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Published: November 18th 2013
Xi'an -- Terracotta Soldiers In 1974 farmers digging a well were startled to uncover an intact, full sized clay head. Their surprise was nothing compared to what the archaeologists who began to uncover an army of thousands of life sized terracotta soldiers guarding the tomb of the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang (246 - 209 BC). Over 7,000 life sized figures have been uncovered -- warriors, chariots, and horses, each with individual characteristics, lined up just as they were 2,000 years ago ready to guard the emperor in his afterlife. After the Emperor died there was a revolt by the peasants who broke into the tomb where the soldiers were to steal the weapons. In doing so they broke many of the soldiers who have now been put back into their original shape by archaeologists.
The importance of the afterlife again shows up with tombs that were built near Xi'an for a number of emperors shaped like small mountains. Unfortunately on a flat plateau they were easily identifiable and this subject to grave robbers. Only the frescoes remained in the tomb we visited along with miniature clay people, animals, food, et., buried in the tombs to serve the emperor
in his afterlife.
One hears about the explosive growth within China; Our hotel in Xi'an the Shangri-La on the doorstep of the shopping and entertainment district, 9 years ago was farmers fields.
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