It's late, when our flight arrives in Xi'an.
The view from our hotel window.
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Our hotel room.
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Next day.
Breakfast!
This, in my opinion is the best breakfast of the whole trip.
Part in parcel, it is because of the glorious view - 32nd floor!
We get to eat breakfast on the very top floor!
And the crowding is very sparse, this time in the morning.
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View of the view from our room.
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And we are off on our Terracotta Warrior filled Day!
Hooray for archeology!
First, we get to see the bronze chariots!
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Photo descriptions of the excavation site.
The chariots were discovered alongside the terracotta warriors.
The chariots were unearthed having sustained a lot of damaged from the collapse of roofing that fell onto them chariots.
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The chariots are made entirely of bronze, half-life-size.
Accurate in detail, down to the width of the fabric used to cover the parasol.
Each of the two chariots were painstakingly reconstructed from the shattered remains.
Chariot 1, below.
Chariot 2.
*****
Before we make it to the actual dig sites of the Terracotta warriors, we first journeyed to a factory that makes modern day replicas.
I'm so glad that we toured this factory!
The reason, you'll see later - the crowds at the actual dig were epic.
And the factory tour gave us a chance to get up close to some of the terracotta warriors, albeit replicas only.
The way they make the replicas: with clay hand-pressed into plaster molds.
Once they are release from their molds, the models go on to get details carved.
Here are miniature sized ones, drying before kiln-fire.
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Sizes were available from mini to full-size.
Sizes were available from mini to full-size.
The original warriors were carved hallow with the head and neck removable.
This allowed for mass manufacturing of a number of body styles that can be mixed and matched with different head and necks of individualized warriors.
There is even an inhouse artist who will, for the right price, carve your head and neck, full-sized to place into a terracotta warrior body. They ship door-to-door!
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The showroom.
The showroom's appeal for Miss.
Big Salamander.
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It is said, if you are only going to buy two warriors, buy the opposites: a kneeling archer and a standing general.
There were many beautiful embroider pieces, and I took a lot of photos.
Unfortunately, only this one turned out!
*****
And finally,
drumroll...
The wonder that I've been waiting for...
Since I first laid my eyes on that National Geographic issue on that feature this unrivaled archeological wonder...
The Terracotta Warriors!
What an amazing find.
Discovered, accidentally in the 1980's by a farmer searching for a well.
Originally commissioned by the first true Emperor of China, the Qin Emperor. He was called the first Emperor because he was the first to be able to unite the warring feudal factions of China under one standard: his own. Once an Emperor is crowned, he usually gets to work right away starting on his tomb. And the Emperor wanted to amass an army that would protect him in the afterlife. So he had a huge underground palace to designed for his burial chamber. And then, dug and set kilometers away from his main burial chambers, are the headquarters and barracks of the terracotta warrior army. The army wasn't just buried, it was a barracks, designed fully with buildings, walls, rooms, and a roof, 8000+ individual warriors each with individual faces and expressions. There were generals, captains, infantry, archers, et cetera with their ranks made clear by their uniforms and the way that their long hair was tied up and set - with rank specificity.
To read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army
This is the view from the largest of 3 digs, enclosed in climate controlled buildings.
The crowds are immense - like 8-9 deep of people to the railing.
Dig 1: the regimens.
Dig 2: the headquarters for the terracotta warrior generals.
Dig 3: still in process of digging, no warriors present.
Encased in glass, one of 4 warriors put in its own case, so that the crowds could get a little closer look.
This warrior is a standing archer.
*****
This was a long day.
Definitely, it was long for Miss.
But it was long, even for me.
But the end of the day was yet another highlight.
The evening excursion: A dinner show with Tang Dynasty traditional musical instruments and beautiful choreography and dance.
Beautiful dining setting and stage.
To our table.
Dinner was high-tea style with a series of small plates.
Immersive show with dancers on the floor, for the opening movements.
Tang dynasty style instrumentation.
Very interesting staging of steps, most of which where just façade.
The dancer climbing these steps had to be very steady, and very careful.
It was a wonder that she was able to make the climb to the top with that train!
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Next day.
Saying goodbye to our hotel room.
Also, saying goodbye to the strange 2-inch deep closet in our room.
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Outside of our hotel, there had been a multi-night evening fair for pets.
Dog.
Borb.
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Bus ride to the airport.
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Catching the next flight:
To Shanghai!
As with every flight, this one had a full meal standard.
Miss really was impressed.
1950's style luxury, style, and grandeur is not extinct.
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