2000 Newsletter - Xi'an
Horses from the Bronze Chariots
Xi'an airport was also new as it was built in 1991, however for some reason it still looked as if it had been built in the 1950s. We waited for our luggage for some time. Everyone else on the flight had his or hers. Everyone on the flight after ours had their luggage and we were forced to admit that the whole group's luggage had been lost. We therefore undertook our journey into the city with a heavy heart, wondering if we would ever see it again. Fortunately, the luggage finally arrived at about midnight so we could all rest easy again.
For many of us, one of the main reasons for taking the trip to China was to visit the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an. They had mesmerised me the last time round and I was really looking forward to seeing them. A couple of us had hinted to our guides that we really wanted to have enough time to see them properly and did not want to be herded like sheep. It was therefore wonderful that we were allowed to wander freely about the museum complex, against the expectations (and possibly wishes) of our local guide. I was like a child, full of excitement as we went from hall to hall revisiting my memories.
Painted Terracotta Warrior
I chose to visit the Bronze Chariots first, enjoying savouring the thought that I would shortly be able to see the Warriors again with my own eyes. The bronze chariots now have their own sumptuous building. I am still amazed how perfect the half size models are. The horses' tack would work if recreated today. The expressions on the horses' faces are such that they appear to be looking straight though you.
I was disappointed to find that there has been few new discoveries in ten years since my last visit. Pit 1 has been further excavated and Pit 2 is now open. The only new find was that some of the warriors in Pit 2 were painted. They had always known that the warriors were originally painted as fragments of colour had been found on figures, but the ones they unearthed last year were virtually fully painted. Since then, these four new figures have faded badly (not helped by the fact that a very strong light is directed at them to enable visitors to see them) and a decision has been made to stop excavation until a method of protecting the colouration can be found. Unfortunately, this decision means that it is not possible to see any kneeling archers "in situ", which was one of the things I had been hoping to see.
The one new attraction was a 360° film that was design to explain how the Warriors came to exist. The only other times I had experienced a film of this type was at amusement parks, so it was good to see the technology being put to an alternative use.
Despite my disappointment at the lack of new discoveries, there was no doubt that the visit to Xi’an and the Terracotta Warriors were still the highlight of the trip.
Food in the Muslim quarter
In the afternoon, we got a chance to explore the Muslim quarter of Xi'an. It was a vibrant place to wander around. There were many stalls laid out with bamboo skewers with all manner of food items just waiting to be bought, and if appropriate, cooked. How we wished that we had the guts to ignore the advice of our guides and eat the food, however that little lingering doubt about how our stomachs would react to the unknown made us behave ourselves.
The evening saw what was for me another return visit, this time to a show of song and dance from the Tang dynasty. The show lasts about an hour and is very American in feel, even down to the voice of the announcer and the complimentary drinks. The sight of the women dancing with sleeves which must be at least be at least fifteen feet long is amazing.
Xi'an, like Beijing, has seen a great deal of development in the last ten years, however it is still a magical place that I feel drawn to. It is still my intention to do the Silk Road some day, in part so that I have good excuse to return to Xi'an.