As the world knows, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang are the "Eighth Wonder of the World" and attract countless tourists every year. However, on an ordinary day in May 2020, the terrified screams of a female tourist shattered the tranquility of the scenic spot. I saw her face pale, pointing to a certain position in the terracotta warrior array, trembling and saying, "I... I see it move! "
The police arrived upon the news and quickly cordoned off the scene. Tourists chattered, some said they saw a strange shadow, others swore that they heard the sound of armor clashing. Has this underground legion, which had been sealed for more than 2,000 years, really been resurrected? Or is it just the work of some prankster? When the police begin a careful search, the truth they discover surprises everyone. What's going on? Where is this "resurrected" terracotta warrior sacred?
It is said that it was 221 B.C., and a generation of heroes and heroes finally unified the six kingdoms and established the first centralized feudal empire in Chinese history. This self-proclaimed "First Emperor" monarch not only called for wind and rain when he was alive, but also wanted to extend his majesty to the underworld.
According to historical records, Qin Shi Huang began to build the mausoleum during his reign. This massive underground palace covers an area of 56.25 square kilometers and is a marvel of ancient architecture. However, what really amazed future generations was the terracotta warriors and horses that were accidentally discovered by villagers in 1974.
It was an ordinary spring day, and when several farmers were digging a well at the foot of Lishan Mountain, they unexpectedly dug up several fragments of terracotta figurines. This unexpected discovery immediately caught the attention of archaeologists. After systematic excavation, a large underground army gradually resurfaced.
In the terracotta warriors pit, the soldiers stood in line, with different expressions and lifelike. Some have bows and arrows in hand, ready for battle; Some hold long swords in their hands, majestic; There are also chariots that are magnificent. Each terracotta warrior has its own characteristics, facial expressions, clothing and equipment are different, as if a real army has been frozen in an instant.
Archaeologists marvel at the exquisite craftsmanship of the terracotta warriors. Each terracotta warrior is unique, with different facial features and even fingerprints. This kind of realistic detail makes people sigh at the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients.
The discovery of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses has unveiled the mystery of the Qin Dynasty for us. Through these terracotta figurines, we can learn about the military situation of weapons, armor, tactics and other military conditions at that time, and even get a glimpse of the social structure and cultural and artistic level of the Qin Dynasty.
As the archaeological work progresses, more secrets are revealed. Archaeologists have found that the terracotta warriors and horses were originally painted. Although most of the colors have faded after more than 2,000 years of erosion, you can still imagine the glory of those years from some remaining traces.
The value of the terracotta warriors and horses was quickly recognized by the world. In 1987, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since then, this underground army, which has been sleeping for 2,000 years, has become a shining business card to show ancient Chinese civilization.
However, the excavation and conservation of the terracotta warriors and horses have not been without its challenges. Due to the peculiarities of the craft, many of the unearthed terracotta warriors will quickly weathered after exposure to air. Archaeologists have had to rack their brains and study various conservation methods. This is a race against time, and every terracotta warrior that has been successfully protected has condensed the efforts of countless experts.
For many years, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses have always been a place of fascination for Chinese and foreign tourists. Every year, millions of tourists flock to Xi'an just to catch a glimpse of this amazing army. However, it was on such an ordinary day of visit that a scream broke the tranquility of the scenic spot and triggered a series of unbelievable events......
On May 15, 2020, a sunny Friday, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum welcomed many visitors as usual. At 10:23 a.m., a scream suddenly pierced the silence of the exhibition hall, and everyone's eyes were drawn to the southeast corner of Pit No. 1.
The owner of the screams was a female tourist in her 30s named Li Mei (pseudonym). Her face was pale, her hands trembled, she pointed to a certain position in the terracotta formation, and her voice was full of horror: "I... I see it move! That terracotta, it blinked! "
Li Mei's voice caught the attention of the surrounding tourists. The crowd began to stir, some trying to comfort her, others looking in the direction she was pointing with puzzled faces. A middle-aged man approached him, claiming to be a retired doctor, and asked Li Mei if she was feeling unwell and needed medical attention. However, Li Mei insisted that she was not hallucinating, and she claimed to have clearly seen a terracotta warrior blinking.
The scene quickly descended into chaos. Some timid tourists began to move towards the exit, fearing that something supernatural would happen. Other curious tourists crowded around Ms. Li to find out. Museum staff quickly arrived at the scene and tried to maintain order while contacting the police.
