Xi'an, China

Where would you go to experience one of the world’s oldest living civilizations? You know people always ask me, “Where do you want to go that you've never been before?” And my answer is always the same. I want to go to China to see the Terracotta Warriors. I’ve finally, gotten here, and is it exciting! I mean, this is the greatest archeological discovery since King Tut’s tomb, I guess.

Xi’an is the current capital and principal city in the Shaanxi Province of China . Known as the ‘eternal city,’ Xi’an is one of the birth places of the ancient civilizations found in the Yellow River Basin. This memorable city is hailed as one of the ‘four great ancient capitals of China.’ Surrounded by the water and hills of central China, Xi’an is literally living history. Not only is Xi’an full of ancient monuments, historical ruins, and fascinating museums, but it is also the famed starting point of the Silk Road. Its desirable location and rich cultural history makes Xi’an a favorite tourist destination.

Today, exploring Xi’an is like flipping through the pages of a history book or diving into an adventure novel. Visitors flock to Xi’an to see amazing sites, like the Greater and Lesser Wild Goose Pagodas, the magnificent city wall, and the various religious temples. But the most popular and my personal favorite, is seeing the Terracotta Warriors!

This amazing discovery is located in the Lingtong district, about 35 kilometers east of Xi’an City. These life size clay warriors are arranged in military formations, and they guard a very important burial site – that of the first emperor in the written history of China. In 246 B.C., the emperor ordered the construction of his mausoleum. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers were involved in this massive construction effort that lasted nearly 40 years! The mausoleum was not just an emperor’s tomb, but an underground house of treasure, located right at the foot of China’s Mount Li! Many of the emperor's children are also entombed here.

First, the amazing discovery of these wondrous works of clay. In March, 1974, local farmers of Xiyang Village were drilling for water to irrigate their crops when they struck historical “gold.” One of these farmers is still around to tell the story. When the 6 farmers were digging around, they found pieces of the red clay. They found the broken pieces of the warriors and their faces. They were, of course, shocked by what they found. They reported this to the government, who then brought in an excavation team that found thousands of terra cotta figures.

This ground-breaking discovery led to the unearthing of not only one pit of Emperor Qin’s army, but three! Remarkably, these three pits are the home of over 10,000 life-size pottery warriors, horses, and chariots! And the site is huge! I didn't know what to expect when I got here. I thought the statues would still be standing out in the fields, but there's an amazing complex that they built with a complex and a research center, reception center, museum shop, and tea center. I mean, it’s just incredible! If you want to avoid crowds and get the full story, it is worth the money for a professionally guided tour through the excavations.

Let’s start at the beginning, with Pit #1. This is the largest pit, displaying the clay warriors arranged in a complex battle formation. Over 200 armed soldiers, several officers, and 30 horse-drawn chariots, all surrounded by a protective row of soldiers who originally held crossbows are all standing at attention. You can tell what rank each warrior held by looking at the hairstyles, dress, and armor of each statue. But another clue to what station they held is in their stance.

The excavation work here continues, with more discoveries yet to be made. Experts believe that more than 6,000 warriors remain to be unearthed in Pit #1! There is what looks like an empty pit at the site, but it actually has yet to be uncovered. Can you imagine? Warriors and chariots and horses and whatever else they could find down there! But there’re no plans to uncover them right now because they haven't come up with a technology to preserve the paint colors that fade so fast when it hits the air.

Nearby Pit #1 is a set up they call “the hospital.” This is where they put together all the statues that are broken. And if you look up on the ridge above the location, you can see the warriors that still have pieces of arms and heads missing. The excavation found most of the statues broken into pieces, so each must be carefully reconstructed and preserved. Groups of highly skilled professionals are still hard at work unearthing and reconstructing these 'Warriors of Old.' The work is painstaking and slow, as each piece has to be matched to a specific warrior. Basically, they're 2,200 year old, three-dimensional puzzles.

