Xian, China and the Terracotta Warriors cover page. |
Map of China with star indicating Xi'an. |
My first stop in Xi'an was at a factory that makes contemporary terracotta warriors. |
Adjacent to the terracotta warrior factory is a Chinese lacquer furniture factory. |
Bronze horse statues in the plaza outside the terracotta warriors exhibition halls. |
Terracotta warriors Pit No. 1. |
View of Pit No. 2. |
View of Pit No. 3. |
Some of the magnificent terracotta warriors in Pit No. 1. |
One can see the vastness of Pit No. 1, which measures 252 yards long, 68 yards wide and 16 feet deep. |
Pit No. 1 has good ventilation, daylight conditions and temperature and humidity monitoring systems to preserve the warriors. |
Close-up of the warriors. |
Originally, the warriors held bronze weapons such as crossbows, arrows, spears, knives, etc. |
There are over 6,000 terra cotta warriors and horses in Pit 1, of which 1,000 have been excavated. |
Every three yards, there is a puddle wall, which separates the underground army into different columns. |
The walls were fortified with wooden columns, earth and vegetation while the floor was covered with black bricks. |
The puddle walls are lower than the terracotta warriors, because a flood in Pit 1 caused them to partially collapse. |
Behind the foot soldiers were chariots drawn by horses. |
Horses behind the soldiers. The chariots did not survive because they were constructed mainly with wood. |
Horses and cavalry soldier minus the chariot. |
The foot soldiers are are lined into 38 columns. |
Some soldiers are clothed with battle robes, and some are equipped with armor. |
Close-up of the warriors in Pit No. 1. All of the faces are different. |
Head of a terracotta warrior infantryman. |
The soldiers are posed as though they are ready for battle at any moment. |
Ruins of the terracotta battle formation in Pit No. 1. |
Formation of warriors at the rear of Pit No. 1. |
These warriors are very well preserved with the exception of a few missing heads. |
Well-preserved cavalry horses at the rear of Pit No. 1. |
After viewing Pit No. 1, I went to lunch where I witnessed this chef making Chinese noodles. |
After lunch I went to Pit No. 2, the most spectacular of the three pits with the most complete and complex formations. |
Cavalry and horses. In Pit No. 2, there are over 80 war chariots, 1,300 terra cotta warriors, horses and bronze weapons. |
More details of Pit No. 2. |
Poster on display at Pit No. 2. Originally, the terracotta warriors were painted to look life-like. The paint eroded with time. |
Close-up of a terracotta warrior's head. |
Another poster showing remnants and ruins of warriors in Pit No. 2. |
Me posing with the terracotta warriors. While they look real, these warriors are fake. |
Display behind plexiglass at Pit No. 2 of a middle-ranking officer. |
Note the chest and back armor and the square-toed shoes. |
Close-up of the tread on the square-toed shoes. |
Display behind plexiglass at Pit No. 2 of a kneeling-archer. He held a cross-bow. |
Display behind plexiglass at Pit No. 2 of a high-ranking officer. He is one of seven generals found in the terracotta pits. |
Display behind plexiglass at Pit No. 2 of a cavalryman with his saddled war-horse. |
He holds the reins in one hand and held a crossbow in the other. |
Display behind plexiglass at Pit No. 2 of a standing archer. His hands show that he was ready to shoot. |
Weapons on display at Pit No. 2. They utilize chrome plating technology (invented in China almost 200 years before Christ). |
Ruins in Pit no. 3, which is actually a component of Pits No. 1 and 2 and the headquarters for the groups in the other two pits. |
Tunnel leading to the Xi'an city wall, which is one of the oldest and best preserved city walls in China. |
Tour buses outside of the wall. It was built by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). |
The wall has a moat and a circular park. It surrounds the inner city of Xian. |
Steep stairs going up to the city wall. It's the most complete city wall in China. |
Construction of the first city wall began in 194 BC and lasted for four years. |
Another city wall view. It is one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. |
Canons, catapults and other defensive weapons on top of the city wall. |
Close-up of the defensive weapons. |
City wall view with defensive weapons and tower. |
Tower view with flags and Chinese lanterns. |
The Chinese lanterns are hung from a metal dragon sculpture. |
Close-up of the defensive tower. |
The wall is 13.7 kilometers (8.5 miles) long with a deep moat surrounding it. |
Unique dragon trash container on the Xi'an city wall. |
A chubby Chinese boy who was on the city wall that day. |
Me posing on the Xi'an city wall. |
A cute Chinese girl making bubbles in Xi'an. |
Another cute Chinese kid in Xi'an. |
Female lion sculpture with a baby on her back. |
An unusual stone carving in Xi'an. |
Chinese gate near Xi'an's Big Wild Goose Pagoda. |
A large metal urn in front of the Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an. |
Close-up of the urn, which is probably used for religious ceremonies. |
Structure with beautiful Chinese ornamentation near the Wild Goose Pagoda. |
The Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). |
The pagoda's function was to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang. |
Xi'an was part of the Silk Road, which lead to India, the cradle of Buddhism. |
Xuanzang traversed 100 countries for 17 years. |
Having acquired Buddha figures, 657 kinds of sutras and some Buddha relics, he supervised the building of the pagoda's interior. |
With the support of royalty, he asked 50 hierarchs to translate Sanskrit in sutras into Chinese, totaling 1,335 volumes. |
Me standing on the steps of the Wild Goose Pagoda. |
Beautiful design going up the stairs. |
A lion sculpture was nearby. |
This wonderful stone dragon carving was also near the steps leading to the pagoda. |
Beautiful bell at the Wild Goose Pagoda. |
This incense-burning urn was nearby. |
A twisted tree at the pagoda. |
That's my tour guide, Jenna, making an offering with candles outside of the pagoda. |
Buddha image as seen from the outside looking in. |
Exquisite golden Buddha statue and shrine inside the pagoda. |
Monk praying in front of the shrine. |
Close-up of the monk. |
Monks inside the pagoda. |
These Buddhists were having some kind of meeting or religious ceremony. |
Buddhist monks in orange robes worshipping. |
Close-up of the monks. |
More monks praying. |
Exquisite golden carvings in the Wild Goose Pagoda. |
More decorative details in the pagoda. |
Buddhist monk peering out of the doorway of the pagoda. |
This monk was leaving. |
Two monks conferring with each other. |
Procession of monks leaving the Wild Goose Pagoda in the rain. |
Monks converging in the square outside of the pagoda. |
Close-up of the monks converging. |
View of the Wild Goose Pagoda with a building in the foreground. |
These golden Buddha statues inside the building. |
A magnificent "happy Buddha" was also on display, protected by plexiglass. |
Exquisite Buddhist carving with jade and a hydra-armed Buddha. |
Another Buddhist statue on display. |
Golden Buddha with flowers in the foreground. |
Chinese structure with intricate gates. |
Nearby the Wild Goose Pagoda was a garden with this twisted tree with a bird cage hanging from it. |
In the garden was the most famous "happy Buddha" in Xi'an. |
Close-up of the "happy Buddha." |
Near the Wild Goose Pagoda is this elaborately-decorated doorway. |
Colorful Buddhist tapestry and shrine in Xi'an. |
Xi'an lion sculpture. |
Close-up of the lion sculpture. |
Me standing in front of the statue of Xuanzang and the Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an. |