At 10:35, patrol officers from the Xi'an Municipal Public Security Bureau arrived at the scene. In order to prevent the situation from further escalating, the police decided to temporarily lock off the scene for investigation. The tourists were evacuated to a safe area, and only Li Mei and several eyewitnesses were left behind for questioning.
During police questioning, more details were revealed. In addition to Li Mei, there were three other tourists who claimed to have seen anomalies. Among them, a middle-aged man surnamed Wang said that he saw a vague shadow moving in the terracotta warriors. Another young girl said she heard a sound similar to the collision of metal, like the friction of ancient armor.
The testimonies confused the police. The terracotta warriors and horses are pottery, how can they be moved? However, taking into account the peculiarities and sensitivity of the incident, the police decided to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation. They retrieved the museum's surveillance footage, scrutinized every corner, and even brought in archaeological experts to assist in the investigation.
At the same time, news began to spread online. Various speculations and rumors have appeared on social media. Some say it's a divine apparition, while others think it might be a prank. It is even claimed that it is the work of aliens. All kinds of absurd theories are circulating on the Internet, which has brought a lot of pressure to the investigation work.
The museum side is also in trouble. On the one hand, they need to cooperate with the police investigation; On the other hand, they also have to deal with media inquiries and public skepticism. A spokesperson for the museum said at a press conference that afternoon that they were fully cooperating with the investigation and called on the public not to believe the rumors.
As the investigation deepened, the police noticed a strange detail. In the surveillance footage retrieved, there is indeed a terracotta warrior whose position does not seem to be the same as usual. Although the changes were minor, after repeated comparisons, the police were convinced that there had been a slight shift in the location of the terracotta warriors.
This discovery left the investigation at an impasse. It is impossible for terracotta warriors to move on their own, so what is the reason for this anomaly? Is it man-made or natural? The police decided to expand the scope of the search, conducting a carpet search of the entire exhibition hall.
Just when everyone was waiting with bated breath for the truth to be revealed, an unexpected discovery completely changed the course of events. While scrutinizing the "suspicious" terracotta warriors, the police found some unusual traces. The discovery excited the entire investigative team, who seemed to be touching the edge of the truth.
However, what exactly is the truth? What kind of secrets are hidden behind this "moving" terracotta warrior? As the investigation deepens, an unexpected answer is about to emerge......
As the investigation deepened, the work of the police entered a critical stage. With the full cooperation of the museum, investigators began a detailed examination of the "suspicious" terracotta army.
First of all, the police invited experts from the Xi'an Cultural Relics Protection Center to conduct an on-site investigation. The terracotta warriors were scanned in all directions using a high-precision 3D scanner and compared it with previous scans. The results showed that the terracotta did exhibit a slight displacement, but no more than 0.5 centimeters.
This discovery puts the investigation in a bind. It stands to reason that the terracotta warriors were fixed on the stand and could not move on their own. So, what causes this anomaly? The police decided to investigate from multiple angles.
First, they checked the geology of the exhibition hall. Considering that there are small earthquakes in the Xi'an area from time to time, the police contacted the Earthquake Bureau to ask if there was seismic activity on the day of the incident. However, data from the Earthquake Bureau showed that there were no records of any earthquake in the Xi'an area that day.
Next, investigators turned their attention to the environmental control system in the exhibition hall. Terracotta warriors and horses are precious relics that require strict temperature and humidity. The police retrieved environmental monitoring data and found that before and after the incident, the temperature and humidity of the exhibition hall had been kept within the normal range, and there were no abnormal fluctuations.
Just when the investigation is at an impasse, an unexpected discovery turns the case around. While scrutinizing the base of the "suspicious" terracotta, a police officer spotted tiny metal chips. These debris are barely visible to the naked eye, but they are clearly visible under a microscope.
The discovery immediately caught the attention of investigators. Terracotta Warriors and Horses are pottery, why do metal chips appear? The police immediately sent the debris to a laboratory for analysis.
When the results of the analysis came out, everyone was taken aback. These metal chips turned out to be components of modern alloys, not ancient metals. This means that someone has recently come into contact with this terracotta warrior and may well have tampered with it.
Based on this new discovery, the police revisited the entire case. They began to suspect that this might not be an ordinary "haunted" incident, but rather a well-planned hoax.
The police then launched a new round of investigation. They re-interrogated everyone who was present at the day of the incident, including tourists, staff and security guards. During the questioning, the testimony of a security guard caught the attention of investigators.
