March 8th, 2007
Today was our opportunity to see what 3 million other people come to see every year; the Terra-cotta Warrior Museum. Not only has the 8th Wonder of the World put Xian on the map, but represents a huge chunk of all tourists visiting China.
In a nut shell, back in 1970, this farmer named Mr. Yang was digging for a well, where he discovered pieces from below. Years later, the government excavated the area, and dug up the remains of the now Terra-Cotta Warriors. (The Warriors took over 40+ years to complete and were prepared as a symbol for protection and power during the after life of Emperor Qin.)
The museum currently sits above 3 open pits where many of the original warrior pieces have been re-configured and repositioned by Chinese archaeologists, according to how they originally once were. 37 years later, Mr. Yang now holds a new daily job, sitting at the tourist building, signing copies of the official Terra-Cotta Warrior Museum Book. You know this guy is the man, when he is the ONLY guy allowed to smoke IN the museum…Fame and new found wealth definitely has gotten into this guys fuckin head as he will not speak with you nor allow you to take a photo OF him without a small tip…but after all, he is the ONLY person allowed to smoke in the entire museum complex!
We concluded our time in Xian with a 16-course dumpling dinner followed by the Tang Dynasty Show.
Today was our opportunity to see what 3 million other people come to see every year; the Terra-cotta Warrior Museum. Not only has the 8th Wonder of the World put Xian on the map, but represents a huge chunk of all tourists visiting China.
In a nut shell, back in 1970, this farmer named Mr. Yang was digging for a well, where he discovered pieces from below. Years later, the government excavated the area, and dug up the remains of the now Terra-Cotta Warriors. (The Warriors took over 40+ years to complete and were prepared as a symbol for protection and power during the after life of Emperor Qin.)
The museum currently sits above 3 open pits where many of the original warrior pieces have been re-configured and repositioned by Chinese archaeologists, according to how they originally once were. 37 years later, Mr. Yang now holds a new daily job, sitting at the tourist building, signing copies of the official Terra-Cotta Warrior Museum Book. You know this guy is the man, when he is the ONLY guy allowed to smoke IN the museum…Fame and new found wealth definitely has gotten into this guys fuckin head as he will not speak with you nor allow you to take a photo OF him without a small tip…but after all, he is the ONLY person allowed to smoke in the entire museum complex!
We concluded our time in Xian with a 16-course dumpling dinner followed by the Tang Dynasty Show.
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