allows people to take pictures with him for a small fee. However, experienced travelers claim that the “discoverer” of the Terracotta Army changes periodically. Such is the mysterious East.

Prices on the page are for April 2019.