Terracotta Army in China – Facts And Numbers
Terracotta Army is one of the most important monuments in China. It is an important historical and touristic attraction in northwest China.
And in this article we will talk about what is the Terracotta Army in China.
Terracotta Army in China
Terracotta Army (or Bīng Mǎ Yǒng in Chinese) is one of the most important monuments of the modern era.
The site of was first discovered in 1974 by local farmers in the area. The archaeological site is located near the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in Shaanxi Province, northwest China.
As it known, China is proud of the historical dynasties that ruled it. And its most famous ruler is Qin Shi Huang, who is the first emperor of China.
Who is Qen Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang is the first emperor of the unified China and therefore the first emperor of the entire country from 221 to 210 BC.
Qin lived from 259 to 210 BC and he is also the founder of the Qin dynasty. He did a great job by expanding the size of China, by adding many areas to it, such as: Yue lands and Guangdong. In fact, many laws were enacted during his reign that helped in reforms that included the economic and political sectors.
And we have to mention that during his reign, the walls of the country were also incorporated into what was later known as “The Great Wall of China“.
The most important facts about the Terracotta Army
Terracotta Army site is located about 25 miles (40 km) northeast Xi’an. It is also 1 mile (1.5 km) east of the mausoleum of the first Qin Emperor. The site covers an area of 6.3 acres (25,380 square meters) and includes four pits.
Some local farmers discovered the site in 1974 when they were digging for a well outside Xi’an, China. So, they informed the Chinese authorities, who sent official archaeologists to the site.
Although the sculptures color now is gray, some paint spots show that it was brightly colored.
The number of sculptures
The Terracotta Army is made up of thousands of clay figures that are life-size soldiers, horses, and chariots. They were counted in 2007 and they include:
- More than 8000 soldiers.
- 130 wagons with 520 horses.
- More than 100,000 weapons.
- Sculptures of non-military figures in other pits.
- Sculptures of leaders and musicians.
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In the end, although China has many important tourist attractions, this monument is the most mysterious and unique.
