An idiotic tourist jumped into a section of the iconic Terracotta Army and damaged two of the ancient statues. The incident has caused outrage in China and an investigation has been launched.
The offender, identified only by his surname Sun, leapt into the 18ft deep pit which houses the clay statues in Xi’an on Friday, May 30. The 30-year-old then allegedly pushed the statues before being detained by museum security. The Chinese authorities said Sun suffers from a mental illness and an investigation will be carried out, reported the Daily Mail.
The Terracotta Army, which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987, is considered one of China’s greatest archaeological treasures. It consists of over 8,000 life-sized soldiers created 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang – China’s first emperor.
A statement from public security officials said Sun “climbed over the guardrail and the protective net and jumped”. He then “pushed and pulled” the clay warriors and two were “damaged to varying degrees”.
Local officials are now assessing the damage caused. Despite the incident, the exhibit remains open to the public as normal this week.
It comes after a man was detained for causing damage to an ancient throne in Vietnam last month. The suspect, named as 42-year-old Ho Van Phuong Tam, broke into the Nguyen dynasty throne exhibit on May 25.
A statement from the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre (HMCC) said Tam “snuck into the Nguyen dynasty display area, screamed and then broke the front left armrest”.
Local media claims he bought a ticket to the exhibit before climbing into the roped-off area. Footage shows him sitting cross-legged on the ancient throne.
Tam was quickly arrested by the HMCC said he showed “signs of psychosis, screaming, and talking nonsense”. He reportedly could “not answer the investigator’s questions.”
