Chapter 130
Xi’an-The Terracotta Warriors
Xi’an is west of Luoyang and is a bigger city. (By car-4 hours: Regular train-5 hours: High Speed Train-under 2 hours). The Terracotta Warriors were discovered in 1974 by farmers that were digging a well for water. The Terracotta Army (Warriors and Horses) is the most significant archaeological excavation of the 20th century.
A little history. Qin Shi Huang, at the age of thirteen, ascended to the throne in 246 BC, and later became the first emperor of China. When he had this mausoleum built, it took eleven years to finish. It is said that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects accompanied the emperor in his afterlife.
A little history. Qin Shi Huang, at the age of thirteen, ascended to the throne in 246 BC, and later became the first emperor of China. When he had this mausoleum built, it took eleven years to finish. It is said that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects accompanied the emperor in his afterlife.
There are three pits. It is estimated that altogether there are over 8,000 clay soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses along with 150 cavalry horses and weapons. Other terracotta non-military figures were found in other pits including officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.
Pit number one has the most of these. Housed in a building the size of an aircraft hangar, it is believed to contain 6000 warriors (only 2000 are on display) and horses, all facing east and ready for battle. The vanguard of three rows of archers (both crossbow and longbow) is followed by the main force of soldiers, who originally held spears, swords, dagger-axes and other long-shaft weapons.
The infantry was accompanied by thirty chariots. These were made of wood and have long since disintegrated. Each soldier has unique facial expressions. Patches of paint hint that at one time the soldiers had brightly colored clothes. The purpose of all of this was to protect the emperor in his afterlife.
The life-size army of thousands has silently stood guard over the soul of China's first unifier for more than two thousand years.
Ms. Qin and Rebecca are two teachers at the Number One Foreign Language School in Luoyang. They took the three of us foreigners to Xi’an by train during the National Day Holiday (October 1, 2002).
The life-size army of thousands has silently stood guard over the soul of China's first unifier for more than two thousand years.
The date on the pictures should be October 2, 2002.
Ms. Qin, Travis Rusin, Justin Patch and Rebecca (Zhuan Hongjuan)
Ms. Qin and Rebecca are two teachers at the Number One Foreign Language School in Luoyang. They took the three of us foreigners to Xi’an by train during the National Day Holiday (October 1, 2002).
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