Xian and Terra cotta Warriors

Beijing-Xian-Beijing

Xian and Terra cotta Warriors

A flight took us to Xian (pronounced sort of like 'She-on') the home of the
Terra cotta Warriors. The Terra cotta Warriors were placed in the tomb of an
emperor to protect him in the afterlife (unlike other emperors who buried live
soldiers). What an incredible site - the warriors, now protected from the
elements with what looks like a plane hanger, stretched into the awe-inspiring
distance. The interesting thing is when the warriors were found they were in
pieces - all of them - approx 7,000-8,000 - except one kneeling archer. The
statues had been demolished by hoards of revolutionaries throwing over the
emperor's reign. Then they were buried for about 2,700 years until a farmer,
Mr. Young, digging a well discovered them in 1974. (Mr. Young was at the museum
were he sits and signs books now for a living.)

Each warrior has an individually carved face, based on a real warrior who lived
thousands of years ago. Each face, posture, height, uniform, hairstyle and
even fingernails and hand lines is different. Some have happy faces, some sad,
some disappointed, some stern. These reflect the faces of actual men who lived
thousands of years ago. The Chinese archeologists are piecing the warriors
together one by one. They have completed hundreds (thousands?) of them but
have years and years more work ahead.

Some of the Terra cotta Warriors are traveling around the world on display.
Some of the warriors are at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C.
though March 31. Other Warriors were in Chili during the earthquake -
fortunately they are all O.K..

Xian Muslin Quarter

Xian, a city of about 8 million, has a Muslim quarter where about 100,000
Muslims live. We went to see the Grand Mosque. Along the way we walked
through narrow city alleys, about 10' wide, filled with merchants selling silk
scarves, dates, backpacks, mini Terra cotta warriors and more. Pet birds in
cages hung outside the stalls chirpping through the alley. Bikes, including
those pulling carts of bread, wound around the early morning crowds. As we
stopped to look at a chess set suddenly all the merchants started yelling, "Get
in, get in!" and everyone in the alley was herded in to the tiny shops. As we
were being pushed to the back of the stall my head spun wondering what could be
happening. Police raid? (Had just been told about some illegal activity in the
alley.) Riot?

Looking out in to the alley we soon saw that we had cleared the way for a Muslin
funeral. The alley was filled with men wearing white hats and soon six men
carrying the body, of the mostly quilt covered deceased, on a shoulder height
stretcher passed solemnly by.

Today we are in Beijing at the Asel's and heading out to Tiananmen Square and
the Forbidden City.

All the best,

Jackie