XI’AN AND THE TERRACOTTA ARMY -- CAN YOU DIG IT?
Table of Contents
Stories and photos by Jim Thomas (unless otherwise indicated)
Introduction
On March 30, 2019, my lovely wife, Alexa, and I were married. Our trip to China was an extended honeymoon…why not? I had already planned to revisit Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Macau. I had been to China and the famous Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an in 2018. Xi’ An is two words. Pronounced “She’ On.” “Xi’” means west and “an” means peace. Thus, I had visited Western Peace. That fantastic tour included 4 days in Xi’an, but our 2019 trip couldn’t afford such a lengthy detour and I did not put Xi’an on our itinerary.
Yet, my wife had never seen the Terracotta Warriors and visiting them was really high on her “bucket list.” Being the loving newlywed, I racked my brain for a solution. The problem was solved with the assistance of Viator Tours. They had worked with me on numerous other tours around the world and were extremely helpful with this dilemma. They offered a one-day (albeit a very long day) private tour from Beijing to Xi’an via train travel. I made the arrangements through them who, in turn, subcontracted with Sunflower Tours – China. They made all of the travel arrangements and provided our excellent tour guides. As you will see, we were able to see the Terracotta Warriors in one day!
With this program, side tours of Xi’an and other unrelated sites were eliminated. I did not mind this because the Terracotta Army Park, with its several museum buildings, was our main reason for traveling to this ancient city. Having taken a tour earlier in 2018, I could compare both tour companies. What I found amazing was that this tour actually gave us more time with the Terracotta Warriors than my first visit. We didn’t get a lengthy visit in the city of Xi’an, nor did we have time to ride bikes on the Xi’an city wall. We also didn’t visit the factory that made reproductions of all forms of the Terracotta Warriors, which were sold there and all around the world. The statues in front of your local P. F. Chang were probably made at that factory. I am sure “Made in China” was stamped on the bottom of them. Trust me, I didn’t miss this nor the saleslady giving me the hard sell to buy 5 life-size statues for the special price of $3,000 U. S., shipping included, as I escaped to the waiting tour bus! Instead, we had a very comprehensive and pleasant tour of what is considered one of the most significant archeological digs of the 20th Century! Join me as I take you on a tour of The Terracotta Army of Xi’an, China. I hope you enjoy the visit.
Jim Thomas
Journey to Xi'an
But for now, as our car sped through the empty streets of central Beijing, past the reviewing stands erected in front of the Tomb of Mao Zedong and the Forbidden City, we witnessed a very quiet calm before the storm.
The Quiet of Tiananmen Square
Prior to our China trip, I had arranged for this excursion to Xi’an through Viator Tours. Our day had begun with a wake-up call at 04:00 AM. Alexa and I met Sunflower Li, our Beijing guide, at 05:00 AM who took us to a waiting car. The well-lit streets were totally empty except for the occasional security guards manning the periodic check points around Tiananmen Square. The Square was an empty eerie contrast to the tens of thousands of people that filled the Square two days earlier. Within 28 hours this same Square would be filled to the brim with hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic people celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1, 2019. But for now, as our car sped through the empty streets of central Beijing, past the reviewing stands erected in front of the Tomb of Mao Zedong and the Forbidden City, we witnessed a very quiet calm before the storm.
Arriving at Beijing
We arrived at the Beijing South Train Station. There, Sunflower Li offered us an opportunity to travel to Xi’an in Business Class. We had already purchased First Class tickets which were nice accommodations. However, we discovered through Li that Business Class was even higher. There was a separate, private lounge that was away from the noisy chaos and hub-bub of a Chinese train station. The lounge also served pastries and refreshments. It was the Chinese railroad equivalent of flying Premier Class. Li had also stopped by the local 7-11 and purchased additional pastries, snacks and coffee for our nearly 5-hour journey to Xi’an. Yes, China did have 7-11s! Thus, we didn’t worry about going hungry.
The Xi'an Fast Train
The Fast Train has three classes. The Economy Class has two sets of seats each being 3 abreast. It was crowded and usually used by students or families with small children. It is very similar to coach on an airplane. First class seating was two abreast with larger seats that reclined without interfering with the space of the person behind you. Also, it had more storage. Complimentary snacks and beverages were served during the journey. Again, business class was much like Polaris Class on United Airlines. It was located in a separate, spacious, and quiet compartment that held only 5 passengers. The seats were wide, individual pods that fully reclined into a bed. Blankets and pillows were provided for those who wanted to sleep their way to Xi’an. Complimentary snacks and beverages were also provided. It is truly a luxurious form of train travel!
