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Xianyang Museum

Gate of Xianyang MuseumLocated on Zhongshan Street, in Xianyang City, the Xianyang Museum is a famous local history museum in China. Originally a Confucian Temple, it was opened to the public in 1962 after reconstruction and expansion.

About 28 kilometers (some 17 miles) away from Xi'an City, Xianyang City was the capital of the Qin Dynasty (221BC - 206BC) and also the central location of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220)'s Mausoleums. Accordingly, the cultural relics in the Xianyang Museum focus on the Qin Dynasty and the Han Dynasty. The museum features nine exhibition halls and a stele corridor. Among the rich cultural relics, the 3,000 Painted Terra - Cotta Warriors and Horses of the Western Han Dynasty (206BC - 24AD) are the most famous.

The nine exhibition halls are divided into four parts as follows:

Exhibition halls one, two and three mainly show the historical cultural relics of the Qin Dynasty. This includes all of the records indicating that Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, was responsible for the unification of China. These halls also display various fine potteries, jade articles and the famous Qin bricks. With a A Exhibithard texture, these precious bricks were carved with many elaborate flower patterns.

The fourth exhibition hall displays the paintings and calligraphies of contemporary famous persons.

The fifth and sixth exhibition halls show the world famous Painted Terra - Cotta Warriors and Horses of the Western Han Dynasty. The 3,000 figures comprised the great image of the royal guards of the Western Han Dynasty. This troop, full of power and grandeur, exemplifies the strength of the military power of the Western Han Dynasty. Displayed in Western Europe, North America, Japan and Singapore, this troop contributed much to carry forward the civilization of ancient China and promote the intercommunion between home and abroad.

The seventh, eighth and ninth contain the biggest sitting bronze Buddha of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in China as well as religion cultural relics.