Several kilometers east of Xi'an, there is a grand terracotta army underground which is regarded as the eighth wonder of the world. This is the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qinshihuang Mausoleum.

The first emperor of Qin Dynasty, known as Qinshihuang, made great achievements in Chinese history. While still alive, he mobilized huge manpower and used a great deal of materials to build his mausoleum. Terracotta warriors and horses were used as burrial objects to accompany the emperor in the after world.

Terracotta warriors and horses were first discovered in 1974. Archaeologists, from three terracotta figurines pits occupying about 2,000 aquare meters, have since unearthed some 8,000 life-like soldier and horses. Standing in formation, they indicate the powerful military might of Qin when it unified China.

All the warriors look robust and are physically weel-proportioned. Normally, each one is about 1.80 m high. They are further divided into infantry, cavalry, archers, generals, etc. Dressed in armor, holding weapons, some lead horses, some ride in carriages, some have one knee on the ground pulling back their bow to release as arrow, while others stand aloof, gazing to the front. Each clay horse is 1.50 m in height and 2 m in length. They all look robust, beautiful and alert as if they are ready to charge onto the battlefield at any moment.

Not very far from the Mausoleum of Qinshihuang, two sets of bronze horse-pulled chariots there sits a man driving a charoit pulled by four horses. The size of bronze charoit is about half size of a true machine. Such big bronze wares are rarely seen in the world. Terracotta warriors and horses provide important material objects for the research on history, military, and culture of Qin Dynasty.