Cao, Lei

The discovery of the terracotta warriors of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, east of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, is considered the most significant event in Chinese archaeology in the 20th Century. The terracotta army has been hailed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." This album presents some 80 photographs and illustrations of the extraordinary underground army marshalled over 2000 years ago to guard the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, China's first unifier.

The imperial tombs constitute an important part of Chinese funeral culture. The Ming Tombs and the Eastern and Western Tombs of the Qing Dynasty near Beijing are typical examples of imperial tombs. They attract innumerable tourists from both at home and abroad with their huge dimensions, advanced architectural techniques and superb masonry.