German Student Poses as Terracotta Warrior, Confounds Police

Pablo Wendel jumped into an archaeological pit showcasing several thousand terracotta soldiers, found a spot to stand and frustrated police who had difficulty finding him amid the 2,200-year-old warriors, Xinhua news agency said.

After finally locating the art student, Wendel refused to budge and police at the museum near China's ancient capital of Xian were forced to carry him off "as if he were a log," Xinhua said.

Wendel, 26, told police that since he was a child he had been fascinated by the terracotta warriors, created to protect the nearby tomb of the legendary Emperor Qinshihuang who united China over 2,200 years ago.

"I have always dreamed of disguising myself as a terracotta warrior among the real ones," Xinhua quoted Wendel as saying.

As Wendel's "performance art" did not harm any of the ancient relics, he was not arrested or charged but only given "serious criticism and education," the report said.

However, Wendel's costume was confiscated and he was sent back to eastern Hangzhou city where he studies art, it said.