Next up is Pit #2, which was discovered in 1976. It is an l-shaped array of four specialized military groups including archers, war chariots and charioteers, infantry and cavalry. For the modern traveler, the set up helps to illustrate the emperor’s unique military strategy.

If you want to see what the statues look like when they were first uncovered look around Pit #3. They're laying all scattered, broken in pieces, and somebody has to gather all the pieces and put them back together. What's interesting about Pit #3is that these are supposedly all ceremonial, which mean that they discovered the statues with their weapons but no blades. These are over two thousand years old, but especially here in Pit #3, in one of the corners they look brand new.

Pit #3 is thought to be the command center of the entire army, because of its location and armored figure arrangement. Warriors are set with their backs facing the wall and these guards of armor carry ceremonial weapons such as the ‘shu’. Some of Pit #3 is still under construction. Various terracotta pieces of these puzzles lay waiting to be matched and patched back together.

The question everyone asks is, was this a live army at one time? Well, it's thought that real soldiers living under the emperor’s rule were used as models for the craftsmen who created the Terracotta Warriors. And it really is incredible to study the warriors close-up. No two are alike! You know people have told me all the faces are different, but, until you get here and really study them up close, then you see the faces are all really different.

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is truly a remarkable historic site. Every traveler to China should consider a trip to Xi’an. You've gotta visit the pits and the research center. But there's another place you don't want to miss. The gift shop! Where you can find a terracotta warrior to call your very own! Now if you're thinking, “I'd really like to take one of these guys home with me,” come into the museum shop, because they have the best quality.

Here they make them out of the same terracotta clay that the originals were made from. They are fired twice, just like the originals. And you'll see faces in here you'll never see in the souvenir shop. Here's a little secret. If you want to have one made with your face on it - they can do that too. A terracotta Laura? Now that would be a little scary!

Not only can you bring home a high quality warrior, the gift shop also offers tigers, dragons, and horse drawn carriage miniatures. These carriage miniatures are exact replicas of the two life-size bronze carriages unearthed here several years ago! And for a little while, it's where to meet one of the farmers who made the discovery, not your average celebrity!

Today, the terracotta army stands at attention for millions of visitors to enjoy, earning its well deserved nickname, ‘the Eighth Wonder of the World.’ The emperor would certainly be impressed at his resurrected army – an army that continues to grow in size and number, as more warriors are discovered each year! Standing at attention outside Xi’an, and united as one… these guards literally stand the test of time. Now that’s loyalty.

China’s military history has greatly impacted its modern culture and helped to create its tourism. In fact there's a reason the emperor buried his warriors here. Xi’an was especially favored by ancient kings for its strategic location. In fact, it was known as the key to commanding all of China! So, keeping Xi’an safe was a top priority.

Surrounding the City of Xi’an proper, is where you’ll find another amazing piece of ancient Chinese history – its magnificent city wall. Xi’an’s existing city wall was built during the Ming Dynasty as an addition to the wall first started in the Tang Dynasty. Construction began in 1370, and eight years later, the wall was complete. Today, this fortification is one of the most well preserved, oldest and largest city defense systems in all of China. And what’s more – this wall is double fortified – the wall itself is surrounded by a moat!

When's the last time you saw a real moat with water in it? I don't think I ever have. And the moat and the wall goes ten miles around the city. Six hundred years old and still standing. Incredible! They tell me it’s lasted so long because the wall was built with a mixture of mud, rice soup, and kiwi juice. About two hundred years later they put a few bricks on it and it still looks really good. So next time somebody says ‘strong as a rock’ or ‘strong as an ox,’ you can say, “Uh huh, strong as mud, rice soup, and kiwi juice." Now you know the secret recipe for longevity and strength!