The security guard, Zhang Ming (not his real name), claimed to have seen a man in overalls enter the exhibition hall the night before the incident. At that time, it was already closed time, and Zhang Ming felt a little strange, but the man showed his work card and said that he was here for a routine inspection, so he didn't ask much.
This testimony brought new clues to the case. The police immediately retrieved surveillance footage from that night. Upon closer inspection, they found a suspicious figure. The man did wear museum overalls, but he behaved in a somewhat unusual manner. He lingered in the exhibition hall for a long time, especially near the "suspicious" terracotta warrior for almost half an hour.
The police immediately launched an investigation into the mysterious figure. By comparing the information of the museum's employees, they found that this person was not a regular employee of the museum. Further investigation revealed that the man was a temporary worker named Li Qiang (not his real name) who had been working at the museum for less than a month.
Li Qiang was soon found by the police and taken away for investigation. Under intense questioning, he finally revealed the truth. It turned out that it was all a well-planned scam to create a sensational effect and attract more tourists to visit, thereby increasing ticket revenue.
Li Qiang confessed that he was instructed by someone to install a micro-mechanical device at the bottom of the terracotta warrior. This device allows the terracotta warriors to make small movements, and just can be noticed by the discerning tourist. As for the "blinking" effect, it was achieved through a miniature LED light installed in the eyes of the terracotta warriors.
This shocking truth shocked everyone. A seemingly magical phenomenon is actually hiding such a complex scam behind it. However, the case does not end there. The police also need to investigate further to find out who exactly orchestrated the scam and whether there were other accomplices......
With Li Qiang's confession, the police finally uncovered the truth of this "Terracotta Warriors and Horses Revitalization" incident. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg of the whole incident. The investigation is even more arduous as the police need to track down the mastermind and find out the ins and outs of the entire scam.
According to Li Qiang, the plan was planned by a small team within the museum. The team consisted of three people: Wang Hai (pseudonym), the head of the marketing department, Chen Ming (pseudonym), an engineer in the technical department, and Li Qiang, a temporary worker. Wang Hai is the mastermind of the whole plan, Chen Ming is in charge of technical support, and Li Qiang is the executor.
The police immediately launched an investigation into Wang Hai and Chen Ming. Through the analysis of their computer and communication records, the police uncovered more shocking details. It turned out that this plan had been in the making for half a year. During this half year, they held several secret meetings and developed a detailed implementation plan.
When interrogated, Wang Hai confessed that the original intention of planning this scam was to increase the museum's popularity and visitor numbers. In recent years, with the rise of other cultural attractions, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum has seen a decline in visitor arrivals. As head of marketing, Wang Hai is always looking for ways to capture the public's attention. By chance, he came across an urban legend about the "revitalization of cultural relics", from which inspiration was born.
Chen Ming explained the technical details of the entire installation. This miniature mechanical device was customized by him according to special requirements. The device consists of three parts: a micromotor, a control chip, and a miniature battery. The motor is responsible for generating small vibrations, and the control chip is responsible for controlling the frequency and intensity of the vibrations. As for the blinking effect, it is achieved by a miniature LED light installed in the eyes of the terracotta warriors. The entire device is cleverly concealed in the base of the terracotta, and nothing unusual is visible from the outside.
What's even more surprising is that the team also plans to install similar devices in several other terracotta warriors in the coming months, creating a series of "mysterious events". Their ultimate goal is to make the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum a "place of mystery and excitement" that will attract more attention from tourists and the media.
As the investigation deepened, the police also discovered an unexpected bonus. While examining Wang's computer, they found a detailed financial statement. This report records some unusual financial flows within the museum over the past six months. Further investigation revealed that Wang Hai took advantage of his position to embezzle part of the museum's funds for this project.
This discovery makes the nature of the case even more serious. What was originally just a simple fraud incident has now been added to the suspicion of economic crimes. The police immediately escalated the case and set up a task force for further investigation.
At the same time, the museum has launched an internal investigation. They conducted a thorough inspection of all exhibits to ensure that no other exhibits had been tampered with. At the same time, the museum has also strengthened internal management, re-examined the background of all employees, and adjusted personnel in key positions.
After the truth of the case was revealed, it aroused widespread attention and discussion from all walks of life. Many people strongly condemn this kind of fake behavior in order to attract attention. Cultural relics experts called for strengthening the protection and management of cultural relics to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.