The train boarded about 06:30 AM. Since Li was not traveling to Xi’an with us, she got permission from security to walk us to the train and to make sure we were safely situated in our seats. She also informed the “stewardess” where we were supposed to get off and to make sure we didn’t get lost.
We were taking the Fast Train to Xi’an. This was a white, sleek, streamlined, aerodynamically designed train that simply looked fast. It looked like it could be doing 100 MPH standing still! While it appeared very similar to the famous Japanese Bullet Train, the Chinese insisted upon calling it the Fast Train for several reasons, including the fact that they did not want to relate anything to the Japanese. The memories of the Japanese scourge of WWII were slow to die or may never leave.
The train to Xi’an departed exactly on time at 06:58 AM. It slowly maneuvered its way from the South Beijing Railway Station through the massive train yard until it found the tracks that would take us to our destination. At that point, the Fast Train began to live up to its name. Zooming along at nearly 300 Kilometers per Hour (KLM) which was slightly over 185 MPH, the train literally glided down the tracks with only a slight, barely noticeable rocking or movement. A digital speedometer on the front wall of our compartment continuously indicated our speed. Several times I saw speeds as high as 289 MPH! Yet, it really was really a quiet, pleasant ride! Two of our compartment passengers even enjoyed a restful sleep during our journey.
At the cruising speed of 185 MPH and only making 3 stops before reaching Xi’an, the Fast Train arrived on time at 11:24 AM. It traveled the 1,000 KM (620 mile) distance in 4 hours and 26 minutes. As a young boy, I remember taking the Burlington Twin City Zephyr from Chicago to Minneapolis. That journey took almost 10 hours, over twice as long to cover approximately the same distance with a much rockier ride. I quickly became a big fan of the Chinese Fast Train.
Many Chinese Railway Stations are large and can be intimidating. Greeters were not allowed to pass through security to meet travelers on the train platforms. Furthermore, a passenger could exit the platform through several different stairwells. Because of this, Alexa and I decided to wait at the security exit for our tour guides. This was a wise choice, because shortly after our arrival, our driver, named Kamel, arrived with our names printed boldly on his cell phone. We were relieved and happy to see him. Nancy, our actual guide, soon joined us. It should be noted that Kamel and Nancy are not their given Chinese names. However, they, like many of their colleagues, choose western names that were easier for their clients to pronounce. This worked for Alexa and me.
Xi'an, A City with a Long History
Xi’an has a long history. It was the ancient capital of 13 different Chinese dynasties over a period from 1,000 to 3,000 years, ago. The city was at the eastern end of the famous Silk Road, which was traveled by the explorer Marco Polo. In the 14th Century, the Ming Dynasty officially bestowed the name Xi’an on the city which meant “Western Peace.”
Today, Xi’an is a very modern city that has several industries which focus on aviation, technologies, and information technology. However, tourism is also a primary industry in Xi’an. The main attraction that brings tourists to Xi’an is the Terracotta Warriors. This is a famous archeological excavation site that has often been referred to as the 8th Wonder of the World
Soon, we were in a town car heading to the countryside outside of Xi’an where the archeological dig and the museums for the Terracotta Warriors were located. The drive took about an hour. During this time, Nancy gave an interesting and informative lecture on the history of this most significant archeological discovery.
Visiting the Museum of the Terracotta Army
What are the Terracotta Warriors? No, they aren’t the Xi’an professional soccer team! Actually, the Terracotta Warriors are an army of clay soldiers that were created at the direction of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China. Qin Shi Huang united the 7 waring kingdoms and created today’s China. In doing so, he founded the Qin Dynasty and declared himself the first emperor. He reigned from 221 B. C. to 207 B. C. The start of the Great Wall of China was also one of the emperor’s achievements.
The Terracotta Army, more commonly referred to as the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, is a gigantic collection of life-size sculptures of military figures, equipment, and animals made from terracotta clay. These figures are arranged in battle formations that create a massive imperial guard for China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who reigned from 259 – 210 BC. The purpose of this clay army was to guard the emperor in his afterlife. He was the first emperor to unify China.
