How to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang

One-day tour guide to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang

The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is located at the foot of Lishan Mountain to the east of Lintong County, more than 30 kilometers away from Xi'an City. According to historical records: Qin Shi Yingzheng began to build the cemetery when he came to the throne at the age of 13. Li Si, the Prime Minister, presided over the planning and design, and General Zhang Han supervised the construction. The construction took 38 years. A precedent for extravagant burials. At that time, the total population of the Qin Dynasty was about 20 million, and as many as 720,000 people worked to build tombs. The soil used for building the mausoleum was taken from the multi-level loess cliffs 5 to 25 meters high between Sanliu Village and the county quarry, 2,000 meters south of the current cemetery. A large amount of stone was used to build the cemetery, which was taken from Zhongshan and Jun'eshan in the north of the Weihe River. It was all transported to Lincang, so the project was very difficult.

One-day tour itinerary

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9:00-10:00 Arrive at the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang

Departure from Xi'an Railway Station - Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors

1. From the starting point to Lianhuo Highway

2. Lianhuo Highway

3. Qin Terracotta Warriors Museum Highway to the end point

10:30-11:30

Enter the eighth wonder of the world - enjoy for 1 hour

3

11:30-12:00

Appreciate the surrounding specialty shops and buy specialties as needed (Eight Horses, Resurrection of the Legion, Laofengge Specialty Shop,)

Qinhuang Grand Theater

4

12:00-1:00 lunch time, restaurants near Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum (Xi’an Restaurant, Liyuan Restaurant, Yutu Shijiazhuang)

5

2:00-6:00 Visit Lishan National Forest Park

6:00 Return to Xi’an

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Revealing the Secret of Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum

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Secret 1: The process of making terracotta warriors and horses

The terracotta warriors and horses in the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang are mostly made by the method of pottery and firing. First, use a pottery mold to make the first embryo, and then cover it. A layer of fine mud is processed, carved and colored. Some are burned first and then connected, and some are connected first and then burned. In fact, each of the terracotta warriors and horses back then had bright and harmonious paintings. The craftsmen made a mistake back then, they painted it after firing. During our excavation, we found that some pottery figurines still retained bright colors in parts when they were first unearthed. However, due to oxidation by oxygen after being unearthed, the color disappeared instantly and turned into white ash in less than an hour. All that can be seen are the remaining traces of painting. The chariots, infantry, and cavalry of the Terracotta Warriors are arranged in various formations. The overall style is rich, robust and refined. If you observe carefully, you will find differences in face shape, hairstyle, body posture, and charm: some Tao horses have their ears erect, some open their mouths and neigh, and some stand silently with their mouths closed. All these Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang are full of artistic charm that appeals to people.

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Secret 2: What is fragmentary history?

At the moment when the local farmer Mr. Yang Hui came forward, the pottery fragments reappeared in the sky, and thousands of years later The baptism of wind and rain. The excavation work of the huge terracotta warriors and horses mausoleum is particularly difficult. First, the fragments of cultural relics that have been broken due to historical reasons are cleaned, excavated and spliced. What was unearthed in the three pits of the terracotta warriors and horses was not only the terracotta warriors and horses, but also unique bronzes, handicrafts, gold and silver. Products, it is amazing that nearly a thousand years of burial miraculously preserved the colors of the painted works. Experts encountered difficulties in excavating these painted works, that is, the unearthed products must be exposed to oxygen, and some products will produce oxidation on the surface. The level of sophistication of the excavation has been further increased. Excavation experts have met several times to discuss the best excavation plan, so that generations of descendants of Yan and Huang can have the honor to witness objects from thousands of years ago and appreciate the inheritance spirit of Chinese national culture.

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Secret 3: Thousands of people with thousands of faces, no duplicate face

A total of about 8,000 pottery figurines have been excavated. People are surprised to find that although each pottery figurine does not have a gorgeous appearance, its facial expressions and expressions are unique. It can be said that you cannot find the same terracotta warriors here, and the ingenuity of our ancestors is not fully reflected. Archaeologists have also found great value in studying ancient history from these pottery figurines. From the buns and postures given to the pottery figurines by the ancients, the status and military rank represented by the pottery figurines can be judged.

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Secret 4: The relationship between the three major pits of figurines

Pit No. 1 contains more than 6,000 pottery figurines, horses and more than 40 chariots It consists of a rectangular military formation; Pit No. 2 is an infantry curved mixed military formation, with more than 900 pottery figurines, 89 chariots, 356 pottery driving horses, and more than 100 pommel horses; Pit No. 3 has 68 pottery figurines, With 4 pottery horses and 1 chariot, it is the headquarters of the No. 1 and No. 2 Pit Corps.

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Notes

Attention for self-driving friends:

Due to the large number of vehicles in Xi’an and the large number of permanent residents and foreigners, in Xi’an When driving in Xi'an, it is recommended that you avoid the peak work congestion period from 8:00 to 9:00.

Tourists visiting Lishan in early spring and summer are advised to bring a jacket as there is a temperature difference between the mountain and the bottom.