“If you die, you won’t take anything with you,” says folk wisdom. But the first Chinese emperor did not think so, he intended to take everything that was possible to the next world. Even the army

In March 1974, in Shaanxi Province, one and a half kilometers from the majestic mound of ancient Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang, local peasants were digging a well. They searched for water, but found a life-sized clay head and torso. Later, archaeologists removed from the ground and reassembled hundreds of statues of terracotta warriors and horses. The clay army, over 2200 years old, was known as a new wonder of the world, after which its soldiers "traveled" half the world, attracting a record number of visitors to the museums where they exhibited. In 2006, they even "came on stage" at the New York Metropolitan Opera as a backdrop for Tan Dun's opera The First Emperor. Party of Qin Shi Huang, on whose orders the Terracotta Army, performed by the famous tenor Placido Domingo.

Ruled in the III century BC. e. the first unifier of China (the name Qin Shi Huang, which he adopted as a result of his conquests, is translated as “the first heavenly ruler from the house of Qin”) desperately did not want to die. The ancient Chinese historian Sima Qian wrote that the emperor repeatedly instructed his subjects to find a drug that gave eternal life, and could not stand talking about death. However, the ruler also took care not to need anything if he still had to go to afterworld. Qin Shi Huang took with him to the grave "models" of his empire and palace, statues of officials, artists, servants. And an army of thousands of terracotta soldiers and officers.

Ideal State

The burial of the First Emperor is located according to Feng Shui: according to this teaching, you need to bury, as well as settle, where the qi energy lingers, that is, between mountains and water

Terracotta Army

Castle. ruins on top level Inner city - the remains of the palace, which was used not for ceremonies, but for feasts and relaxation. Such palaces were often built in ancient Chinese burial complexes.

Remains of caretakers' houses. Officials lived here, whose duty it was to maintain order in the burial complex.

Chariots. Two bronze chariots with four horses were found in a square pit - an open combat chariot (in battle such were in the vanguard of the Qin army) and equipped with a closed cabin (probably for inspection trips around the country). The chariots and horses are half their natural size.

"Pond". Clay figures of servants, musicians, as well as bronze statues of birds living near the water were found here: cranes (an ancient Chinese symbol of longevity), geese and swans.

Mound. Below it are the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and the underground palace. What is in them remains a mystery: the authorities do not give permission for large-scale excavations, fearing to damage the treasures. Opening the embankment is unsafe: soil analysis revealed an increased content of mercury. Sima Qian wrote that by order of Qin Shi Huang, a map of the empire was depicted on the floor of the tomb, and the “rivers” and “seas” were filled with mercury on it.

Cemetery builders. More than a hundred graves, from one to 14 bodies each. Ancient Chinese historians reported that more than 700 thousand people were sent to the construction. Mostly state slaves who fell into bondage for debts or misconduct, or prisoners of war, worked here. When they were buried, pieces of tiles were placed over the remains with information about the deceased: name, place of residence, rank and the crime committed.

"Palace Menagerie". Statues of servants, bowls and collars, skeletons of wild animals and birds have been found here. This is probably an imitation of a menagerie where rare animals were kept for hunting.

Pit officials. Terracotta figures of officials 1.8–1.9 m high and charioteers, the remains of a wooden chariot and bones of horses were found here.

"Stable"- pits in which the skeletons of imperial horses, ceramic vessels for food and statues of grooms were found.

Graves of the nobility. According to researchers, possible rivals of Qin Shi Huang's son, who were executed by him after coming to power, are buried here: high dignitaries and half-brothers and sisters.

Pits with acrobats. They found 11 terracotta figures of acrobats and equipment for performances: tripods, spears, bronze vessels.

Structural solution

Qin Shi Huang wanted something strange from his subjects: clay figurines were placed in the graves even before him, but never before in Ancient China had they made life-size realistic statues of people. I had to develop the technology of a new "mass production"

Each warrior has individual facial features, and the shape of the ears is also different. Initially, the figures were brightly colored, the colors corresponding to ranks and divisions.

