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Published: December 9th 2012
I'm finally here! I've been dreaming of seeing these handsome men since I first heard of them back in 2008. I took a tour with my hostel rather than venturing out on my own. I have no doubt I could have gotten here with little difficulty, but because of the holiday traffic and lines, and my love of English-speaking tour guides, I decided the tour was the way to go. The price was only 100 RMB higher than doing it myself, and I got door to gate service and a highly informative, bubbly, bear-on-a-stick carrying tour guide name Lady Zha-Zha.
We left at 8:30 am for our ride out to the site. First we stopped at the tomb of the Qin emperor, the ruler who built the warriors. It's just a hill with some trees on it, but you can elect to ride in a large golf cart for 30 RMB more and go around it. We didn't. I wondered why we couldn't go IN the tomb, but was informed that, currently, the mercury levels in the ground are too high. Lady Zha-Zha says that they'll actually have the technology to safely open the tomb in about another twenty years,
so we should be sure to come back.
After a lengthy walk (well, longer than I expected) and a few security checkpoints, we arrived at the site. There are three pits of warriors open to the public, home to over eight thousand statues. More are still being discovered; workers come in after the site is closed for the day and work all through the night.
Lady Zha-Zha said the first pit was the best and had the most, followed by pit number two, and then number three. For each pit, we congregated around the red bear, listening to what Lady Zha-Zha had to say about what we were about to see. Then, given a rendezvous time and place, we were off to beat the crowds and take photos to our hearts' content. We spent about 30-45 minutes in each pit. I marveled at how each face really was distinct and unique; I had assumed it to be a rumor or a legend to make the warriors more exciting. Lady Zha Zha said that the story goes each statue was created to look like one of the men who made them. Many died while making them or afterwards, so
Me and the Bear
Follow the bear and you'll follow Lady Zha Zha. Unless, of course, she trusts me with it while she tries to find people who have wandered off.this was a way to immortalize themselves. She said some of the statues are also signed.
Pit number two had something special. Off to the side (just follow the crowd) are four statues, all in perfect condition. They're all in glass cases, but you can get within less than half a meter of each to really examine the detail and marvel at the artistry. The kneeling archer was the first statue found by the farmer back in 1974 and the statue with the most detail and color. While many statues need some repair, this one is perfect.
After seeing the three pits, we were routed through a gift shop with warriors for purchase! While having a warrior made out of the same clay sounds like a great souvenir, I decided I was happy with the set I'd bought from a street vendor for 18 RMB a few days earlier. Sure it's smaller, but that also makes them easier to pack!
As I wandered through, I saw a large crowd. Gift shops don't normally attract crowds of this size, so I investigated. Sitting at a table was the farmer who'd found the warriors! He was signing copies of
Pit Number One
of Three.
Note the massive crowds on the right. his book and smiling. His manager was trying to wave us back while we all snapped photos. It was only later that I saw the sign asking us not to photograph the man. He didn't look like anyone special or important, so I'm glad someone told me. Otherwise I would have walked right by, like so many did the warriors for hundreds of years.
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Dad (continued)
non-member comment
All of the statues were originally colored, but contact with the air apparently erases the colors, so they are going slow while they look for a way top reserve the original colors when they are unearthed.