A Terracotta Army prankster was seized by police over a photo stunt.

Footage shows the daring holidaymaker being hauled out of the pit by a police officer at the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Army Museum in Xi'an, China, on February 5.

He can be seen being questioned by the officer.

The filmer said: 'We saw him leaping from the viewing platform into the main pit of the huge burial ground, and then the guards saw him.'

The vacationer admitted to disturbing the public place, prompting authorities to impose a public security penalty on him.

In his defence, he reportedly told the police: 'I just wanted to see them up close.'

Holidaymakers expressed their concerns, saying that the stunt was shameful.

One of the onlookers said: 'Everyone has a responsibility to protect cultural relics.'

The Terracotta Warriors are an army of around 9,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, 520 horses, and 150 cavalry figures, entirely made of baked clay or terracotta. They are a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE, intended to protect him in the afterlife.

Discovered in 1974 near Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China, these figures have been extensively excavated and studied. Intricately detailed, they represent a significant archaeological find, offering valuable insights into ancient Chinese art, military practices, and burial customs.