China Pictures
Xi'an Photos

Pictures: The Terracotta Army, foot soldiers, archers, cavalry, chariots and generals standing in battle formation;
Xian's city wall; close up of the some of the 8,000 warriors, each one unique [fat bellies and bottoms included]
and originally fully - even garishly - painted.

The huge and bizarre buried Terracotta Army, constructed circa 210 BC but discovered as recently as 1974 is
considered by some to be one of the 20th century's greatest finds. Along with Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb that
the army guards this UNESCO World Heritage Site is 28kms from Xian city centre. Factoids: estimates put the
number of Chinese needed to create the army and tomb at 700,000; estimated number of warriors and members of
the imperial court, 8,000, buried in 600 pits; size of the site is 50 sq km; visitor numbers can reach a staggering
40,000 per day. Qin Shi Huang was first Emperor of China after uniting the country and creating a unified law,
language, weights and measures. The name China may well be derived from Qin, which is pronounced Chin.

One hour east of Xi'an is the newly opened Han Yangling tomb of Emperor Jing Di [an apparently
benevolent Taoist ruler, unlike the dramatically well organised but cruel Qin Shi Huang],
with visitor complex. Nowhere near as busy as the Terracotta Army, Jing Di's museum has been
extremely sensitively developed with partially exposed excavations under glass, clever lighting
and all sorts of regal treasures on show, from soldiers to laquered boxes. Less overwhelming
than Qin Shi Huang's tomb, this place has a far more tranquil atmosphere and far less tourists.

Nearby is Huaqing Pool, spouting hot mineral waters favoured by emperors. You can soak tired bodies here
but it's not an especially cultural experience. Other sights around Xi'an are the Banpo Museum's remains of a
Neolithic Chinese village [4,500 BC]; the Famen Si temple with a Buddha's finger and its adjacent
Tang dynasty museum; and the holy mountain of Hua Shan [Flowery Mountain] which you can partially
ascend by cable car, with sufficient refreshment stops further up if you choose to keep on climbing.

Images: Shanghai | Yangshuo | Silk Road

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