Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor

Category: Cultural Heritage

Location: Lintong County, Shaanxi Province

Date of Inscription: 1987

Criteria: (i)(iii)(iv)(vi)

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.