The archeological site was discovered by chance on March 29, 1974. Three workmen were digging a well when some of the ground collapsed onto the clay soldiers. Immediately, the Chinese government was called. Thus, began one of the world’s most massive archeological sites that continues today. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is visited by hundreds of thousands of curious tourists annually.
I had visited the Terracotta Warriors on a tour in May of 2018. However, this was Alexa’s first trip to China and Xi’an. As we parked the car, I prepared myself for the nearly one-mile hike to the museum sites that I made during my last visit. I was pleasantly surprised when Nancy went to get tickets for the shuttle cart that provided a relaxing ride in the humid heat of the day. We arrived at the museum refreshed and with the energy needed to walk among the exhibits.
Emperor Qin's Massive Mausoleum
Emperor Qin began the building of his mausoleum at the age of 13. It was estimated that over 720,000 workers took 40 years to complete the project and it was completed just 2 years before his death. There was a wide assortment of workers that labored on the project. These ranged from skilled artisans to slave laborers. Their efforts produced an estimated 8,000 military figures–from generals and junior officers to archers and foot soldiers. They also created 130 chariots, 520 work horses, and 150 horses for the Calvary. It was a whole army with nothing forgotten. All the figures were life-size and life-like. Each statue was a unique carving with dramatic details in facial features, uniforms, and body structures. Once finished, the statues were painted in the traditional colors of their military uniforms. In fact, the soldiers were completely painted including the color of their faces. This massive structure was to serve as a mausoleum for the deceased emperor. It took forty years to build Qin’s final resting place. Unfortunately, once these colors were exposed to air, they faded into obscurity. Only on rare finds, do some of the statues still retain their colors. The archeologists and restoration teams are striving to preserve these remarkable artifacts.
Artistic Workmanship Created Lifelike Soldiers and Horses
There are 4 main exhibit buildings that house various elements of the Terracotta Army archeological dig. Our first stop was the hall that displayed some of the most popular and familiar artifacts from the discovery. The most famous ones included the two life-size chariots, each pulled by four horses; the archer; the infantry man; the middle rank officer; and the general. Exhibited in clean, well-lit glass cases, one could get up close and truly appreciate the detail and workmanship. Each human figure had a distinctly different face that easily conveyed what soldiers looked like over 2,000 years ago. One could certainly spend the entire day just admiring these marvelous clay works of art. Yet, time was finite and we had a lot more to see.
Fascinating Details of the Terracotta Warriors
Our next stop was a building that housed one of the extensive archeological excavation sites. One could get a perspective of how deep (23 ft.) the Terracotta Army was buried. Nancy pointed out several broken statues and explained that over the centuries these precious sites had been robbed and plundered. Yet, fortunately, so many had survived. The third building had more examples of the dig “pits” where the numerous statues were discovered.
Nancy saved the best for last. This was the massive 230-meter-long and 62-meter-wide hall (larger than a couple of football fields) that housed the current finds of the Terracotta Army displayed in full battle array. We stood on a balcony at the end of this archeological display. Before us were hundreds of terracotta soldiers in battle formation. There were infantrymen as well as archers. They appeared to be in squad formations that actually made up companies of troops. Standing among the soldiers were several horses. The whole order of battle gave, to a trained eye, an indication of battle tactics used over 2,000 years ago. We were truly fascinated by the whole scene.
Leaving the entry balcony, we were permitted to walk along the side causeway of the arena. This gave a ground level view of the warriors and allowed us to put the size of the statues in true perspective. As we walked along the side of the exhibit, we paused to take photos and admire the detail of the work created by those amazing artisans. At the opposite end of this arena were recently excavated statues being prepared, photographed, and generally examined. It gave us an insight to the efforts being made to preserve these priceless artifacts. It also indicated that this was a continuing effort and the excavation was nowhere near completion.
I suspect many of you have seen pictures of these statues. If not, I would highly recommend googling the Terracotta Warriors. However, the pictures do not do justice to the tremendous scope and magnitude of this incredible museum park. It is totally understandable why so many consider this venue to be genuinely significant.
Even though I had been here before, I was, again, moved and fascinated by what was in front of me… complete Terracotta Army that stretched almost as far as these old eyes could see. Taking the time to study the detail of each figurine could rapidly cause sensory overload. There simply was too much to absorb! I was thrilled that I had brought Alexa here and her wonderful reaction confirmed that she was thrilled to be here, too.
