For centuries, the soldiers lie underground, beneath the surface of Xi’an, waiting for the world to uncover their greatness. And it wasn’t until 1974 when a group of farmers uncovered this archaeological find that they re-entered our world.

Of course, this all refers to what is now known as the Terra Cotta Army, a huge collection of soldiers, horses, and other military-related items that date back as far as 210 B.C. This collection was discovered in the spring of 1974 in the eastern suburbs of Xi’an and has since been one of the most prominent reasons to not only take a tour of China, but also a tour of Xi’an as millions of people have already done. These soldiers are an awe-inspiring site to see, but the history behind the creation of these soldiers is almost as impressive as the soldiers themselves:

• The Terra Cotta army was built as a form of funerary art to be buried with the First Emperor of Qin in 210-209 B.C.

• Construction of the mausoleum for Qin began in 246 B.C. and involved more than 700,000 workers (roughly the population of Charlotte, North Carolina).

• It’s believed that gravediggers in the 18th and 19th centuries had hit fragments of terra cotta, but didn’t realize its historical significance and discarded the pieces they encountered.

• Research has shown that terra cotta army figurines were manufactured in workshops by government laborers and local craftsmen. The head, arms, legs and torsos were created separately and then re-assembled to create the entire soldier.

• Each terra cotta soldier is lifelike and life-sized. They vary in height, uniform and hairstyle in accordance with rank.

• There are four pits where the soldiers are located, each about 7 meters deep. Each pit is unique for its contents – pit one has 11 corridors and is paved with small bricks with a wooden ceiling supported by large beams and posts. Pit two has cavalry and infantry units as well as war chariots. Pit three is a command post with high ranking officers and a war chariot. Pit four, for some unknown reason, is empty.

• The soldiers were once colored by its workers, but due to erosion and time, these colors have long-since faded on most of the soldiers uncovered thus far.

A sightseeing tour of China should include a sightseeing tour of Xi’an in order to view this archaeological find. Enjoy this and other fantastic sites the next time you book a vacation to Asia with AsiaImpressions today!