[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Cao Wei,museum director

If the grandeur and magnificence of the Terracotta Warriors leads anyone to equate the funerary army with the entire Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, that person would be wrong, according to Cao Wei, the museum director. 

"The warriors occupy an area of 20,000 square meters, while the area of the whole mausoleum is estimated at 56 sq km," he said. "So far, across this vast area archaeologists have discovered more than 180 funerary pits, including three that house the clay soldiers and one that's empty, but is believed to have been built for the same purpose."

"It's fair to say that the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors has helped to lift a corner of a curtain," said Cao. "What lies behind will surely exceed the wildest expectations."