Lintong

The Terracotta Army — the burial pit complex of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China — needs little introduction as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century and one of the principal reasons international visitors travel to Xi'an. The three excavated pits contain approximately 8,000 life-size terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots in their original formation positions, buried as a symbolic army to serve the emperor in death.

The discovery in 1974 was made by farmers drilling a well, which puts the site in a tradition of accidental Chinese archaeological discovery. Systematic excavation and conservation has been ongoing since and continues today; a significant portion of the total burial complex remains unexcavated, including the imperial tomb mound itself. The mound, a tree-covered hill visible from the museum site, is not excavated by deliberate policy — the decision to preserve the unexcavated sections in situ, awaiting conservation technologies that do not yet exist, is one of the more consequential and debated decisions in Chinese heritage management.

Pit 1, the largest, contains the main infantry formation and is covered by a large exhibition hall that allows viewing from elevated walkways around the perimeter and some closer approach on designated paths. The variety of individual facial features — each warrior is said to have a distinct face — is most visible in the closer sections. Pit 2 has a more varied assembly of cavalry and mixed units; Pit 3 is smaller and appears to represent the command structure.

Huaqing Palace, a hot spring resort associated with the Tang Emperor Xuanzong and his consort Yang Guifei, is a few kilometres west of the museum and is often combined in a day visit.