Not only is the City of Xi’an circled by a protective moat, the city wall is has four corner towers, 98 defense platforms, and nearly 6,000 watchtowers! Nothing got by this wall without permission! Originally 4 entrance gates were built into Xi’an City, with several troops stationed inside. Today, modern troops still stand ready inside the gates in use. Families and visitors come to the city wall to play in the beautiful gardens, admire the moat, and cross the bridge. But the big highlight is to climb the stairs to the top of the wall . . . and check out the view.

Wow! Looking down on the ancient City of Xi’an from the top of the wall is an awesome sight. Just watching day to day activities gives you a bird’s eye view of Xi’an culture here in the city. A modern view from a historic lookout! I love it! And the top of the wall itself is incredible – it’s wide enough for five cars to drive side by side! This ancient roadway is mostly populated with pedestrians, bike riders, and my favorite mode of transportation, rickshaws!

You can rent your ride on these human-powered cycles here at just at the top of the stairs, and let me tell you – not only are rickshaws an environmentally friendly means of getting around, they’re fun! Well, for the passengers anyway. The driver does all the work! What a ride! Now, this is the way to see the city!

Historic military sites like the Terracotta Warriors and the city wall are popular spots for Xi’an visitors. Like today’s leaders, ancient Chinese emperors prepared their cities not only for war, but for the pursuit of personal wellness and religion too. You can visit these ancient areas of health and prayer in Xi’an. I recommend you start at the Huaqing Pool, constructed in 747 during China’s Tang Dynasty. For centuries, emperors came here to bathe in the hot, restorative waters.

Today, visitors from Xi’an and from around the world are drawn to this scenic sanctuary. Also known as Huaqing Palace, this hot spring lies about 30 kilometers from Xi’an in Lintong county, right at the foot of Lishan Mountain. A little hot spring history: not only is the pool famous for its hot waters, but for the romantic love affair of a Chinese emperor and his concubine as well. Today, concubine Yang’s beautiful statue stands in the reflective waters of Nine Dragon Lake for all to admire. She’s most enchanting!

Visitors can get the ‘royal treatment’ by bathing in the mineral rich waters of the hot springs, or cleansing their face and hands at the flowing fountains. At Huaqing Palace, there are pools of the present – and ones of the past! The ruins of several ancient pools were excavated in1982. Various structures have been built to house these imperial pools, now hundreds of years old!

After the refreshing waters and mountain air of the hot springs, visit some religious relics of the Tang Dynasty, the Greater Wild Goose Pagoda. Just south of Xi’an is the great Ci’en Temple and the Greater Wild Goose Pagoda. This ancient 7-story structure was originally built to house the Buddhist scriptures of a renowned monk. Today, you can climb a spiral staircase to the top for incredible views of the entire city of Xi’an!

Xi’an, China is not only a tangible lesson in ancient history, it's a dynamic modern city as well. With shopping centers . . . night life . . . and great restaurants. Old and new, you won’t want to miss a thing, so to avoid some traffic, stay close to all the action. The best place I found was at the Shangri-La Hotel Xi’an, its location is ideal, close to all the shopping, sightseeing, and dining of your choice. It features luxury accommodations, personalized service, 5- star amenities, and unique personal wellness programs. It’s a great jumping off point for your trip to the Terracotta Warriors! You’ll feel like you’re in paradise at the Shangri-la Xi’an, and don’t miss the restaurants within the hotel, all fabulous!

The ‘eternal city’ was once the beginning the famed silk road but was almost unknown to travelers until the discovery of the terra cotta warriors. That discovery is Xi’an's main draw …but once visitors arrive, they discover something more. They discover a modern, dynamic city full of monuments, religious temples, and incredible natural wonders. Visiting Xi’an is like opening a page in a history book. One visit here and you’ll soon see how Xi’an has earned the title “natural history museum.” You know here in China, you don't just see places you experience cultures from the past and the present. I’d have to say this is one experience I'll always remember and I hope you will, too!

www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/xian
www.city.chinaassistor.com
www.terracotta-warriors.com
www.aguidetoasia.com/china/xi'an-wild-goose-pagoda
www.chinaplanner.com/gardens