YOU can see the world-famed terra-cotta warriors in Shenzhen without heading for their home in northwestern Xi'an thousands miles away. The exhibit, which began Monday at Minsk World theme park aboard a decommissioned former Soviet Union aircraft carrier, lasts for two months.

Arriving with the 2,000-year-old figures which were buried in the tomb of Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) Emperor Qin Shi Huang are hundreds of treasures buried in the same tomb. Among them are the emperor's bronze carriage, the biggest Qin Dynasty bronze vessel yet discovered and a bronze sword once used by the emperor.

This is the first time that the genuine terra-cotta figures have been in Shenzhen and it's the largest exhibit of Qin Dynasty treasures displayed in southern China.

It was not until more than six hours after the warriors arrived at Minsk World on Friday that their containers were allowed to be opened. The reason was that the only people entitled to do so were experts from the Terra-cotta Figures Museum in Xi'an who arrived later.

Farmers first uncovered the figures in 1973 while digging a well.

According to Zhang Xiaolong, one of the eight experts, only human hands were allowed to open the boxes and move the figures. The key word for handling them was "safety" and therefore, a fatigued person was unsuitable for the job, Zhang said.

The first figure that the experts moved was a 1.72-meter-tall soldier. It had been firmly bound in a wooden box and around were sponges used as a protective buffer. The experts were happy to announce that the "national treasure" had remained perfect in the box.

The most fortunate people around the boxes were the photographers because they were allowed to take pictures of the warriors. But when some of them wanted to get closer, the experts stopped them.

One told them: "You should be satisfied with the distance, as this is the distance allowed between the heads of state and the terra-cottas when they visited them in Xi'an."

It took the experts more than four hours to carefully move them into the ship's exhibit room.

Requirements to display the terra-cotta warriors are very demanding. Everything from the size of the showroom to ventilation, security arrangements, humidity and temperature must be perfect.

Minsk World had to use every possible means such as air conditioning, electric fans, dehumidifiers and drying agents to meet the demands.

Ancient weaponry, money, measurement tools and other artifacts from the terra-cotta museum will also be displayed.

Editor: Wings