China: Xi’an and the Terracotta Army: March 2016

If you ever have the chance to visit China then make  sure that your path leads to the city of Xi’an and the Terracotta Soldiers. Each and every soldier has a different face. But I’m getting ahead of myself here.

Xi’an was the second city we visited in China. The city did have quite a bit of smog but once we got out of the city it wasn’t too bad. We were staying at the Ritz and the view from the bar on the 50th something floor was incredible. The cities are bright at night. Lights and signs shining on buildings. Traffic moving through the tall towers of buildings like glowing rivers of red and white glittering light.

Like our other excursions we took a bus out to the site of the Terracotta Army. These silent warriors of old were discovered by accident; farmers digging a well. Upon further investigation it was discovered that the warriors were a mausoleum to the first emperor of China. The museum that has been constructed around the warriors has three pits. Pit one is the largest and most well know. It contains thousands of warriors and hundreds of horses along with archers and chariots.

I remember feeling awe at the sight of the silent stone army. Thousands of men guarding their long dead ruler. Clay eyes staring forward. Many of the clay men have crumbed and are slowly and painstakingly being put back together. Pit two contained many broken figures and many of the remaining ones are larger than the general warriors, these are the generals for the army. The figures were painted but the dry air of the region causes the paint to flake within minutes of exposure and thus pit three is left covered in earth and special permission is required for scientists and archaeologists to study the figures still entombed.    

On our second night in Xi’an we went to the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show. Dinner was dumplings of every kind imaginable: pork, duck, sweet potato, spinach and many others that I can’t remember but they were wonderful. The show itself was beautiful. Jewels flashed on brightly colored costumes as dancer moved with perfect steps along the stage. My favorite dance was the Flying Buddha. I remember it being light and graceful. I was enchanted.

You may recognize these dumplings from this post. Check it out to make your own dumplings at home.

If you get the chance go, go see the great Terracotta army. I hope the sheer size and majesty of it inspires the same since wonder in you that it did in me. As always, if you enjoy my blog please consider buying me a cup of coffee.