Refreshed: August 2026
There are some sights that you know are going to be impressive before you arrive, but seeing them in person is something else entirely. The Terracotta Army was one of those experiences for me.
Just like climbing the Great Wall of China, I found it difficult to comprehend how something on this scale could have been created more than 2,000 years ago. Standing there looking across row after row of life-size warriors was quite extraordinary.
An Army Created for the Afterlife
The Terracotta Army was created for Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify China. Work on his vast mausoleum complex began when he was still young, and the warriors were intended to protect him in the afterlife.
The site remained hidden for more than two thousand years until it was discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging a well near Xi’an. Imagine making a discovery like that!
No Two Warriors Look Quite the Same
What fascinated me most was the extraordinary attention to detail. Look closely and you begin to notice the facial features, hairstyles, clothing, hands and different postures. The warriors don’t simply look like thousands of identical statues lined up in rows; they appear to have their own individual characteristics.
Even the horses looked remarkably lifelike. Standing in formation, the warriors and horses look as though they are ready for battle and prepared to defend their emperor. Knowing that these figures were created more than 2,000 years ago makes the sight even more remarkable.
Piecing an Ancient Army Back Together
Another thing that struck me was the painstaking restoration work. Many of the figures were discovered broken and have had to be carefully reconstructed by archaeologists.
Seeing some standing complete while others were still being pieced together gave me an appreciation of just how enormous the archaeological task is. The work is far from finished because the mausoleum complex is vast and much of it remains unexcavated.
The Emperor’s Tomb Remains Untouched
Perhaps one of the most intriguing things about the site is that Qin Shi Huang’s actual burial chamber has still not been opened.
The Terracotta Army is part of a much larger mausoleum complex built around the emperor’s tomb. Archaeologists have continued to study and excavate areas around it, while the central tomb itself remains undisturbed.
I find that extraordinary. More than two thousand years after the emperor was buried, some of the greatest secrets of his mausoleum may still be waiting beneath the ground.
The Kneeling Archer
Of all the individual figures I saw, the Kneeling Archer captivated me most. I photographed him from almost every angle.
Unlike so many of the warriors that had been found damaged and painstakingly reconstructed, this figure was remarkably well preserved. I could see the detail in his hair, armour, clothing and posture.
I found myself studying him not simply as an archaeological object, but as a magnificent piece of art. He was stunning.
One of the Great Archaeological Discoveries
Leaving the Terracotta Army, I kept thinking about the sheer improbability of its discovery. For more than two thousand years this enormous underground army had remained hidden until people digging a well stumbled upon it.
I have also seen the treasures discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt, and I honestly don’t know which discovery amazes me more. Perhaps I don’t need to choose. Both left me wondering how many extraordinary pieces of human history might still be lying beneath our feet, waiting to be found.
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Missed any part of China posts?
Catch up on some of it here:- My 20 day China Journey
This is amazing, I love it!!
Incredible sculptures
Yes, they were amazing, almost lifelike! And to think they were made thousands of years ago is mind blowing.