Terracotta army pits

They are located on the approaches to the mound: clay warriors, as it were, are put up to protect it. The earthen walls of the pits were strengthened wooden beams, the floor was paved with gray bricks, the floors above the premises were log, mats were laid on them, a layer of clay to protect against water and several layers of rammed earth. More than 8,000 terracotta figures have been found in three pits, and this is not the limit. Since 1979, the Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang has been open here.

Stages of "production"

1 Sculpting the body carried out tape method- made of clay strips 2–4 cm wide and 2–7 cm thick. The body was made hollow to reduce pressure on the legs.

2 Heads, arms and legs were made separately, in two-part forms, according to the technology worked out in the production of clay pipes and tiles. The heads were made hollow.

3 Assembly. The connection of the limbs with the body was fixed with clay strips.

4 Personalization. Plates of armor were applied to the body with a new layer. The face was given special features. A mustache, beard, ears, hairstyle, headdress were attached to the head.

5 Drying and firing. The figures were dried in the open air in the shade, and then fired in kilns at 800–1200°C.

6 Painting. Paints were made on an egg basis from pigments of mineral origin.

7 Armament. The soldiers were given real military weapons, some specimens managed to visit the battle.

Pit layout

(1) Pit #1. The largest one is its area of ​​13,029 m2. About 6,000 warriors in battle order, horses and chariots.

(2) Pit #2- Military camp. Remains of chariots, figures of horses and soldiers.

(3) Pit #3- "Command Headquarters". It has only one chariot with four horses, statues of officers and soldiers of the "guard".

(4) Pit #4 empty - perhaps they simply did not have time to fill it.

"Construction of the century" number two

Under Qin Shi Huang, the fortifications erected along the northern borders to protect against barbarians were united into the Great Wall of China (although the one that has survived to this day was mainly created during the Ming dynasty, XIV-XVII centuries). Qin Shi Huang generally liked to build, especially palaces. However, the cyclopean projects exhausted the state and were a heavy burden for its inhabitants. In fact, the ruler literally took with him to the grave the greatness and prosperity of the empire he created: after the death of Qin Shi Huang in 210 BC. e. uprisings broke out all over the country. As a result, four years later, the dynasty, which, according to his plan, was supposed to rule for 10,000 years, was overthrown.

Photo: Alamy / Legion-media (x2), Reuters / Pix-Stream, Diomedia, iStock (X4), Barcroft / TASS Newsreel

You will find a complete list of 155 wonders that you need to see with your own eyes in the anniversary, December issue of Vokrug Sveta magazine.

rich and misterious story China, dating back thousands of years, reveals its secrets to mankind. One of these mysteries is terracotta army in china, which is considered by many to be one of the eight wonders of the world.

The cruel and ambitious ruler Qin Shi Huang, known in history as the unifier of the lands, declared himself the first emperor of the Qin Empire. Many reforms aimed at establishing unconditional power are associated with it. For example, he established territorial districts, introduced a single standardization for measuring weights and length, writing, construction, and even the width of the axle of carts. In an effort to strengthen power and make it eternal, even after death, the emperor wanted to have a powerful army at his disposal. He ordered to bury with him about 4 thousand young soldiers. And according to legend, only the inevitability of riots forced the emperor to abandon this idea. The warriors were replaced by clay figurines, for reliability their number was doubled. The army was deployed to the East, since from this side the ruler felt a danger to the Qin empire. So, together with the emperor, in 210-209. BC. an entire army was buried, which has about 8100 warriors made of terracotta clay with uniforms and horses.

About the history of excavations

Where is the terracotta army located in China? Near the city of Xi'an in the province of Shengbsi, peasants came across many pottery shards. It was believed that such finds bring bad luck. In 1974, while digging a well, the farmer Yan Ji Wang discovered the first figure of a warrior made of clay. This was the beginning of a grandiose excavation.

Very soon, scientists realized that a whole army was opening up before them, which had a history of two thousand years. Excavations of this unique "dead army" have been going on for several decades, but much still remains hidden, and the mystery has not been fully solved.

