Giant terracotta warrior becomes face of controversy in Xi'an

A giant terracotta warrior that can display people's faces to passers-by has been removed from a prime location in Xi'an, the capital of northwestern China's Shaanxi province, after it sparked an online controversy.

The terracotta warrior was initially placed in front of the Bell Tower - one of Xi'an's most iconic scenic spots - on Jan 25 as one of the city's Spring Festival decorations. A sign reading "Welcome to Beilin district" was placed at the bottom of the sculpture.

Following comments from netizens describing its changing face as "weird" and "scary", the sculpture was moved on Tuesday to a less prominent location - an animation industrial park in the district.