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Published: December 12th 2005
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A dumpling banquet with a colleague, plus a performance of music and dance from the Tang dynasty when Chinese culture reached an apex in Xian. And the next day, apple pie at McDonald's or rather Màidāngláo (don't forget your tones!) to keep in the spirit of celebrating the autumn harvest.
The Shaanxi Song and Dance Theatre puts on nightly dinners with a show, mainly for foreigners. After getting used to 3 RMB buffet lunches across from the university in Xining, paying 200 RMB (US $25) felt like quite an indulgence. But it was perfect for Thanksgiving. They put on a high quality performance and even served pumpkin dumplings!
At the End of the Silk Road In just two days, a colleague from Lanzhou and I toured this ancient capital with its pagodas and city wall, covered in red lanterns. The end point of the Silk Road, Xian served as a vibrant center of commerce and culture and as the capital of successive dynasties up to the Tang (618 - 907CE). At night beside the original city wall, city residents are out and about: practicing tai chi, painting Chinese characters in water on stone, and even dancing the waltz!
Six floors to the top of Big Goose Pagoda, which Emperor Gaozong built in 652 AD to store Buddhist texts newly brought from India by the famous Chinese pilgrim and translator Xuanzang. There is also a Little Goose Pagoda with a serene courtyard and high quality arts and crafts for sale. I got my nieces hand-painted T-shirts for 50 RMB, and the artist even added their names in English and Chinese. Nearby are excellent museums that feature ceramics, coins, jewelry and metal work from successive dynasties to the Tang.
At the heart of downtown, amidst the circling traffic, are the Drum and Bell Towers, reached by an underground walkway in order to avoid pedestrian casualties. With all the jostling of people, it doesn't seem that much safer (my colleague had his camera stolen there). Behind the Drum Tower, we stumbled upon an alley perfect for an evening stroll and dinner. Lined with red lanterns and buildings with traditional architecture, it was a good spot for evening souvenir shopping.
Terracotta Warriors Perhaps to preserve some integrity as budget travelers, we opted not to take the 250 RMB tour to the terracotta warriors and instead go it on
our own. It turns out to be ridiculously easy, with minivans leaving from the train station every 5 or 10 minutes and a fare of 5 RMB each way. The 40 kilometer trip, however, takes an hour due to frequent stops.
The terracotta warriors stand solemnly in Pit 1, guarding the nearby burial mound of Emperor Qin, who unified the warring states in the 3rd century BC. (His name pronounced "chin" is the basis for the term China.) The soldiers, all life-size, bear the appropriate uniform and hairstyle for their rank, yet the face and expression of each is unique. They stand in formation, eternally poised for battle. A haunting sight!
Pit 2 offers a rare glimpse into the vagaries of excavation, showing all the broken bits awaiting careful handling. I found the cracked armor, severed horse heads and strewn body parts fascinating, like the petrified remains of a battle scene centuries later. The site was only discovered in 1974 when a villager was digging a well, so excavation is still very much in progress.
Travelers to Xian: Plan at least 3-4 days for Xian. Whether you go on your own or by tour, a visit to the terracotta warriors—though just 40 kilometers outside Xian—takes a whole day. Most hotels can book a day tour (the so-called "eastern tour") for 250 RMB and up, but you can get there easily on your own. Just take the #306 bus from just outside the train station for 5 RMB each way. The bus route ends at the terracotta warriors and also passes by a hot spring, museum and Taoist temple featured in most tours. From there it's 5 RMB by taxi to Emporer Qin's burial mound, where you can get a view of the countryside and watch a free dance performance around lunchtime. It's another day if you want to visit sites on the "western tour." In town, there's plenty to see and do: pagodas, museums, boutiques and restaurants. We only had time for a small sampling. You can walk the city wall at night or during the day rent a bikes there. With a Chinese student card, you get a 50% discount on all entrance fees except the city wall.
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