Qin Shi Huang Di

Over more than 40 years of excavation, they turned up part of a mausoleum for the country's first emperor—Qin Shi Huang Di, or First Emperor of Qin.

Known today as the First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang Di left a legacy that would make him a towering figure in Chinese history.

The tomb complex of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di contains an estimated 8,000 lifelike clay soldiers, as well as mass graves and evidence of a brutal power grab.

Historical records say Qin Shi Huang Di created a replica of his realm as his final resting place.

Experts now believe it may have launched a bloodbath—and ultimately brought a swift end to the dynasty that Qin Shi Huang Di founded.