Terracotta Army in China located on several levels. In 1974, the first tier was opened. The vanguard of the army has about 6 thousand figures of warriors. After 10 years, the second tier was opened with 2 thousand clay warriors. A decade later, the headquarters of the army was discovered, which consisted of figures of the highest military leadership. A little later, the statues of musicians, officials, acrobats were opened. Started in 2009 newest stage these grandiose excavations, which uncovered more than 600 different clay statues.

army sculptures

The legend claims that about 48 concubines and 70 thousand artisans who made figures were buried with the emperor. Archaeologists have discovered many graves located near the main burial ground. But the most amazing find is the army, consisting of 8 thousand infantry, archers and cavalry, which was hidden under the earth.

Amazing terracotta warriors had their own characteristics:

• The height of the figures is from 1.78 to 2.01 m, which does not correspond to the growth real people that time.
• The leading officers are taller than ordinary soldiers.
• All soldiers of the army are deployed in battle formations. For example, archers are on one knee, which eliminates possible interference with the second row of warriors for shooting. This makes it possible to evaluate the military tactical science of that time.
• Each pose and faces of the warriors are different from each other. No two warriors are the same. This gives grounds to assume that living warriors of Emperor Qin served as kind for the clay army.
• Interestingly, by nationality, clay figurines were depicted not only by the Chinese. Among them there are Tibetan and Mongolian types of faces.
• The figures are reproduced with pedantic precision in detail. Clothing, hairstyles, armor, shoes - everything corresponds to that time.
• After making the sculptures, they were fired in kilns at a temperature of more than 1000 degrees. Further, all the figures were painted in natural colors, the remains of which are still partially preserved.
• The main array of warriors has 11 passages, which are separated by walls. From above, the rows were covered with tree trunks, covered with mats and a 30 cm layer of cement. All this was covered with a layer of earth of 3 meters.

During excavations, archaeologists encountered challenging task. When removing from the ground the paint that covered the figures, for 5 minutes. dried up, began to burst and crumble. But the task of conservation was found. The figures were placed in a tank with a certain humidity, covered with a special solution and irradiated. Thereby, terracotta army in china has been preserved in its original form. In 1987, Emperor Qin's army was included in the specially protected objects of UNXCO.

When visiting China, along with the Great Wall of China and the Shaolin Monastery, one should not miss the museum in the city of Xi'an. A grandiose spectacle will appear before you - a huge army of ancient warriors with weapons, horsemen on chariots skillfully molded by the ancient masters of China.

Terracotta Army (China) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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In March 1974, Chinese peasants digging a well accidentally discovered the now legendary Terracotta Army - from 7 to 9 thousand clay warriors weighing 135 kilograms each, made of baked clay and painted. The creation of such a unique army is connected with the belief of the Chinese in the afterlife and the tradition that existed even before our era of burial with the ruler of the country of his entire palace and subjects.

According to various estimates, the Terracotta Army "consists" from 7 to 9 thousand clay warriors.

An army of terracotta warriors was buried with Qin Shi Huang, their ruler and the first emperor of China in 210-209 BC. e., and should probably testify to the progressiveness and humanism of the ruler, since his predecessors preferred to bury a living army with them to settle in the other world.

However, it should be mentioned that in addition to the terracotta army with the emperor, up to 70 thousand workers were buried with their families and about three thousand concubines of the emperor were alive.

Today, the entire clay army is stored in crypts 1.5 kilometers from the burial place of its ruler.

It is believed that the facial features of each of the warriors were copied from real living people.

All this army is only a part of the grandiose project of the majestic tomb of the Chinese emperor, over the construction of which about 700 thousand people worked. Here, on the ground, a whole miniature China was built with its rivers, mountains and palaces. Thus, the emperor seemed to continue to rule his country even after death.

Terracotta Army Museum

Whichever hotel you stay in, you will probably be offered an excursion program to visit the Terracotta Army Museum and the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

The museum itself, which at the same time also serves as a springboard for archaeological excavations, consists of 4 huge pits in which the statues are located. The warriors of the Terracotta Army differ even in rank - among them there are generals, officers and ordinary soldiers, in the presence of weapons and even in nationality. It is worth looking closely at these faces, as it becomes clear that among the warriors there are representatives of various nations.

