The Terracotta Army was constructed to accompany the tomb of China’s First Emperor as an afterlife guard. There are thousands of detailed life-size terracotta soldier models represent the guard troops of the first emperor — Qin Shihuang. They were molded in parts, fired, then assembled and painted.

The Terracotta Army Museum in Xi’an is a must-see. It is one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world, and one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century.