China Ancient Chariot Museum
中国古车博物馆
A specialist museum built on the site of the Houli Spring and Autumn chariot-and-horse pit, where you can look down directly at chariots and horses buried more than two thousand years ago.
The China Ancient Chariot Museum is in Houli Village, Linzi, and is the first museum in China devoted to ancient vehicles. It was built over the site of the Houli Spring and Autumn chariot-and-horse sacrifice pit, discovered in the 1990s. The core gallery preserves the excavation site: ten wooden chariot remains and more than thirty horse skeletons are neatly arranged in the pit, with the wheels, shafts and carriage body traces clearly visible. Other galleries use models and replicas to show how vehicle forms evolved, from Shang and Zhou chariots and war chariots to vehicles of the Qin, Han, Ming and Qing dynasties, and explain historical topics such as the standardization of axle widths under the Qin. The museum is not large; a visit takes about an hour, and it can be combined with the Qi State Ruins and the horse pit on the same day. It is on the east side of Linzi urban area, near the Jiqing Expressway, and is best reached by taxi. Admission and opening hours follow the official announcement.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00 (per scenic area announcements)
Nearby sights
- Qi Culture Museum & Linzi Football Museum
- Linzi Ancient Qi Capital Ruins & Eastern Zhou Horse Pit
- Tian Qi Royal Tombs
- Guan Zhong Memorial Hall
- Jiang Taigong Temple
- Badaju Market
- Zibo Museum
- Zibo Ceramics & Glass Museum