Terracotta Warriors to attend Olympics: 30-07-2008
The Beijing Olympics is to have a unique guard of honour as the terracotta warriors and horses go on display in the Capital Museum.
"The memory of China: treasures along its 5,000-year civilization" will include the famous warriors, who were buried more than two millennia ago to protect the country's first emperor, Quinshihuang, in the afterlife.
The display will run until October 7th, when the warriors will be moved back to their home in Xi'an City.
Museum vice president Yao An hailed the timing of the display as the ideal.
"It's the best greeting from the ancient country to the modern Olympics," he said.
Visitors will be able to see an officer, a warrier, an archer, a warhorse and even a general, as well as hundreds of other artefacts from China's rich history.
The Olympic Games are set to begin in the city on August 8th, but travellers arriving early can already gain an insight into the country's heritage by visiting the Capital Museum.