Culture -- Qin Dynasty
The Terracotta Warriors
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Located in the north of Mount Lishan, Lintong County, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province are the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of Qin, and his buried terracotta soldiers. The building of the tomb started in 246 BC and lasted 39 years until 208 BC. It is the first imperial mausoleum of dimensions in Chinese history. Today the mound still stands 76 meters high. The layout of its grounds followed that of Xianyang, the capital of Qin, with inner and outer walls. The circumference of the inner wall is 2.5 kilometers, that of the outer wall is 6.3 kilometers. The mausoleum sits in the southwest of the inner city, facing east.
(A terracotta figure of an officer) -->
To the east of the mausoleum lies the terracotta army buried with Qin Shi Huang. Discovered in 1974, 8,000 life-size terracotta warriors and horse were found in three vaults. The well modeled and proportioned warriors are strong and firm in appearance. The horses are highly realistic, the delineation natural and exquisite. They are arranged in military formation, demonstrating the power of Qin Shi Huang's army.
The warriors carry real weapons. Over ten thousand weapons are unearthed form the three vaults. The chromized blade of one 90-cm-long bronze sword is free of rust after being buried for two thousand years. Chariots and horses, one fourth of the original sizes, are unearthed at the wings of the mausoleum and known as the "crown of bronzes'. They are a miracle in the history of metallurgy and a treasure of the Chinese people.
More excavations are being done to the buried army known as a "wonder of the world" and more treasures are expected to be found.
Above: A bronze chariot
--> the outside of the Vault No.2
Above content and graphics courtsey of China-Window.com
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