16 Interesting Facts about the Terracotta Army in China

Written by Clementine | Updated October 15,2025

Xian is the ancient capital for 13 Chinese dynasties, among which Qin, Han and Tang dynasties have the most interesting history, leaving profound cultural deposits. For an in-depth understanding of the Qin history, it is inevitable to start with the Terracotta Warriors (Terracotta Army), which is the most famous scenic spot in Xian.

In September 1987, Jacques Chirac, the former President of France, rated the Terracotta Warriors as “the eighth wonder of the world”. What is so fascinating and so great about the Terracotta Warriors? Let’s learn some fun facts about the Terracotta Army in China.

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• 1. Why did Qin Shi Huang use the Terracotta Warriors as his burial objects?
• 2. How was the Terracotta Warriors occasionally discovered?
• 3. The Terracotta Warriors Museum is mainly composed of three pits.
• 4. Why are there mounds in the middle of the Terracotta Warriors?
• 5. What are different types of the Terracotta Warriors?
• 6. Each of the Terracotta Warriors is unique.
• 7. The Terracotta Warriors were in color when unearthed.
• 8. Where are the weapons of the Terracotta Warriors?
• 9. Are the Terracotta Warriors all with single eyelids?
• 10. How many tourists visit the Terracotta Warriors every year?
• 11. The Terracotta Army is One of the Top Archaeological Finds of the 20th Century
• 12. There Were No Historical Records of Them Existing
• 13. Its Construction Can Be Traced Back to Over 2,200 Years Ago
• 14. It Holds More Than Soldier Figures
• 15. Over 700,000 laborers spent about 40 years to complete the statues.
• 16. Most of the Terracotta Figures Remain Unearthed
• FAQs about Terracotta Warriors
• Tour Terracotta Army with Chinaxiantour

1. Why did Qin Shi Huang use the Terracotta Warriors as his burial objects?

“Terracotta figures” refer to burial dolls. During the Xia, Shang, Zhou, and pre-Qin periods, nobles often used real people to be buried with the dead. In the Qin Dynasty, the system of human sacrifice was abolished and replaced with terracotta figures. The Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor of Qin were planned and designed under the leadership of the Prime Minister Li Si. After 39 years, the Terracotta Army was finally completed together with the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang (one of the cool facts about the Terracotta Army in China).

Therefore, we can see the terracotta figures unearthed in the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang today. The Terracotta Warriors are not made by real people, but are actually the terracotta products. They represent the underground army of Qin Shi Huang.

2. How was the Terracotta Warriors occasionally discovered?

An interesting fact about the Terracotta Army is its discovery. In 1974, when several farmers were digging a well 1.5 kilometers east of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang in Lintong, Shaanxi Province, they accidentally unearthed fragments of the terracotta figures. The Qin Terracotta Army, dormant for more than 2,200 years, has finally come to light. This discovery shocked the world and unveiled the mystery of China’s largest archaeological site.

However, Terracotta Army is just a tip of the iceberg versus the whole mausoleum of First Qin Emperor, and it has showed no signs of being stolen ever. The Terracotta Army people see now is just one of more than 400 burial pits. The whole mausoleum measures 56.25 square kilometers, about the size of 2.5 Macao. It may take hundreds of years to entirely excavate the mausoleum, which will surely rewrite the history books by then.

3. The Terracotta Warriors Museum is mainly composed of three pits.

After 50 years of archaeological excavation, the total area of Terracotta Warriors pits 1, 2 and 3 exceeds 20,000 square meters, which is a cool fact about the Terracotta Army in China.

The first pit is the largest, while the second is actually also a big one, which has not been fully excavated yet. Besides, the figures buried in the second pit are valiant and heroic combat troop, so it was with more appreciation value. Xian local people said that when the Terracotta Warriors was first found, they were all lying down without being repaired. By current technology, only about 14 figures can be restored each year, which means there’s still a long way to go but more and more terracotta figures can be seen later.

The pit No. 3 is the smallest, and there are only about 60 terracotta figures in it, which is equivalent to a battle headquarter. However, no commander has been found in it. According to experts, this commander is likely to be the Emperor Qin himself. After all, the ancient emperors, especially the first emperor who unified the whole China, had to keep the military power in their own hands.

4. Why are there mounds in the middle of the Terracotta Warriors?

During the Terracotta Warriors tour, many tourists find that every few rows of Terracotta Warriors are separated by mounds. Why is it?

In fact, this is mainly related to the building of the Terracotta Warriors. The middle mound is the rammed earth wall when the burial pit was built, which is equivalent to the load-bearing wall of the house now, and is harder than bricks.

These mounds can well prevent the collapse of the burial pit. At that time, when building the mausoleum, mounds were built every few meters, and then the Terracotta Warriors were successively displayed in the burial pit, covered with wood and mats, and finally filled with rammed earth.

