Terracotta warriors and horses in the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (File Photo）
The famous terracotta warriors of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, that were discovered in 1974 and have become one of the most fascinating set of historical artefacts in the world, are going on display at Liverpool's World Museum in 2018.
The warriors last came to the UK in 2007, when they were the second most popular exhibition ever at the British Museum, attracting over 850,000 visitors. David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool, said the organisation was "hugely excited" to have signed an agreement to bring the warriors to the city.
The exhibition will start in February 2018 and run for 6 months and is expected to attract visitors from across the UK and Europe on a similar scale to the British Museum exhibition.
Since the warriors were discovered, near the city of Xi'an, more than 8,000 highly detailed models have been excavated. The army was there to protect the body of the emperor, who was the first to unite China in the late third century BCE.
The announcement of the deal to bring the warriors to Liverpool was made during the visit of the UK Culture Secretary, Karen Bradley, to China. She said: "The terracotta army represents one of the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century, and I am delighted that a selection of the warriors will be coming to Liverpool for the first time in 2018. I am sure that the exhibition will be very warmly received by the people of Merseyside and beyond as Britain welcomes back the terracotta warriors.
"The exhibition will also encourage an ongoing cultural exchange between China and Britain, further progressing the relationship between our two nations and strengthening lasting ties."
