The Terracotta Army: 8,000 Soldiers Nobody Knew Existed Until 1974

In March 1974, farmers drilling a well near Xi’an in Shaanxi Province broke through into a chamber containing life-sized clay soldiers. Further excavation revealed three pits containing approximately 8,000 warriors, 130 chariots, 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses, all buried with the First Emperor of Qin, Qin Shi Huang, who died in 210 BCE. Each face is individually modelled; no two are identical. The scale of the funerary enterprise, coordinating 700,000 workers over 38 years, is staggering.

Only a fraction has been excavated. The main tomb mound itself has not been opened. Historical texts describe rivers of mercury flowing through the burial chamber; soil samples confirm elevated mercury levels. Archaeologists are waiting for conservation technology to improve before proceeding.

The Museum

The site is 35km east of Xi’an, about 90 minutes by public bus (Bus 914 or 915 from Xi’an East Bus Terminal, fare around CNY 8) or 45 minutes by taxi (CNY 100-130).

Admission is CNY 120 for adults, CNY 65 for students with ID. Entry includes all three pits and the exhibition halls.

Pit 1 is the main hall, 230 metres long, where the infantry formations are arranged in battle order. The scale of the hall itself prepares you for the numbers before you can see the figures clearly. Most of the visible warriors have been restored from fragments; the colour they were painted has faded almost entirely since exposure to air. Newly excavated warriors retain vivid pigment for only a few minutes before it oxidises. The museum has a small section showing original painted fragments to give some sense of how they looked.

Pit 2 contains cavalry, archers, and chariots in a more complex arrangement. Pit 3 is the smallest pit and is interpreted as the army’s command headquarters.

Allow at minimum 3 hours; 4 is more realistic if you want to look properly. The site gets extremely crowded in summer: go when it opens at 08:30, have your tickets booked in advance through the official website, and do the pits in reverse order (Pit 3, then 2, then 1) to see the main hall at the end with the crowds beginning to build rather than already overwhelming.

Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter

The Huimin Jie (Muslim Quarter) near the Drum Tower in central Xi’an is one of the better street food concentrations in China. The main street is commercialised but the alleys running off it are more honest. Biangbiang noodles (named for the sound of the dough being slapped) come wide and thick with chilli oil, cumin-spiced lamb, and vinegar; a large bowl costs CNY 18-25. Yang rou pao mo is lamb broth with flatbread broken into it by hand; CNY 35-45 at a proper restaurant.

Staying in Xi’an

The Bell Tower area in central Xi’an puts you walking distance from the Muslim Quarter and the city walls. Sofitel Xi’an on Renmin Square has doubles from around CNY 900 in peak season. Mid-range: Xi’an Hantang Hostel (near South Gate) offers private rooms from CNY 250 with genuinely helpful English-speaking staff for sightseeing advice.

The City Walls

Xi’an’s Ming Dynasty city walls are the best-preserved city walls in China: 14km around, 12 metres high, with a wide walkway on top. Bicycle rental at the gate is CNY 45 for the full 3-hour circuit. Entry to the walls is CNY 54. Do the walls the morning before or after the terracotta army visit rather than trying to fit both into one day.