Han Yang Ling

Beneath the glass floor at Han Yang Ling in Xi'an, conservators once faced thousands of tiny figures, every one missing both arms, with no mark of violence anywhere on site. This guide traces the mystery from that first puzzle through the pits beside the tomb of Emperor Jing, excavated in the nineteen nineties, and the household of servants, musicians and livestock buried to serve him in the afterlife. It follows what the climate-controlled dig still preserves under your feet today. Look for the faint smile still visible on one squatting figure's face.