Qin Shi Huang Tomb

What Are the Opening Hours of the Qin Shi Huang Tomb?

Take a visit to Qin Shi Huang's Tomb, an imperial mausoleum of a unified empire

Qin Shi Huang’s Tomb Opening Hours (Seasonal Schedule):

Source: Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Site Museum, 2025. Opening hours may adjust during holidays or special events.

What Are the Key Routes and Areas of the Qin Shi Huang Tomb?

​Start at the Visitor Center, Grab a map, buy tickets, and hop on the ​free shuttle bus to the Terracotta Army pits.

Source: Wikipedia, map of Qin Shi Huang Tomb

✅I've found the most affordable and reliable internet plans for China, and I'm happy to share them at honest prices for you. No hidden fees, no markups!

How Do I Get to Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum?

The Design Ideology of the Qin Shi Huang Tomb - Terracotta Army

Qin Shi Huang Tomb is located in Lintong district, Xi 'an, Shaanxi province, China, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) east of Xi’an. This is the site of his imperial mausoleum, part of the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (according to wikipedia).

What to See and Do at Qin Shi Huang Tomb?

Explore the Terracotta Army Museum

1. ​Explore the Terracotta Army Museum

The world-famous ​Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the crown jewel of the site. Marvel at thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, horses, and chariots arranged in battle formations. Each warrior has unique facial features, hairstyles, and uniforms, reflecting their rank and role in Emperor Qin’s afterlife army. Don’t miss ​Pit 1, the largest and most impressive, where rows of soldiers stand guard in a vast underground hall.

2. ​Visit the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Site Park (Lishan Garden)

This expansive park surrounds the emperor’s burial mound and includes:

• ​The Tomb Mound: A towering, vegetation-covered hill that marks the emperor’s unexcavated burial chamber. While you can’t enter the tomb itself, the mound offers a solemn reminder of Qin Shi Huang’s legacy.
• ​Satellite Museums: Discover smaller but equally intriguing exhibits like the ​Museum of Terracotta Acrobatics (featuring clay performers), the ​Museum of Stone Armor (showcasing ancient military gear), and the ​Museum of Bronze Chariots and Horses (displaying intricate ceremonial chariots).

Huaqing Palace scenic area connects the world with Chinese culture

3. Huaqing Palace (华清宫): A Nearby Attraction

Just a short drive from the tomb, Huaqing Palace is a ​must-visit for history and drama lovers:

• ​Hot Springs Fit for Royalty: Emperors and concubines like ​Yang Guifei soaked here 1,300 years ago. The springs aren’t steaming anymore, but you can still see the elegant marble pools.
• ​The Xi’an Incident: In 1936, Chiang Kai-shek hid in a mountain crevice here during a political crisis. The spot, marked by the ​​“兵谏亭” (Mutiny Pavilion), is now a quirky photo op with a costumed “Chiang Kai-shek”.
• Ride the cable car up for views of the palace and surrounding hills. The hike down passes temples and pavilions like ​Laomu Temple, dedicated to the goddess Nuwa.

What Is the History of the Qin Shi Huang Tomb, China’s Most Mysterious Emperor?

Learn more about Qin Shi Huang

Let’s talk about the OG emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang—the guy who literally unified a warring nation, built the Great Wall’s first version, and left behind a tomb so wild, it’s still giving historians goosebumps 2,000 years later.

The Man, The Myth, The Tomb

Qin Shi Huang became king of Qin at age 13 (yes, you read that right). By 39, he’d conquered six rival states, declared himself China’s first emperor, and kicked off a legacy that included standardizing money, writing, and even axle widths for carts. But his real flex? Planning his afterlife like a boss.

He started building his tomb in 246 BCE—while he was still alive—and it took 38 years and 700,000 workers to finish. Imagine your grandma knitting a scarf for decades… but instead, it’s a tomb the size of a small city.

The Terracotta Army: Underground Guardians

You’ve probably seen photos of those stoic clay soldiers lined up in pits. That’s just the opening act of Qin’s tomb complex. Discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, the Terracotta Army includes 8,000+ life-sized warriors, horses, and chariots—each with unique facial features (even hairstyles!). They were meant to protect the emperor in the afterlife, and honestly, they’re doing a stellar job—tourists still gasp at their eerie grandeur.

Fun fact: The warriors were originally painted in vibrant colors, but exposure to air made the pigments fade within minutes. Archaeology can be heartbreaking, folks.

The Tomb Itself: China’s Biggest Unsolved Mystery 🔍

Here’s the wild part: No one’s opened the main tomb yet. Why?

1️⃣ Mercury Rivers: Ancient texts describe rivers of liquid mercury flowing through the tomb (symbolizing China’s waterways). Modern tests confirm sky-high mercury levels in the soil—so yeah, maybe don’t lick the walls.

2️⃣ Booby Traps: Legend says the tomb is rigged with crossbows to zap intruders. Archaeologists aren’t rushing to test that theory.

3️⃣ Respect for the Dead: Chinese culture takes ancestor worship seriously. Disturbing Qin’s rest? Not a vibe.

The tomb mound itself is a 150-foot-tall pyramid (take that, Egypt!) covering 6.3 square miles. Think of it as a luxury underground palace—complete with palaces, rare treasures, and (allegedly) starry ceilings made of pearls.

What to Eat near Qin Shi Huang Tomb?

Grab a local food in Xi'an after your tour

What about the Food?

• Roujiamo：Also known as Chinese hamburger, it is a traditional Xi'an sandwich. Flavourful, slow-cooked pork or beef is stuffed into a crispy bun. The meat is usually cooked for a long time until it becomes tender and juicy, and the bun is baked to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside
• Liangpi：It is a cold and refreshing noodle dish made from rice or wheat flour. It is tossed with sesame sauce, vinegar, chilli oil, and vegetables. The noodles are smooth and chewy, and the seasonings give it a unique flavour of sourness, spiciness and saltiness
• Biang biang noodles：This is a popular Xi'an speciality. Thick, hand-pulled noodles are served with a spicy and savoury sauce, usually containing minced meat, tomatoes, onions and other ingredients. The noodles are wide and thick, with a chewy texture
• Pao mo：A traditional dish consisting of a flavourful lamb or beef soup served with crumbled flatbread. The flatbread is usually torn into small pieces and put into the soup, which is boiled until the flatbread absorbs the soup and becomes soft and delicious

What about the Restaurants?

• Weijia Liangpi (Terracotta Army Store)：Located at the northeast corner of the parking lot of the Terracotta Army on Qinling North Road. In addition to Liangpi, it also offers other specialities such as roujiamo and various set meals.
• Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Army Museum Friendship Restaurant：Situated on the second floor of the comprehensive building in the Terracotta Army Museum. It provides a variety of Shaanxi local cuisines, including stone mo, celery mai fan, paomo, buffet, che mian, dao xiao mian, Xi'an liangpi and roujiamo.
• Jiaji Xifu Dadao Zhamian (Terracotta Army Store)：Near the parking lot of the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Army Museum. Its specialities include five-spice sauce roujiamo, grey grey vegetables, sauced keel, big plate chicken noodles, Qishan shaozi noodles, lamb paomo and liangpi.