Day 6 - Xian

Today we went to the see the Terra Cotta warriors.  First we went to a workshop to see how the different artifacts are made - felt the clay, saw the molds, saw the workers mashing the clay into the molds, saw the kilns etc.  This particular place also made the lacquer furniture and had other artists who painted.  While we were there our guide Michael, wrote the girls name in Chinese on rice paper in the calligraphy style. 

 

After the work shop we had a short drive to the Terra Cotta museum.  We met the man who discovered the Terra Cotta soldiers and he signed our books.  There are three or four main buildings that were built over the excavated areas.  None of it is fully excavated or fully restored.  One soldier may take up to a year to rebuild and repair.  Since the warriors actually have color - they don't want to dig them up until they figure out to preserve the color.  Now, when a piece is dug up the color oxidizes and is mostly lost. It's pretty amazing - the detail, the scale, the expense both then and now to create and preserve!

 

After the Terra Cotta soldiers we had a Chinese lunch and later that evening we went to the Tang Dynasty show.  That was fun and dinner was included.  Mostly it was foreigners, but there were a few Chinese here and there.  Dinner consisted of dumpling after dumpling after dumpling...they came in the shape of what was inside the dumpling.  So we had chicken, pig, duck, scallop, fish - just to name a few.  The show was a series of traditional performances rather than a show that told a story.  It was impressive in costume and set design and even included some humor!

 

Xian is a city to 8 million people - compared to Beijing it has a very different feel.  The city felt more accessible, more city neighborhoods, more walkable.  Beijing felt like just a giant sprawling city where you might not know or see your neighbor.

 

Next stop Chengdu and the Giant Pandas!
 

Joyce