However, it doesn't end there. During the interrogation of Wang Hai, Chen Ming and Li Qiang, the police found some suspicious points. They suspect that there may be other people behind the team. In particular, the funds that have been misappropriated, the amount of which is so large that it is unlikely that they were just for the production of a few miniature devices.
In order to clarify these suspicions, the police decided to expand the scope of the investigation. They began to investigate the museum's management in depth, while also paying attention to some of the companies that did business with the museum. This decision brought about a major shift in the direction of the investigation of the entire case.
As the investigation progresses, an even larger mystery is emerging. Is this "Terracotta Warriors and Horses Revitalization" incident a simple marketing fraud, or a smokescreen to cover up other more serious problems? The police investigation continues, and the truth may be more complicated than anyone thinks......
With the deepening of the investigation, the scope of influence of the "Terracotta Warriors and Horses Revitalization" incident has been expanding, triggering a series of chain reactions, which have had a far-reaching impact on the protection of cultural relics, museum management and even the entire cultural industry.
First of all, at the judicial level, the outcome of the case has finally settled. After months of investigation and trial, the court finally reached its verdict. The mastermind, Wang Hai, was sentenced to seven years in prison for fraud and embezzlement; Technical support Chen Ming was sentenced to three years in prison for participating in fraud; The executor, Li Qiang, was sentenced to two years in prison with a three-year probation because of his good confession.
However, the impact of the case goes far beyond that. During the investigation of the museum's management, the police found more problems. Some of the museum's top management personnel have committed serious malfeasance, including financial management chaos and poor cultural heritage protection. The exposure of these problems led to a massive personnel change. The director of the museum was dismissed, and several senior managers were disciplined.
At the same time, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism also intervened in the investigation. They conducted a comprehensive inspection of key cultural and museum units across the country, focusing on cultural relics protection measures and internal management systems. The inspection revealed a number of problems, including vulnerabilities in the security system and substandard environmental controls. To this end, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has issued a series of new management regulations and technical standards, aiming to improve the level of cultural relics protection.
At the societal level, the incident sparked extensive discussion and reflection. Many people began to pay attention to the protection of cultural relics and the management of museums. All of a sudden, various related news reports, expert interviews and academic discussions emerged one after another. There has been a noticeable increase in public awareness of heritage preservation, and there has been a greater sense of caution and respect when visiting museums.
The incident has also been studied and discussed in depth by the academic community. The cultural and museum majors of many universities have incorporated this case into their teaching content to discuss ethical issues in the protection of cultural relics and the management of museums. Some scholars have also published papers analyzing the causes and effects of this incident from different perspectives.
In terms of the cultural industry, the incident had a profound impact on the industry as a whole. Many cultural and museum organizations are beginning to rethink their marketing strategies and seek ways to attract audiences without violating ethics and the law. Some innovative exhibition methods have emerged, such as using AR technology to enhance the visitor experience, or developing more interactive exhibition projects.
At the same time, this incident has also promoted the process of digital protection of cultural relics. In order to prevent similar incidents from happening again, many museums have begun to use 3D scanning technology to conduct regular inspections of important artifacts. This not only helps to detect changes in cultural relics in time, but also provides valuable data support for the restoration and research of cultural relics.
At the international level, the incident has also attracted widespread attention. A number of international cultural organizations have expressed concern about China's measures to protect cultural relics and have made recommendations. The Chinese government has responded positively, pledging to strengthen the protection of cultural relics and inviting international experts to participate in the relevant work. This initiative not only improves the internationalization level of China's cultural relics protection, but also enhances cultural exchanges.
The media industry was also affected by the incident. Many media outlets are beginning to reflect on their responsibilities when reporting on similar incidents. Some media outlets have put in place stricter verification regimes to ensure the accuracy of their reports. At the same time, some media have set up a special column on cultural heritage protection, which regularly reports relevant news and knowledge.
In the field of education, the incident prompted the relevant departments to strengthen the education of young people on the protection of cultural relics. Many schools have begun to incorporate heritage conservation knowledge into their curricula, organizing visits to museums and cultivating a sense of reverence for cultural heritage.
With the passage of time, the "Terracotta Warriors and Horses Revitalization" incident has gradually faded out of public view, but its impact is still ongoing. This incident not only revealed the problems existing in the protection of cultural relics and the management of museums, but also promoted the innovation and progress of the entire industry. It is a reminder that the authenticity and integrity of cultural heritage cannot be overlooked in the pursuit of economic benefits. In the future, how to find a balance between protection and utilization is still a topic that the entire cultural and museum community needs to continue to explore.