Ancient terracotta acrobat displayed in Hangzhou
( 2002-09-10 10:16 ) (8 )

A 1.8-m terra-cotta acrobat dating from China's Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) is on show in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, for the first time.

The figure is one of six half-naked terra-cotta acrobats unearthed in March 1993 in an excavation at the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first Qin Dynasty emperor and also the first emperor of feudal China, official sources said.

Chinese specialists said the acrobat, part of an exhibition of Qin Dynasty terra-cotta warriors and horses in Hangzhou, shed light on Qin Dynasty court life.

Terra-cotta warriors and horses unearthed at Qin Shi Huang's tomb, located in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, have been reputed to be "the eighth wonder of the world." More than 100 chariots, 600 clay horses, and a large number of clay warriors and ancient weapons have been unearthed there since 1974.