Han Yangling Museum

The Han Yangling Museum, also known as the Yangling Mausoleum of Han, is the final resting place of Emperor Jingdi and his empress from the Western Han Dynasty. Located in Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, the museum showcases over 50,000 miniature terracotta figures that depict daily life during the Han era. Visitors can explore the emperor’s tomb, empress’s tomb, and various burial pits, offering insights into ancient Chinese burial customs and the prosperity of the Han Dynasty. The museum is situated near the Xianyang International Airport Expressway, making it accessible for travelers.

Planning your visit

Han Yangling is the Terracotta Army's quieter, stranger relative. The tomb of Emperor Jingdi, who died in 141 BC, is surrounded by burial pits holding over 50,000 figures — but unlike Qin Shi Huang's life-sized warriors, these are about a third size, made without arms (they originally had wooden ones, long decayed) and originally clothed in silk. They include not just soldiers but officials, servants, eunuchs, women, and vast numbers of domestic animals: pigs, dogs, sheep, chickens. The tomb models a functioning society rather than an army.

The museum's presentation is its distinguishing feature. Visitors walk on glass floors directly over the excavated pits, looking down at figures lying where they were found, in a darkened, climate-controlled underground space. It is atmospheric in a way the vast hangars at Xi'an's Terracotta Army are not.

It sits near Xianyang airport, roughly between the airport and Xi'an, which makes it an efficient stop on an arrival or departure day. It is also far less visited.

Bookable options are entry tickets. For visitors who found the Terracotta Army overwhelming or overcrowded, this is frequently the more affecting site. Current availability is listed below.