Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
No doubt thousands of statues still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological site, which was not discovered until 1974. Qin (d. 210 B.C.), the first unifier of China, is buried, surrounded by the famous terracotta warriors, at the centre of a complex designed to mirror the urban plan of the capital, Xianyan. The small figures are all different; with their horses, chariots and weapons, they are masterpieces of realism and also of great historical interest.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is known for its life-size terracotta statues of warriors. They are seen as major works in the history of Chinese sculpture and valuable for the insight they provide in the social and military history of the period.
This monumental archeological site was discovered by chance in 1974 by farmers. Three pits have been uncovered so far, containing over 8000 figures of warriors and horses.
Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China and a man fond of grand projects (the Great Wall of China also was his idea), arranged for this burial site himself. The Terracotta Army that was to be buried with him was to help him rule another empire in the afterlife. 700.000 men reportedly worked on the construction of the mausoleum for 38 years. The statues were made factory-like at the construction site. After completion, the terracotta figures were placed in the pits in precise military formation according to rank and duty.
Shi Huang died in 210 B.C. and was subsequently buried here. His tomb presently remains unopened.
http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/mausoleumofthefirstqinemporer.html
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