Terracotta fun! - Blogabond

From Songpan we took a bus back to Chengdu then a train that same day/night to Xi'an. Long before Beijing Xi'an had been Chinas capital city and has the artifacts and history to go with it. A massive walled (15km) city its now a very cosmopolitan place but its kept its history too with a lovely Muslim quarter and massive bell and drum towers in the centre of town. These were all explored on the afternoon of our arrival the mosque in the Muslim quarter being the highlight. Its a tasteful amalgamation of Muslim and Chinese architecture in a lovely garden. The massive prayer room with its turquoise tiled roof is especially nice.
We ate well there too, bbq lamb from a street stall we got loads for about a pound, smothered in green fennel and chilli, it was really tasty.

Next morning we went to see Xi'an's main attraction and the reason the place is literally full of western tour groups. The terracotta warriors.

The view as you enter the main pit

They were discovered in the 70's by some peasants drilling a well a few excavations later and the Chinese had discovered what they call the "8th wonder of the world"
1000 complete soldiers still stand and there gluing more back together as we speak.
There are 3 pits of soldiers all created for the tomb of emperor Shi Huang Di during his lifetime in around 200 BC (that's the Qin dynasty by the way)
He was one of Chinas first great emperors and thought his mighty rule would continue after his death so he wanted to take a great army with him. There must be at least another 10,000 soldiers in bits under the still un-excavated parts of the tomb including crossbowmen, warriors, chariots (they were wooden and have disintegrated, but the horses remain) and generals. It is a truly astounding peace of art especially the fact that each warrior is different to the next!

2 complete bronze chariots were also excavated next to the sight, they too are beautiful and incredibly detailed with working halters on the horses using hinged peaces of bronze. A little ahead of there time these Chinese. The weapons of the high ranking officers were apparently even chromium plated a techniques not officially invented until the 1930's by the Germans!

The afternoon was taken up by internet and train ticket shopping, serious long trip up next.

written by

Dan on May 9, 2008 from Xi'an, China

from the travel blog: Been there, Dan that!

Send a Compliment

Have you avoided the earthquaqe Dan?

written by Bill Atherton on May 12, 2008

comment on this...