HOUSTON -- The world-famous terra cotta warriors and horses, which were buried more than 2,200 years ago as the army guarding China's first emperor's afterlife, will come to Houston, Texas, in May for a six-month-long exhibition, officials said Wednesday.?

File photo shows Pit 2 of China's ancient terra cotta warriors in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi province.?[chinanews.cn]

Beginning May 22, the Houston Museum of Natural Science will present a selection of artifacts including 14 warriors as well as a cavalry horse, chariot and drivers, in a special exhibition entitled Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China's First Emperor, officials said.

The exhibition is a major event of cultural exchange between China and the US and will help the people of Houston to "gain a better understanding of Chinese history and culture and promote friendship and cooperation between our two great countries," said Qiao Hong, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Houston.

The warriors provide a fascinating glimpse into the life of China's first emperor and give visitors "an exceptional opportunity to experience the beauty and depth" of China's civilization, said Joel Bartsch, president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Some 200,000 to 400,000 visitors are expected to visit the Houston exhibition, according to him.

Coming from northwest China's Xi'an City, the terra cotta warriors and horses are the mortuary objects of Emperor Qinshihuang, China's first emperor in the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C.- 207 B.C.). It is widely viewed as the Eighth Wonder of the ancient world.

Before coming to Houston, the warriors already were exhibited in the US states of California and Georgia.

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