Xi'an workshop lets tourists hand-make their own Terracotta Warriors

A Terracotta Warriors figurine workshop in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has picked up in popularity ahead of Spring Festival, as tourists look for novel experiences near the UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A Terracotta Warriors figurine workshop in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has picked up in popularity ahead of Spring Festival, as tourists look for novel experiences near the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The workshop specializes in letting visitors hand-make their own figurine from pottery to bring a piece of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) home.

A Terracotta Warriors figurine workshop in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has picked up in popularity ahead of Spring Festival, as tourists look for novel experiences near the UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Yun Ye-chan, a 15-year-old member of a South Korean study tour group, came to Xi'an specifically to make a figurine. He had long wanted to see how the more than 2,000-year-old warriors were made after learning about them in books. Yun said that making the figurines by hand was more meaningful than just visiting, as it helps him understand the wisdom and craftsmanship practiced in ancient times.

Yun made a small standing archer by shaping the body and carving a hair bun and clothing patterns in the traditional way. "The most interesting part was shaping with Qin clay, the same material used by craftsmen more than 2,000 years ago," he said. "It felt like a cross-time dialogue with them."

A Terracotta Warriors figurine workshop in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has picked up in popularity ahead of Spring Festival, as tourists look for novel experiences near the UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Vincent from the Netherlands chose to make a figurine of the first emperor of China, Qinshihuang, for whom the mausoleum was built. "He is the proudly standing man in formal robes and headpiece. Clearly someone of higher status," Vincent said.

Han Mi, an intangible cultural heritage inheritor and the workshop's director, said it received over 5,000 foreign guests in 2025 thanks to visa-free policies. "The workshop offers about 20 types of figurines, including Terracotta Warriors, people from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), horses, and cartoon versions. We also accept custom orders."

A Terracotta Warriors figurine workshop in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has picked up in popularity ahead of Spring Festival, as tourists look for novel experiences near the UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Han shared a story of a British customer who ordered a figurine with his facial features. He liked it so much that he later ordered another based on his wife as an anniversary gift.

Han inherited the craft from her family. In 2015, she launched three courses: mold making, clay-strip forming, and painting restoration. She also created modern characters to bring the heritage closer to modern life and plans to promote the craft abroad.

A Terracotta Warriors figurine workshop in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has picked up in popularity ahead of Spring Festival, as tourists look for novel experiences near the UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Meanwhile, the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum is holding a 10-year cultural relic restoration exhibition before the Spring Festival. "It will also launch public benefit educational activities centered around horses and Spring Festival elements in Qin culture," said Zhang Tianzhu, a staff member at the museum.

The museum received an average of around 1,000 foreign tourist visits per day, and this number increased by 15 to 20 percent after the implementation of the visa-free policy, Zhang added.

Liu Xueru contributed to this story.