In the shop at the museum for 2500 USD you can buy a full-size copy of any warrior you like, a small figurine, of course, is much cheaper.

Do not miss the opportunity to visit the 360-degree panoramic cinema located right in the museum, which shows a 20-minute film about the creation of the army.

Here you will meet the same peasant who unearthed the first warrior. Today, he gladly signs autographs and even allows you to take pictures with him for a small fee. However, experienced travelers claim that the "pioneer" of the Terracotta Army changes periodically. Such is the mysterious East.

Prices on the page are for July 2018.

In the world, there are 3 capitals most famous for their ancient values ​​- these are Rome, Athens and Xi'an. In the last city, the ancients erected a whole army, the purpose of which was to guard the tomb of the emperor. More than two thousand years have passed, and the immovable soldiers are still standing, silently fulfilling their destiny. All the figures are made so realistically that one involuntarily doubts that they are made of clay: each has its own facial expression. At the same time, absolutely everyone is different - there is not a single soldier who would be similar to another.

Location of the Terracotta Army

The famous terracotta army belongs to the sights of the Xi'an province, located near the city of Lintong. The army accompanies the burial of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (it was on his initiative that they began to build the Great). There is no doubt that the purpose of this army was to guard the emperor and fight for him in the Realm of Death.

Before today 8,000 figures have been found in underground halls or pits. Foot soldiers, archers, crossbow shooters, cavalrymen, war chariots with horses are lined up in battle order. The height of the warriors is from 1.6 to 1.7 meters, and none is like the other. Everyone is in different poses - someone is standing like a pillar, someone is holding a sword, as if repelling an attack, and someone, kneeling, is pulling a bowstring. The statues themselves are hollow, except for the legs, otherwise they would not have been able to stand for so long. Previously, the entire army was painted in bright colors, but over time, the paint, of course, came off.

Not all figures of warriors depict the Chinese, there are also Tibetans and so on. All details of clothing or hairstyle strictly correspond to the fashion of that time. Everyone has their own weapon, by the way, for many it is not stone, but the most worthless. True, most of the swords and bows were stolen in ancient times by marauders.

History of the Terracotta Army

In 246 BC, after the death of King Zhuang Xiang-wang, his son Ying Zheng, known in history as Qin Shi Huangdi, ascended the throne of the Qin kingdom. By the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Qin kingdom occupied a rather vast territory. By the time of accession to the throne, Ying Zheng was only thirteen years old, until he came of age, the first adviser to the king, Lu Bu-wei, actually ruled the state.

In 230 BC, Ying Zheng sent a huge army against the neighboring kingdom of Han. The Qin defeated the Han troops, captured the Han king An Wang and occupied the entire territory of the kingdom, turning it into a Qin district. This was the first kingdom conquered by the Qin. In subsequent years, the Qin army captured the kingdoms of Zhao, Wei, Yan, Qi.

By 221 BC, the Qin kingdom had victoriously ended the long struggle for the unification of the country. In place of scattered kingdoms, a single empire with centralized power is being created. Since Ying Zheng became the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, he ordered himself to be called Shi Huangdi - "the first highest emperor." Qin Shi Huang was in fact an unlimited head of state and was distinguished by a special despotism.

The first emperor did not doubt for a minute that his dynasty would rule forever, and therefore tried to create attributes appropriate for eternity. Especially rapid development during the period of the empire was the construction business. During his reign, beautiful palaces were built (the largest palace was the Efangong Palace, erected by Qin Shi Huang near the capital of the empire, on the southern bank of Wei-he). In order to protect the outskirts of the empire from enemies, Qin Shi Huang decided to start building a grandiose structure - a defensive wall along the entire northern border of the empire, which is known to our contemporaries as the Great Wall of China.

In 210 BC, the almighty Qin Shi Huang passed away, his body was buried in a special mausoleum. Detailed description of the grandiose palace and a colossal mound above it belongs to the father of Chinese history, Sima Qian, the chief court historiographer of the emperor. 700 thousand slaves, soldiers and forced peasants participated in the construction of the mausoleum for 37 years. The records indicate that the perimeter of the mound was 2.5 kilometers, and its height reached 166 meters (now the preserved earthen hill, resembling a pyramid, is 560 meters long, 528 meters wide and 34 meters high).

