Heads of state show you around Xi'an

Lee Kuan Yew, the former prime minister of Singapore, went to the site when the museum was still under construction.[Photo/cnwest]

1． Terracotta Warriors

The Terracotta Warriors are undoubtedly the No.1 tourist attraction in Xi'an and one of the top historical attractions in China. The site consists of three pits, simply named "Pit 1", "Pit 2" and "Pit 3".

In 1979, the Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang opened. In 1987, it was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO. Excavation has continued for over 20 years.

Lee Kuan Yew, the former prime minister of Singapore, was the first foreign leader to visit the site in 1976 when the museum was still under construction. Since then, almost every dignitary who has travelled to Xi'an has put the site on their must-do list.

On July 25, 2009, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon wrote an inscription for the museum in Chinese, and told the museum staff that the Terracotta Warriors were the best reflection of the splendid culture and exquisite technology of ancient China, which deeply impressed him. He stressed that it was not only the cultural heritage of the Chinese people, but also a common cultural heritage of all mankind.