One could easily focus on the detail of the soldier’s armor, or the fact that horses had bits in their mouths. The facial features were almost haunting. I marveled at how each unit was in precise military formation. My true appreciation of the display that lay before me was even more enhanced when I suddenly realized that all this was done with primitive tools and labor. The artisans didn’t have the luxury of power tools, lifting equipment, and the other modern conveniences used by the artists of today. Remember how the word “awesome” was used before it became an adjective that describes pizza? That was the Terracotta Army!
All too soon, it was time to make our way back to our car and to start our journey to the Xi’an Train Station for our return trip to Beijing. But first, we had to walk to the local Starbucks to get a coffee mug that showed Xi’an and the Terracotta Army. Yes, there is a Starbucks at the museum site as well as a Mc Donald’s and a Subway Shop. There was also an abundance of other restaurants, food stands, and souvenir stores.
Meeting History Face-to-Face
After we had refreshments at Starbucks, we walked through an area that looked slightly familiar to me. In my last visit, I had purchased a book that was authored by one of the three workmen who actually discovered the Terracotta Army. At that time, I had the book signed by him and got a lovely photo of us together, holding the book. If fact, I used the photo on one of my business cards. Not knowing of my previous experience, Nancy took us to the same shop. Low and behold, there was the author, Yang Ji-De, sitting in the same spot as before, signing his book. I was thrilled and Alexa also recognized him from his photograph! In fact, she had the original photo on her cell phone. Once the author saw the photo, he laughed, and with a big grin vigorously shook my hand! He remembered me, pointing to my white hair. We purchased another book and had more pictures taken, this time with Alexa. It was a great way to finish a fantastic visit to Xi’an and the Terracotta Warriors.
Return to Beijing
It was getting late. We had an hour drive back to the train station and rush hour traffic was already beginning to swell. Kamel did an excellent job of negotiating the numerous traffic challenges and got us to the station with more than enough time to spare. Nancy was not allowed to join us beyond the security check point. Thus, we gave hugs, said our good byes, and thanked her and Kamel for an outstanding tour and a most enjoyable day. She left us alone to navigate the security kabuki dance that consisted of numerous security check points and repeated displays of our train tickets and passports.
Finally locating our coach and train seats, we immediately longed for the luxury of Business Class. This was the beginning of the 70th Anniversary of the PRC holiday and the train was filled with students and families with little children heading to Beijing to join in the celebration and festivities. First class was more like coach with children yelling, crying and running up and down the aisle. The snoring of sleeping passengers added to the din. I can only imagine what coach was like. Since it was dark, little could be seen outside the windows. Alexa was able to get a few winks of sleep while I occupied myself by playing solitaire on my cell phone. Time passed at a snail’s pace compared to our super-fast train ride that morning. We finally arrived at the same Beijing station from where we had departed almost 18 hours earlier. It was wonderful to see Sunflower Li’s smiling face eager to take us back to our hotel and a much-needed night’s sleep.
Preparations for the Anniversary celebration had caused many streets to be closed off. In fact, the closest our driver could get us to our hotel was within 2 blocks. After a 5-hour train ride, the walk and fresh air felt good. Sunflower Lo safely guided us to our hotel. We sincerely thanked her for the wonderful experience that she and her team had provided for us. We did the entire trip to the Terracotta Army from Beijing to Xi’an in one day…a very long day…but one day. Alexa and I felt confident that we had a complete tour. We were also grateful that because of everything being closed for the upcoming holiday on Oct. 1st, I did not schedule any activities for the next day. Tomorrow was a welcomed free day that included sleeping in late and having a leisurely breakfast.
Jim Thomas – Originally from Aurora, IL, I served 26 years in the U. S. military around the world. Thus far, my travels have taken me to all 7 continents and 114 countries. I delight in the opportunity to actually visit places and experience cultures that most people only read about. My undergraduate degrees in history and political science and a master’s degree in public administration have given me an understanding of world history and the various political issues, globally. My master’s degree in special education from The Johns Hopkins University, combined with 24 years teaching experience, have given me an awareness and insight into the human needs of various cultures. Thus, I use all of these tools in planning my travels and writing my stories. I hope these narratives will serve as an interesting read as well as a useful reference for your own future travels. Jim is a member of ITWPA and you can read more about his travels at Jimpatjourneys.com.