Qin Shi Huang sincerely believed that he could rule his empire even from underworld. For this, he believed, he would need an army - this is how the terracotta army appeared. Even during his lifetime, the emperor wanted clay idols to go to another world with him after death, as he believed that the souls of imperial soldiers would move into them (in any case, this is what an old Chinese legend says).

The warrior statues were made from the casts of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's elite bodyguards. The manufacturing technology was as follows. The main material for statues is terracotta, that is, yellow or red fired unglazed clay. First, the body was molded. Bottom part the statue was monolithic and, accordingly, massive. It is on it that the center of gravity falls. The top is hollow. The head and arms were attached to the body after it had been fired in the kiln. At the end, the sculptor covered the head with an additional layer of clay and sculpted the face, giving it an individual expression. That is why each warrior is distinguished by his individual appearance, the authenticity of the details of clothing and ammunition. The sculptor accurately conveyed the hairstyle of each warrior, which was the subject special attention while. The firing of the figures lasted several days, at a constant temperature not lower than 1,000 degrees Celsius. As a result, the clay from which the warriors were fashioned became as strong as granite.

The tomb of the emperor stands 100 meters west of the pits with the terracotta soldiers. Qin Shi Huang himself died in 210 BC, this date should be considered the approximate date of the construction of the terracotta army. The tomb itself also deserves attention. It is assumed that more than 70,000 people were buried with the emperor: courtiers, servants and concubines, who could serve their master in another world as well as during his lifetime. Why "assumed"? The fact is that no one knows where to look for the entrance. It may very well be that those workers who built the tomb were then killed and buried there - so that the secret would never be revealed. And now the pyramid is under a large earthen rampart. By the way, a clay army would have been under the same rampart if scientists had not dug it up.

It is not completely clear why the army and the tomb were buried under a large one. Scientists doubt that they were deliberately buried. Most are still inclined to another version: most likely, this happened due to a big fire (traces of fire were found). Perhaps the robbers either could not get into the tomb, where, in their opinion, there should have been a lot of treasures. Angry, they started a big fire. It is possible that they nevertheless got inside the tomb, and they needed a fire to eliminate the traces of the crime. One way or another, the fire led to a collapse, burying thousands of clay troops in wet ground for more than two thousand years...

Terracotta Army today

Until 1974, the existence of the terracotta army was not even suspected. It was in this year that several peasants began to dig a well, but were forced to suspend their work - suddenly, right out of the ground, they began to dig statues of soldiers in human height, besides people, horses and whole chariots appeared.

The well, of course, was no longer dug, archaeological excavations began here, and the most unusual for all Lately. Thousands of soldiers and animals were taken into the world.

In total, 3 holes were dug, slightly distant from each other. The first contained statues of foot soldiers, chariots and archers. This pit is the deepest - 5 meters, and its area is 229 by 61 meters. In the second pit, smaller in size, there were not 6,000 soldiers, as in the first, but only 100. The smallest recess hid 68 figures, obviously depicting the command headquarters.

Nowadays, everyone can look at the terracotta army. True, only the first pit is reserved for the museum, but the main part of all the statues is located there. The museum shows videos of the excavations, and other figures are on display, including two miniature bronze chariots with horses harnessed to them and half-life-size charioteers. The latter were discovered in 1980 and are exactly the vehicles used by the emperor, his concubines and courtiers.

In order to further preserve this miracle, a pavilion with a vaulted ceiling was built above the terracotta army. Its dimensions are 200 by 72 meters. In shape, it resembles an indoor pool or stadium.

The excavations are not yet fully completed, they are still ongoing. And they probably won't end soon. The reason for this is not only the size of the tomb and not the lack of financial assistance to archaeologists from the state. V more this is the eternal fear of the Chinese before the world of the dead. Even today they treat the ashes of their ancestors with trepidation, fearing to defile it with their unholy touch. So, according to Professor Yuan Jungai: "Many more years will pass before we can finally continue excavations."

