Any trip along the Silk Road must begin at its starting point: Xi'an, modern day Chang'an, one of the great ancient capitals of China. Most famous today for being the home of the terracotta warriors, the silent army that has guarded the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, for over two thousand years. Qin Shi Huang was the first to unify China, build the Great Wall, standardise the writing and introduce common coins and measures. In his spare time he prepared for his afterlife by building a mighty tomb complex, complete with underground halls and corridors and even a river of mercury, which was guarded by thousands of statues, each individually modelled, with distinct features and hair styles. They have not changed much since I first came to visit over 12 years
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