BEIJING - A German art student briefly took up a place among China's famed Terracotta Warriors over the weekend -- only to be discovered, disrobed and sent home.

China's army of terracotta soldiers at the museum located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the ancient capital of Xi'an in northern China, in 2000. A German art student hoodwinked police in northern China's famed terracotta warrior museum by disguising himself as a clay soldier among a forest of ancient statues, state media said. [AFP]

Pablo Wendel snuck into a pit housing around 2,000 ancient lifesize pottery warriors and horses on Saturday afternoon, donned the military costume he had made himself, and took up a position on a small pedestal he had brought along.

He stood there, motionless and unblinking, for a couple of minutes until police found him, the Xinhua news agency said.

The 26-year-old had his costume confiscated and was sent from Xian, the World Heritage site where the warriors are located, back to the eastern city of Hangzhou, where he studies performance art.