The ancient capital of China— Xi-an

Terra Cotta Warriors

—Research and Story by Ada Wong

Travel was always my first choice when I was working and living in Hong Kong. Since it is such a crowded city, in order to escape from the busy life, traveling is my priority.

I was visiting the city of Xi-An in 2004 and it was such a memorable trip that I would like to share it with all of the readers of Asia Trend Magazine.

Qin’s Terracotta Warriors and Horses, I dare say most people defi nitely have heard about it, or even have paid it a visit. The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most signifi cant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at the site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.

The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections : No. 1 pit, No. 2 pit and No. 3 pit respectively. Altogether over 7,000 prices of pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur.

Qin Shi Huangdi (259BC – 210BC), the fi rst emperor of China, ascended the throne at the age of 13, when construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests, he ordered 720,000 conscript laborers to hurry up and fi nish building his royal tomb. It was fi nished just in time for his use in 210BC. His son, the second Qin Emperor saw to his entombment.

Due to the fact that the Terra-cotta Warriors are so famous, people could have neglected the yet unexcavated mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. Actually, the Museum of Terracotta Warriors forms only part of the tomb. Greater things are yet to come.

In size, the mausoleum is larger than the Great Pyramid of Egypt. Seen from afar, it is a hill overgrown with vegetation. It is believed that the tomb consists of an interior city and an exterior city. The exterior of the mausoleum is a low earth pyramid with a wide base.

According to historical records, the mausoleum was a notorious crime scene. Many laborers died of hardship
during its construction, and all the workmen were entombed along with the emperor in order to keep their mouths shut. Also all the barren royal concubines accompanied the emperor on his last journey. Should you have time to travel to China, please make sure you pay a visit to Xi-an, due to its historical background. It is well worth a visit.