5. What are different types of the Terracotta Warriors?

There are not only soldiers in the Terracotta Warriors. Since the discovery of the Terracotta Army, more than 8,000 lifelike terracotta figures have been unearthed, including warriors such as military officers, standing archers, kneeling archers, cavalrymen, infantry and charioteers, 130 chariots and 670 horses. According to excavated records, the number of infantry warriors is the highest, accounting for over 80% of the total. And the arrangement of the Terracotta Warriors is not random, but in strict military array layout.

An interesting fact about the Terracotta Army: In the newly excavated pit, in addition to the terracotta warriors, there are also acrobatic performers, singers, dancers and attendants, as well as a large number of birds such as waterfowl, cranes and ducks that have never appeared before. It seems that even after his death, Emperor Qin Shi Huang would enjoy exactly the same services and treatment in his afterlife.

6. Each of the Terracotta Warriors is unique.

The large number of Terracotta Warriors is not surprising, but if you look carefully, you will be be amazed to find that Terracotta Warriors all look not exactly the same from each other.

A fun fact about the Terracotta Warriors is that each figure has unique facial features. Their expressions, demeanor, clothing, and hairstyles are all different. After analysis, experts concluded that the facial features of the existing Terracotta Warriors can be divided into at least eight different facial types. Hairstyles and head-wear can reflect their identity level, for example, ordinary soldiers do not wear crowns and have slanted hair buns; the crowns worn by military officers of different ranks are also different.

One of the notable actors in China, named Ge You, said that a figure with 97% similarity to his appearance was once found here. What do you think of the level of how Terracotta Warriors look in your eyes?

• The Production of the Terracotta Warriors:

Terracotta Warriors were made by excellent craftsmen, who gave life to them with their wisdom and talents! The production process of Terracotta Warriors is very complex, and each figure is made in sections. First, the head, torso, and limbs are formed separately, and then combined for carving and coloring.

The hand shape of each soldier, the chariot wheels, the mane of horses, etc. are all finely designed and clearly depicted. The Terracotta Army not only shows the grand scale and super-high craftsmanship of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, but also reveals many details of the military, cultural and social life of the Qin Dynasty.‌

7. The Terracotta Warriors were in color when unearthed.

The Terracotta Warriors we see today are all earthly yellow. However, when the Terracotta Warriors were unearthed, they were colored, some with black eyes, and some with taupe eyes. The clothes of various Terracotta Warriors are also have different colors. Archaeologists have discovered over 10 types of colors, among which vermilion, blue, and green are the most common.

One fact about the Terracotta Army in China: During excavation, the colored paint layer on the surface of terracotta figures curled up after being exposed to the air for only 15 seconds, and peeled off within 4 minutes, eventually becoming the appearance we see during Xian travel today.

8. Where are the weapons of the Terracotta Warriors?

A fun fact about the Terracotta Army is that the weapons in the Terracotta Warriors were real bronzes rather than models. However, most of the Terracotta Warriors seen today have a holding gesture but they do not have weapons in their hands.

The weapons in the hands of the Terracotta Warriors may disappear due to corrosion or looting. One speculated reason is that the handle of the weapon is made of wood, and the iron head buried underground for too long causes corrosion. Another reason is that the weapons were looted or destroyed by Xiang Yu.

9. Are the Terracotta Warriors all with single eyelids?

One fact about the Terracotta Army is that the Terracotta Warriors are all with single eyelids, which may be related to the ethnic and national characteristics at that time. The Terracotta Warriors are all imitation of real people, which proves that the pure Han people in the Qin Dynasty are all single eyelids. It was not until the Han Dynasty intermarried with the Hu people that double eyelids gradually appeared.

In the Qin Dynasty, single eyelid was the standard for handsome men, which was also the earmark of pure Han people’s appearance. And people with single eyelids have a cold and serious expression, which may more meet the needs of military roles.

10. How many tourists visit the Terracotta Warriors every year?

Some people may consider it hard to be obsessed with those gray figures, however, what’s is incredible is that the tourist amount of Terracotta Warriors had ever reached 160 thousand a day during the holiday of Spring Festival in 2019. To put it this way, there are about 6,000 terracotta figures in the No. 1 pit, the largest one in the scenic area, and there are about 1,000 pieces of the figures that have been restored and exhibited. So basically, 160 thousand tourists means that per terracotta figure is supposed to welcome a dozen of people on average. How busy they are!

As of 2023, the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang Museum has received over 160 million visitors in total, with a record breaking 11 million visitors in 2023. This is really a cool fact about the Terracotta Army in China.

Founded in 246 BC, discovered in 1974, and included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1987, the Terracotta Army attracts a large number of tourists to start Xian tours for its unique artistic value and historical significance.

11. The Terracotta Army is One of the Top Archaeological Finds of the 20th Century

The Terracotta Army is celebrated globally as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” and one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, as its scale—over 8,000 lifelike statues—and historical depth offer people unparalleled insights into Qin Dynasty military, art, and society.

