Terracotta Army of the Han Dynasty at Lion Mountain, Xuzhou

Terracotta Army of the Han Dynasty at Lion Mountain, Xuzhou

The tomb of Liu Wu, the third king of Chu during the Western Han Dynasty, is located here. About 300 meters to its west lies the Terracotta Army of the Han Dynasty, which forms a part of the tomb complex, symbolizing the guard troops of the Chu king’s mausoleum. Both sites are over 2,100 years old. In December 1984, a group of Han Dynasty terracotta warriors was discovered at the western foot of Lion Mountain in the eastern suburbs of Xuzhou. After comprehensive excavation by archaeologists, this army of the Chu and Han states, which had lain underground for more than two thousand years, was unveiled. The Terracotta Army of Lion Mountain features a rich variety and large quantity, including more than 4,000 pieces in over 10 categories such as figures in long-sleeved robes, guards wearing headdresses and holding weapons, warriors with braided hair carrying long weapons, and armored soldiers wearing battle boots while holding crossbows and bows. The Lion Mountain Terracotta Army is not only an artistic treasure of the Han Dynasty but also a historical testament to Xuzhou’s role as a military stronghold. It holds significant value for the study of Han Dynasty sculpture art, as well as for research on the social life, funeral customs, and military organization of the period. From December 1994 to March 1995, archaeologists also discovered the tomb of the Chu king. This mausoleum is not only large in scale and imposing in presence, but its unique structure is also unprecedented. Nearly 2,000 precious cultural relics were unearthed from the tomb, many of which were being excavated for the first time in China. Particularly valuable is the fact that, based on the remains of the Chu king’s bones found in the tomb, scientists successfully reconstructed the appearance of a Chu king from 2,100 years ago. Transportation: Take bus routes 5, 49, 58, 60, 71, 605, or 608 and get off at the Terracotta Army stop. Ticket/Opening Hours: 25 RMB for the King’s Tomb, 15 RMB for the Terracotta Army

Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province