Walking into underground vault containing the Army of Terracotta Warriors (Bingmayong) was a dream come true - in more ways than one. Not only were the historical features better than the National Geographic channel, these men are perfect. Strong - Confident - Quiet. Pity they're all stone cold ;-)The 2200-year old army stands guard over the ancient imperial tomb of Qin Shi Huang - the first Emperor who united China. While admired for his military conquests and brilliant public administration, his tyrannical behaviour and massive construction projects wreaked havoc on the Chinese populace. His tomb rests 1.5 km from the site of the terracotta warriors and is believed to contain treasures beyond belief.
The army was discovered in 1974 by a farmer who was digging a well. It turned out to be the largest archaeological find of the 20th century, with archaeologists working round the clock to restore the figures of soldiers, horses and other military installments. The farmer hasn't done to badly either. He sits daily at the circle theatre autographing copies of books that are sold for CNY170 each!
Pit 1 - 6000 terracotta figures of warriors and horses face east in a battle array
Currently, there are three pits open to the public with Pit 1 containing the most number of restored figures. Work is proceeding at a slow pace because the authorities are taking great pains to preserve the vivid colour of the sculptures - which disappear within hours of being unearthed. All the figures so far reveal unique facial features, without duplicates. The ranks of these warriors can be recognized by their headgear and battlegear:
- One hair knot - Common soldier
- Flat hat - Middle-ranking officer
- Double hair knot - General (there are only 7 in the entire collection)
- Kneeling with hands at the side - Archer
- Loose clothing with hands together - Charioteer
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