The find in Xi'an Province has a huge historical meaning. It made it possible to learn about how the ancient Chinese army was equipped. And besides, the terracotta army is a real sculptural marvel.

/ The Terracotta Army is a find that shocked the world

Our land is full of ancient mysteries and mysteries. Every people and every country has a history, the roots of which go far into the past. illustrative example– China. China is such an ancient country that it rich story begins many centuries before our era. And every archaeological excavation there leads to finds that stagger the imagination of mankind. One of these finds was the terracotta army.

Terracotta Army called one of the wonders of the world. She has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And US President Ronald Reagan said about her: "The great miracle that belonged to mankind." No one has seen such beauty, such strength and power underground before.

This historical heritage is located in the city of Xi'an, Shenxi Province, located in the east of China.
Terracotta Army- This is a burial of 8099 statues of warriors made of clay. The peculiarity is that all these products are made in full human growth. Chinese warriors with cavalry were buried in 210 - 209 BC with Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

How was the terracotta army found?

For centuries, the inhabitants of Xi'an constantly found pieces of clay - shards. They were afraid to pick them up, because they believed that a curse might follow. The Chinese then did not even suspect that under their feet, just a few meters underground, there was a whole layer of historical heritage.
The mystery of clay shards was discovered in 1974, when Yan Ji Wang, a man who cultivated the land, decided to dig a well on his plot near Mount Lishan. Digging only to a depth of 5 meters, the farmer stumbled upon something strange. Having examined his find, he discovered that it was the head of a warrior, made of terracotta. Archaeologists and historians were shocked by the found object. A long series of archaeological works followed.

Archaeological excavations began in 1978 and are still ongoing. Work is progressing very slowly. Firstly, in order not to damage the figures, and secondly, due to the lack of state funding. The third reason is the ancient belief that rivers of mercury should accompany the emperor to the other world, and in order not to harm the inhabitants of nearby areas and the scientists themselves, everything has to be carefully and carefully checked. So we can safely say that many more secrets lie underground at the foot of Mount Lishan.

Excavations of the clay army have been going on for 40 years. During this time, a whole city grew up on the site of the find. Many pavilions protect the army from rain, wind, which can immediately destroy shaky clay statues. Also, security guards and scientists are constantly on duty to protect the heritage from vandals.
Archaeological expeditions are divided into several stages. The first stage was from 1978 to 1984, the next stage lasted from 1985 to 1986, and the third stage, which began in 2009, continues to this day.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang ruled from 246 to 210 BC, and was one of the most cruel and bloody rulers. Qin Shi Huang is the most significant person in the history of China, and not only because he is the founder of the great Qin dynasty. The great commander was able to unite the 7 kingdoms of China, which waged a fierce war for many decades. Mass destruction and murder, high mortality, chaos and looting ended when the cruel conqueror Qin Shi Huang came to power. The Warring States Period, which lasted 250 years, is over. For the first time, the title of "emperor" was proclaimed, which rose to the level of God. China has become single state and his power was unmatched.

Also a significant imprint in history, which was left by the first emperor, is the completion of construction and strengthening of the Great Wall of China. The narcissistic emperor declared the entire previous history of China irrelevant, and destroyed all historical monuments, literature, scientists. Thus wiping out all history before the Qin Dynasty.

This historical period is famous for the fact that people sacredly believed in the afterlife. They built tombs, mausoleums, crypts, pyramids and tombs, buried their whole family, servants and army alive with them, filled their tombs with gold, wealth and decorations. In general, they did everything to provide themselves with a decent afterlife. One of the richest emperors, Qin Shi Huang, was no exception.
From the moment of ascension to the throne, and more precisely from the year 246, when the emperor was 13 years old, he actively began the construction of his tomb. Initially, to match his ambitions, Qin Shi Huang planned to bury 4,000 warriors alive with him. But due to the fact that over the past 250 years of the most brutal wars, the population of China has declined catastrophically, it would not be reasonable to bury such a number of life-hungry young people with them. Moreover, there would be a danger of a big riot.
Then, for the first time in history, the Chinese ruler came up with the idea to replace living people with clay statues.

