Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum is the most iconic attraction in Xi’an and the most magnificent underground military museum in the world. Its splendor and magnificence are breathtaking, destined to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. This latest guide to visiting Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum will serve as your intimate travel guide, helping you to easily plan your itinerary and fully appreciate the unique charm of this world wonder.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum
The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang is in Xi’an, China. Thousands of terracotta warriors are standing in the museum. They are scaled 1:1 with real people and arranged in an orderly manner. Each one shows a unique shape and charm. It reproduces the majestic momentum and strict discipline of the Qin Dynasty army. They are not only masterpieces of the Qin Dynasty’s outstanding sculpture art but also witnesses of history.
Their costumes are gorgeous, their hairstyles are different, and their expressions are rich, depicting the bravery and majesty of the Qin Dynasty soldiers in detail. The war horses and chariot equipment are also exquisitely crafted, and every detail shows the superb craftsmanship of Qin Dynasty craftsmen. Stepping into this underground legion museum that has been sleeping for thousands of years, you will experience the glorious era of ancient Chinese civilization up close.
Terracotta Army Pit 1
The museum is divided into Pit 1, 2, and 3. Pit 1 is the most famous and largest exhibition hall, with more than 6,000 terracotta warriors and horses, which is the most eye-catching attraction in Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum. The grand scale and strict legion layout demonstrated the Qin army’s powerful military strength and strict military discipline. This is the legendary legion that was invincible more than 2,000 years ago, now it is perfectly presented to you.
Terracotta Army Pit 2
Pit 2 has the most complete range of troops and the most complex layout. There are not only conventional infantry and cavalry but also archers, chariot soldiers, and other types of soldiers. The combination of these types of soldiers further enriches the image of the Qin army. Especially the Terracotta General in Pit 2, dressed in gorgeous armor, holding a long sword, with a majestic look, showing the demeanor of a leader. In addition, there are bronze weapons, jade artifacts, and other cultural relics in Pit 2.
Terracotta Army Pit 3
Pit 3 is believed to be the command center for the entire Terracotta Army. Although there are only a few terracotta warriors here, their costumes and weapons are unique. This pit was unearthed later, so it is better maintained, less oxidized, and has brighter colors. You can find the senior generals and some equipment used for commanding operations in Pit 3. It is a place to gain an in-depth understanding of the Qin army’s command system and the military wisdom behind it. The main attraction of this exhibition hall is the display cases. You will find that the Terracotta Warriors are taller than you imagined, and you can also take a closer look at the details of their equipment.
Heritage Exhibition Hall of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor 秦始皇陵文物陈列馆
Located next to Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, you need to take a shuttle bus from the Terracotta Museum Parking Center to get there. After getting off the bus, you will find a hill nearby; it is the real location of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, which has not been excavated yet. The exhibition hall displays precious cultural relics unearthed from various pits, including different types of pottery figurines, weapons, horse harnesses, and other funerary objects. The bronze chariot, a famous unearthed treasure, is also on display. This is the place to learn about the history of the Terracotta Warriors and the stories behind each artifact.
Address: Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi
How to get there: Take metro Line 1 to Fanzhicheng Station, then transfer to Line 9, and get off at Huaqing Pool Station.
You can also take a shuttle bus to the Terracotta Scenic Area. The bus departs from Bell Tower, Tonghua Gate, and Xi’an Vienna International Hotel every half hour and costs RMB 30 per person.
Hua Qing Palace 华清宫
Hua Qing Palace is very close to Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum and was a royal palace during the Tang Dynasty. It has rich hot spring resources, the love story of “Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Yang Guifei”, and is the site of the Xi’an Incident, making it a famous tourist attraction in China. The scenic area has magnificent Tang Dynasty-style buildings and unique garden scenery. Even Mount Li (as known as Lishan), which is located behind it, is a famous scenic spot in China. “Nuwa mending the sky” is a legendary story that took place at Mount Li.
This is a large palace with a road leading to Mount Li. There is also a Xi’an Hua Qing Palace Hotel & Spa in the scenic area. The Hua Qing Palace was a hot spring hotel for ancient Chinese emperors, and the Royal Soup Site of the Tang Dynasty exhibits several former hot spring baths.
Royal Soup Site of the Tang Dynasty 唐代御汤遗址
Five royal soup sites were discovered, including Hitom Soup, Lotus Soup, Stars Soup, Prince Soup, and Food Soup. For example, Hitom Soup, commonly known as Guifei Soup, was built in 747 AD. It is shaped like a crabapple flower (Hitom) and was specially used for Yang Guifei to bathe.
Stars Soup was built in 644 AD as a bathing place for Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin. The original site was an open-air bath, which was a relatively avant-garde design in ancient China. It is named Stars Soup because you can see the sky full of stars. I believe what everyone is most curious about is the Food Soup. Is there any food in the hot spring? In fact, it was for the imperial kitchen staff. The emperor’s entourage in the Tang Dynasty also had good welfare benefits.
After a tour, return to the statue of Yang Guifei in the atrium, where there are water pipes connected to natural hot spring water. Remember to refill your bottle before leaving and bring back the mixed hot spring water to the hotel’s bathtub to experience the emperors of the Tang Dynasty.
Xi’an Incident 西安事变
In addition to the royal hot springs of the Tang Dynasty, there is also an exhibition hall on the Xi’an Incident in Hua Qing Palace. Coming to the exhibition area not far away, it was as if we had instantly traveled back from the Tang Dynasty to 1936. Simply put, the Xi’an Incident was the kidnapping of Chiang Kai-shek by warlords Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng. Chiang Kai-shek fled in a panic by jumping out of the window in the night, running towards Mount Li, and was finally captured after hiding behind a large rock. This incident shocked the whole world at the time, and later, Chiang Kai-shek was forced to accept an end to the civil war and unite to fight against Japan.
The exhibition hall has photos and historical explanations, and the decorations are restored according to history so that the scenes of the year are reproduced before your eyes. Even the bullet holes from the night of the Xi’an Incident are still left on the walls and windows. Passing by Bingjian Pavilion along the way, the stone wall next to Bingjian Pavilion is where Chiang Kai-shek hid. It is just an ordinary stone wall with “Chiang Kai-shek’s Hiding Place” engraved in Chinese. The view here is also very good, and you can also overlook the Lintong District below.
If you have enough time, there are many attractions on Mount Li, including Wanzhao Pavilion, Lishan Laomu Temple, Lishan Mingsheng Palace, Lishan Beacon Tower, etc. It takes a whole day to visit the entire place, so returning after visiting the Bingyan Pavilion is recommended.
Address: No. 38, Huaqing Road, Lishan, Lintong District, Xi’an
How to get there: Take metro Line 1 to Fanzhicheng Station, then transfer to Line 9, and get off at Huaqing Pool Station.
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