China Pictures -- Xi'an

Xi'an was the capital city for the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties. It marked the starting point of the Silk Road and was the place where the merchants from the middle east and Europe came to trade for silk and porcelain. The city wall still stands as well as the pits where the first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, buried 8000 terra cotta warriors. The first picture is of the amazing drum tower located right next to the Muslim night bazaar in the middle of the city. Check out all the fun modes of transportation people come up with in Xi'an. 

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Muslim Night Market

Because of the Silk Road, many Muslim traders settled down in Xi'an. There is still a sizeable Muslim population in the city and we visited their night bazaar one evening. There were food vendors with all kinds of interesting foods that we didn't see anywhere else in China. My favorite part of the bazaar was the calligraphy shop that had tons of calligraphy brushes, rice paper, and everything else you could possibly need.

Terra Cotta Factory

Before visiting the pits with the actual terra cotta warriors, we visited a factory that recreates soldiers using the same methods used by Qin Shihuangdi's artisans. We were able to see the molds and the brick ovens where the statues are baked for days. They produce many other traditional Chinese handicrafts as well, such as lacquer furniture and porcelain statues.

Terra Cotta Soldiers

China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, buried thousands of terra cotta soldiers and horses near his tomb, hoping they would protect him in the next life. These life-like statues were discovered in 1974 when some Chinese farmers were digging a well. The world's largest free-standing airplane hangar was built over the first pit of soldiers and Chinese archaeologists have worked to reconstruct the soldiers who were destroyed by looting and a collapsed roof. You can read all about the archaeological site where these statues were found at http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/,

The last photo in this slide show is of the mound where Qin Shihuangdi is buried. Archaeologists have not unearthed his tomb yet because they are waiting until their technology has advanced a bit further so that whatever they find can be preserved. I sure hope they dig him up during my lifetime!

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Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652 AD during the Tang Dynasty. It was originally built to keep the Buddhist texts that the Buddhist monk, Xuanzang, brought back with him from India after a 17-year journey. If you've ever heard of the Monkey King or "Journey to the West," these are all related to Xuanzang and his journey. The pagoda leans a bit today, so the people of Xi'an call it "The Leaning Tower of Xi'an."

One of the most impressive things to me was a huge room with carved jade murals on three walls depicting the life of Buddha. Look for it in the pictures below.

Tang Dynasty Dinner and Music Show

The Tang Dynasty, which last from about 600-900AD, is considered the golden age in Chinese history. Art, music, and literature were highly developed, as well as technology and the political system. We attended an amazing dinner show one night where we sampled about 30 different dumplings and watched as musicians performed traditional Tang songs complete with elaborate sets, instruments, and costumes. It was super fun!