A DOMESTIC TOURIST climbed over a fence and jumped into a section of the world-famous display of China’s Terracotta Army, damaging two ancient clay warriors, authorities said Saturday.

The 30-year-old was visiting the museum housing the Terracotta Army in the city of Xi’an on Friday when he “climbed over the guardrail and the protective net and jumped”, public security officials said in a statement.

The man surnamed Sun was found to “suffer from mental illness” and the case is under investigation.

He “pushed and pulled” the clay warriors and two were “damaged to varying degrees”, the statement said. He was “controlled” by security personnel.

The pit he jumped into is up to 5.4 metres (18 feet) deep, according to the museum’s website.

Built around 209 BC to stand guard over the tomb of the first emperor, the 8,000-strong Terracotta Army is one of China’s most important archaeological discoveries and considered a symbol of ancient Chinese artistic and military sophistication.

A major tourist attraction in Xi’an, capital of the northern province of Shaanxi, it has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1987.

A worker at the museum told news organisation AFP on Saturday that the display was open as usual.