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Published: November 25th 2005
Monday, July 17, 2000
Finally a really hot day in Xi'an and it really felt like summer, like Xi'an felt every day from June through August in 1995. The temperature was somewhere in the higher 90's, maybe even 100 and we were outside much of the day. Fortunately when the temperature soars in Xi'an the humidity really drops, so whenever we found shade we, perhaps I should say I, did not feel too uncomfortable. By the end of the day Amy, Bill, Nancy and I felt like we had were "well done in a slow oven."
Today was a very full day. The university van picked us up at 8:30 a.m. and off we went to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. The driver, the same man who drove us to the airport to pick up Amy and Bill, and a young man who served as our guide, translator and bargainer greeted us as we climbed in the van.
We set off to see that amazing archeological site, the Terra Cotta Warriors of the Qin dynasty. This is an active working archeological site. Already they have uncovered an almost unbelievable number of life size terra cotta warriors.
Each soldier is unique. Soldiers in Qin's army modeled for the model makers. Each soldier is unique.
Only last year, 1999, a full stone armor suit was discovered. The small flat, smooth, rectangular stones with a hole drilled in each corner, have been retired and fitted into a model again. It is quite beautiful. In call Pit #2, which is maybe 150 feet across and 200 feet long, we saw Chinese archeologists working. I don't believe they really know how much territory this site actually covers. There is speculation that the warriors extend all the way to where the Emperor was buried, about a mile or so from where we stood. I'll bet it takes a hundred or more years to totally unearth this site.
Nancy and I visited the terra cotta warriors several times during our trips to Xi'an. Each time more artifacts have been uncovered. Each time there were new, amazing discovers to view. Also, each time the buildings and area has been improved. The terra cotta warriors are visited by almost every tour group which comes to China. It truly is, as they say, the 8th wonder of the modern world.
I always look
My Old Friend
He has stood there for over 2000 years, arms forward, driving the chariot forward into battle.for my “old friend” whenever I visit. The first time we visited the Warriors, back in 1986, I noticed a warrior, a chariot driver, who was tall and extremely thin. I always look for him whenever I have visited this site.
In the past the terra cotta warriors was the one place where the rule of "NO PHOTOS" was very strictly enforced. Sharp eyed guards strictly enforced the rule. The signs are still there, but no one pays attention, including the soldiers who guard these treasures. There are not nearly so many guards as before. In fact only two or three in each area. I was not going to take pictures, but flashes from camera were going off all over, so I figured I might as well take pictures also. Shops sell a CD with pictures and video clips of the terra cotta warriors. I asked the sales lady, "How much?"
"Two hundred kwai," she replied.
About $24.00 and that sounded rather reasonable to me. Just then Nancy called me away. We ask the young man sent with us by NPU who acted as our guide and translator to ask the woman how much the CD's cost.
He came back in a few minutes and said, $100 kwai. I handed him $200 kwai, buying two CD's, one for Bill and Amy and one for Nancy and me.
We had another interesting incident at the terra cotta warriors. We stopped at a vendors, just outside one of the buildings, to buy a soft drink for Bill. He said he needed a caffeine fix. He was not feeling well. He and Amy were just recovering from having dysentery during their final weeks in Mongolia where they had been teaching.
I picked up a can of Coke and asked, "How much?" We knew, this being a high tourist area the price would be high.
"Ten," the woman said.
I blanched and then gave her a ten. I had been looking at the prices posted on a sign and was sure the sign said that Cokes were 5 kwai.
Just then our young guide began yelling at the woman. They engaged in short shouting match. Suddenly she turned and pulled another Coke out of her refrigerator and handed it to us. I was right, the price was 5 kwai.
"When you want to buy something always
ask me to buy things for you," our guide said. "They see you and think, 'rich foreigners’, they can pay more."
There are now four "pits" to be viewed. Three are quite large. The fourth is small and is believed to represent the headquarters of Qin's afterlife army. This pit is perhaps 40 feet square and contains a chariot and on each side and a little to the rear the general's or emperor's personal body guard. Standing at the head of this pit the very large uncovered army is about 100 feet away, in another building, to your left. Behind you, perhaps 200 feet away, is another building protecting another large army. I will not be surprised if someday they find another large army to the left of the emperor. Wouldn't the emperor be in the middle of his armies and protected in front and on both sides? To my knowledge no archeological work has been done in that direction yet.
Interestingly, like many despots, Qin's empire, which he bragged would last 10,000 years. It lasted only about 37. I'm not sure, but expect this is probably the shortest dynasty in China's history.
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nnvictor =)
non-member comment
nice
i think this is cool. This is informational and people like me never seen so many warriors