Xi'an Warriors

Trip Start Oct 22, 2005
1
54
224
Trip End Ongoing


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Sunday, January 1, 2006

With our tour organized yesterday we got onto the minibus at 9am and headed off to the famous Terracotta Warriors. First we did the obligatory stop at the petrol station for some fuel, followed by the Jade Shop where they showed us the difference between market jade and the real stuff they sold. Interesting information if we were to buy jade in the future. Onwards we first went to the a museum where we saw various artifacts from the different feudal China dynasties. We also rubbed the nose of the guarding dragons for good luck, then moved onto the Huaqing Pools at the foot of Li Shan (Black Horse Mountain). At this stage we were both feeling the cold.

The Huaqing Pools are hot springs that were initially used by the Tang Dynasty as a retreat for emperors and their advisors and concubines. It was also the place of the Xi'an Incident in 1936 when the Communists captured Chiang Kai Shek, the leader of the Nationalist Party. Chiang, who opposed the Chinese Communists, was captured here prior to the Second World War and was persuaded to help the Communists drive the Japanese out of China. The Japanese had invaded China in 1931.

We then moved onto the huge mound that is the Tomb of Qin Shi Hang. It was originally 150 feet tall, but due to rain and time it is has shrunk to only 50 feet tall (Still a lot of steps to climb). Qin Shi Hang was buried over 2200 years ago and was the man that unified China. He also commissioned the amazing Army of Terracotta Warriors to serve him in the afterlife. At the Terracotta Warriors we first viewed the two Bronze Chariots, only recently fully restored, then moved onto the huge Pit 1. This was where the main body of the army resides in battle formation and probably the part most people would recognise. Pit 2 was where the cavalry and chariot army reside and the final smaller Pit 3 is the battlefield command site. The restoration is an ongoing process as only Chinese archeologists work on the site. We wonder why as it's such a huge task. We were amazed to see that each solider was unique. It would have taken years to craft such an artwork. After 3 hours seeing this wonder we caught the bus back to the hostel and had ducked out for some dinner. Walking back to the hotel Megan was trying to convince Rick that the "hairdressers" located nearby were actually massage parlours. He didn't believe her until one lady called out "Hello! Head job?"
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