Construction of the tomb lasted 38 years, with the efforts of 700,000 workers. They worked on the construction of the mausoleum day and night. The construction of the tomb with tombs and with all adjacent compartments in the perimeter takes 6 kilometers. The territory occupied by the famous terracotta army is 1.5 kilometers.
Together with the army, 70,000 workers with all their families were buried, as scientists think, so that no one would know the secret of the clay army. Also, 48 concubines were buried alive with the great commander. But don't get upset about them. In those days, people were happy to be buried with their owners, and it was considered a great honor.
The Terracotta Army includes more than 8,000 warriors, but this is far from the limit, as excavations are still ongoing, and their number is increasing every decade.

Each statue of a Chinese warrior is approximately 2 meters tall, which once again speaks of the emperor's desire to exalt himself, and weighs about 150 kilograms. Horses weigh 200 - 300 kilograms.
Chariots were also found in the tomb, which amaze with their wealth and luxury. Each bronze chariot consists of more than 300 parts, and is decorated with gold, silver and drawn by four horses.

Clay warriors were deployed to the east, and they stand on the eastern side of the Qin mausoleum, and all because it was on the eastern side that the emperor indulged in the most cruel conquests.
The warriors are arranged in three rows, clearly one behind the other. They stand as if they are ready to start a fight at any moment. The fighters of the terracotta army are lined up in battle order, first the infantrymen go, followed by horsemen, archers, officers and commanders. Next to them were found statues of musicians, officials, acrobats.
All warriors have different forms, different faces, outfit. The work was done so subtly and jewelry that even after 2 thousand years, we can see that each statue has its own facial expression. There is not a single warrior who would be exactly like another. Among the terracotta soldiers, one can easily see the whole multinationality of China. The Terracotta Army includes Chinese, Tibetans, Uighurs, Mongols and so on.
Soldiers are dressed exactly according to the laws of that time. Clothing, hairstyle, mustache or beard, uniforms, armor are made with incredible accuracy. Even on the sole of the shoe you can see the corresponding pattern. Each terracotta soldier was equipped with real weapons. It was believed that warriors were made from life, and after death the soul of a warrior moved into a clay statue.

How exactly the soldiers of the terracotta army were made is still a mystery. One thing is clear, all the work is done by hand. Masters used perfectly different techniques. Some scientists believe that all parts of the body were performed separately, then connected, a face was cultivated from an additional layer of clay on the head, and the whole creation was sent to the oven for several days. But where did the Chinese of the first second century BC get so many stoves? After the work done, the warrior was painted. But unfortunately, for 2 thousand years underground, the paint has worn off. And those sculptures on which the remains of paint were still found, as soon as they were on fresh air how the entire coating was peeled off.

Material for the soldiers was taken from Mount Lishan. However, according to the pollen on the statues, scientists of our time were able to determine that the statues were made in different areas China.
From above, the army was protected by whole tree trunks, zinc, cement and earth.
Unfortunately, the terracotta army was defeated very quickly. Immediately after the death of Qin Shi Huang, his successor's mismanagement sparked a rebellion. The people of China needed weapons. Having broken open the crypt of the army, they burned some of the soldiers, and replaced all real weapons with bronze ones.
It is interesting that for such long period underground, the bronze weapons did not become dull and did not lose their luster, but all because they were covered with chrome. This technique was developed only in the XX century.
We can safely say that the terracotta army qualitatively performed the functions of protecting its master. Many dead vandals and robbers were found on the territory of the army, how exactly they died there is not known.

The great emperor built a whole city of the dead around his crypt. The beauty of the burial complex is not inferior to the real imperial palace. Many burials alive of people, animals, luxurious decorations, untold riches, all this was transferred to the earth along with the emperor. But to this day, unfortunately, these complexes have not survived.
Scientists of our time suggest that this terracotta army, a plundered tomb, is just a dummy of the real tomb of the emperor. Qin Shi Huang was very cunning. And according to legend, together with the great commander, they put such riches into the ground that even our imagination cannot draw. There is a possibility that the real complex has not even been found yet.