A 30-year-old Chinese tourist caused damage to two Terracotta Army statues after invading a protected exhibition at the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang in Xi'an. The incident occurred last Friday when the visitor, identified only by his surname, Sun, violated the museum's protective railings and safety nets, leading to his fall into a 5.5-meter-deep pit containing the ancient artifacts.
During his fall, the tourist collided with two of the statues, causing them "damage of various degrees," according to a statement from the Public Security Bureau of Lintong District. Security personnel swiftly restrained Sun after the incident. Mobile phone images from other visitors showed the man sitting injured at the base of a statue before being arrested. Videos circulating on social media depict him lying on his back on the ground, complaining of pain from the fall into the pit.
Local authorities attributed the incident to the man's mental health problems. While they noted his age and surname, they did not clarify whether he would face prosecution. "An administrative investigation has been initiated to clarify the circumstances under which the visitor managed to surpass the security measures to jump into the pit," officials stated.
El tiempo no pudo destruirlos, pero un hombre sí: un enfermo mental daña los Guerreros de Terracota chinosUn hombre trastornado mentalmente traspasó la barrera del complejo del museo de la ciudad de Xi'an y dañó dos figuras del famoso Ejército.El infractor de 30 años de… pic.twitter.com/bKJK9cGbmj
— Sputnik Mundo (@SputnikMundo) May 31, 2025
Assisted by a news-analysis system.
"He climbed over the wall and protective netting and jumped" more than 15 feet into the pit, witnesses reported. The area he accessed is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for preserving China's ancient heritage.
The Terracotta Army, created around 209 BCE, is one of China's most important archaeological discoveries. It features thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, each built using precise measurements according to their military ranks. The figures were crafted to guard the tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, who unified the nation with an army of more than 500,000 men. The generals among the statues are taller than the soldiers, averaging a height of 1.88 meters.
Since the army was first discovered by local farmers in 1974, archaeologists uncovered nearly 8,000 statues, making it the only known group of military sculptures produced in such large quantities in the world. In 2022, ongoing excavation work led to the discovery of twenty additional warriors near the emperor's tomb, adding to the count of these ancient figures.
The site attracts millions of visitors annually to Xi'an, a city located in western China and formerly the capital during many ancient dynasties. The recent incident has raised concerns about the effectiveness of current security measures in place to protect the artifacts.
In 2023, a man accepted a plea deal after stealing a thumb from one of the warriors.