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The tomb of Emperor Qinshihuang (the First Emperor of Qin Dynasty) is located five kilometers to the east of the Lintong county, Shaanxi Province. According to the "Historic Chronicle", soon after he was crowned, Qinshihuang began to build his tomb at Lishan. After he conquered the whole nation, the project was expanded, involving a total of 700,000 people, and lasting about 30 years. But, it remained unfinished by the time the Qin Dynasty was overthrown.The terra-cotta warriors and horses comprise a mass of sculptures. They were used as articles buried with the dead emperor. Totally 3,000 items, large and small, were first discovered in the Yangjiawan village, 22 kilometers to the east of Xian'yang city on August 8, 1965. They were put on display first on July 31, 1981, at the Xian'yang museum.

How they were made

These terra-cotta figurines are boasted to be the 8th wonder in the world. The terra-cotta warriors and horses are made life-sized, animated and proportional in constitution. The warrior figurines are mostly 1.8 meters tall, the tallest one is 1.97 meters tall. They look sturdy and strong. Even wrapped by armors, their developed muscles can be seen. Their uniforms, decorations, appearances and manners are different, depending on their ranks and experiences. Some are wise and awe-inspiring generals, some are brave and resolute sergeants, and some are naive newly-recruited soldiers.The pottery horses all gape. The mane is neatly divided into two clusters on their front head. They straighten up their ears and appear vigilant.According to experts, the process of making terra-cotta warriors and horses is rather complicated. Firstly, pottery models must be made to resemble every part of their bodies. Secondly, the models are assembled and glued together. Thirdly, details such as eyes, mouth, nose, hair, beard, armor and texture of clothes are engraved. Examining the residues of some terra-cotta figurines, experts believe 23 categories of paints had been used, such as bright red, rosy red, purplish red, pink, orange yellow, and light yellow.
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More explanations

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Kindly provided by "Tseng, Albert"
t33sdad@torhosp.toronto.on.ca or albert.tseng@utoronto.ca

The following are some exerpts from a book I purchased at the terra-cotta Warrior Mausoleum near Xian. Yang Peiyan, one of the farmers who found the terra-cotta Warriors signed my book (I am still unsure whether it was really him or not!)

The size of the site is truly amazing and the warriors are very formidable, even from the balcony above the pits. A trip to China should definitely include a visit to see them. It was definitely one of the highlights of my tour through China.

Hope this answers some of your questions!
Albert

From
"The Subterranean Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang"
book by the China Travel and Tourism Press.

In 1974, three Chinese farmers Yang Peiyan, Yang Zhifa, and Yang Wenxue from the village of Xiyang, began to dig a well to provide water during the coming spring drought. They discovered what appeared to be the thoracic cavity of a "pottery man". The news went to Xian and then Beijing and an archaeological team arrived in July of 1974.

After two years of initial explorations, the team reached the conclusion that the site could only be terracotta warriors and horses buried with Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. Three pits were discovered, with a total of more than 20,000 square meters. Unearthed were nearly 8,000 terra-cotta warriors and horses and more than 100 wooden war chariots.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum is located about 7.5km east of Lintong County in Shaanxi Province. The Emperor began his mausoleum project as soon as he ascended to the Qin throne. After the unification of the whole country, more than 700,000 slaves were sent to work on the mausoleum.

The construction began in 246 BC and the whole project was completed only after his death, indicating time span of approximately 38 years. The scale and cost of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum were probably larger than that of the pyramid of the Egyptian Pharaoh Hufu.

The horses and soldiers are all true to life. The human figures are true to form and of correct proportions. The human figures include generals, officers and soldiers, each with different dress and ornaments commensurate with rank and indifferent life-like gestures and poses. Each terracotta warrior is an individual work of art, however, because each human face is different and every warrior has a different expression. It is even possible with some of the warriors to guess from their features and expressions their native place, age and personality. It's no wonder that Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum has been referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

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