12. There Were No Historical Records of Them Existing

Remarkably, the Terracotta Army was not mentioned in any historical texts and being entirely unknown before being some farmers discovered it in 1974. This mystery has made it one of history’s most surprising archaeological revelations.

13. Its Construction Can Be Traced Back to Over 2,200 Years Ago

The Terracotta Army’s origins can be traced back to 246 BCE, when Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, ascended the throne at just 13 years old. These life-sized statues have guarded the emporor’s mausoleum for over two millennia. This fact makes them not just archaeological treasures but living testaments to the grandeur of Qin Dynasty engineering.

14. It Holds More Than Soldier Figures

Beyond the most known soldiers figures, the Terracotta Army also includes other figures like bronze Chariot, Civil Officers, archers (kneeling and standing), High-ranking Officer, and even acrobats, singers, dancers, and Terra-cotta Acrobats.

One of the most renowned among them is Bronze Chariot No. 1. measuring 225 cm in length, 152 cm in height, and weighing 1,061 kg, this chariot features a rectangular compartment measuring 0.45 meters long and 0.74 meters wide. An umbrella-shaped canopy extends from the chariot body, providing shade for the charioteer over an area of approximately 1.17 m².

15. Over 700,000 laborers spent about 40 years to complete the statues.

Bringing the Terracotta Army to life required immense human effort more than you can imagine. In fact, there were more than 700,000 workers been required to toil for nearly four decades, their jobs varied from quarrying stone to carving intricate details. These laborers, skilled artisans and laborers alike, crafted each statue with striking precision, which can be noticed from distinct facial features or armor patterns. The elaborate work reflects the Qin Dynasty’s sophisticated craftsmanship. All the workers’ collective hard work, driven by imperial ambition, resulted in an awe-inpiring underground army that remains unmatched in scale and artistry.

16. Most of the Terracotta Figures Remain Unearthed

Though Pits 1 (largest), 2 (partially excavated), and 3 (smallest, possibly a command post) are excavated and open, over 400 burial pits within the mausoleum complex still remain untouched. The full extent of Qin Shi Huang’s vision—including his own potential “commander” statue—are waiting to be discovered.

Read on to learn interesting facts about Xian.

FAQs about Terracotta Warriors

What is the height range of the average Terracotta Warrior figures?

The height of these figures ranges from 166 cm to over 200 cm. After removing the foot pedal, the average height is about 178.5 cm.

Why has the central burial mound of Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum never been officially excavated?

The core reason is the immature technique. A large number of organic cultural relics are present in the burial mound. Once opened, they will be destroyed quickly due to the sudden change of environment. Our technique can not prevent or restore it now. Besides, according to the detection, there may be a large amount of mercury in the underground palace. Its vapor is a great threat to both the archaeologists and the environment. The complex structure also hides many unknown dangerous situations. The final reason is its large scale requires an incalculable amount of manpower, material resources and time. So it would be a more prudent choice to explore only when future technology is advanced enough.

How does the chemical process of “hydration” damage the figures’ original paint layer when they are exposed to the air?

When making the figures, the craftsmen apply a layer of raw lacquer on the surface as a base layer and then cover with mineral pigment. While the raw lacquer is very sensitive to the humidity. During their burial for over 2,000 years, the surrounding environment has achieved a delicate balance. When being excavated suddenly, this balance is disrupted. The air becomes dry quickly, the layer of raw lacquer shrinks and curls due to rapid water loss, resulting in the paint covered on it peeling off.

Where are the famous bronze chariot and horse sets displayed, and what is the significance of the casting quality of the bronze?

They are displayed in the Bronze Chariot and Horse Museum inside the Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum Museum. Renowned as the “Crown of Bronze”, it shows the unparalleled bronze technology in the Qin Dynasty. The whole body is cast with bronze, using multiple complex processes like welding, inlaying, movable hinges, etc. And the archaeologists find that the chariots, horses and drivers were all precisely made to half of their actual sizes. After restoration, it has been the largest and most complete ancient bronze chariots and horses.

How many pits does the mausoleum complex have, and what is known about the unexcavated ones?

Besides the displayed three pits, it is confirmed that pit 4 is an empty pit after searching, so it is not excavated. As for other unexcavated area, there are also over 400 various kinds of burial pits, architectural ruins and tombs that have been discovered till now.

Tour Terracotta Army with Chinaxiantour

As a Xi’an-based travel operator, China Xian Tour has over 15 years of experience of offering guided tours of Terracotta Army. As a result, beyond exploring the Terracotta Army, we can also arrange you some visits to local workshops where you’ll learn to craft your own terracotta figurines, gaining hands-on insight into the artistry behind these ancient statues. Whether you’re a history buff or a curious traveler, let us craft a personalized journey for you to uncover the secrets of the Qin Dynasty. Contact us today to start planning your adventure!

Apart from the above 10 facts about the Terracotta Warriors, there are more mysteries waiting to discover!

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