Overview

• On May 30, a 30-year-old tourist surnamed Sun leapt over guardrails and protective netting into an 18-foot-deep excavation pit at the Xi’an Terracotta Army site.
• He pushed and pulled at the figures, inflicting damage of varying degrees on two life-size clay warriors before being subdued by museum security.
• Local public security officials confirmed Sun suffers from a mental illness and have opened a formal investigation into the incident.
• The Terracotta Army exhibit has remained open throughout, with conservation teams examining the statues and planning restoration work.
• UNESCO designated the site a World Heritage Site in 1987, and the 2,200-year-old collection draws millions of visitors each year.