Xian - On and Off the Beaten Path

The Terra Cotta Warriors have made it into the awareness of most savvy travelers, but there is so much more to Xian than just the warriors. Sure, the warrior excavations are the greatest archeological discovery of the 20th century and an absolute MUST when visiting China, but wow, Xian has a lot to offer.

Xian is the capital of China’s Shaanxi Province and is one of the most historic cities in the world – not just in China. The region boasts more than 6,000 years of recorded history spanning 13 different kingdoms and dynastic periods.

My guide for 2 days was Professor Wang Baoping who is one of China’s most knowledgeable archeologists on the Han period (206-220 AD). Prof Wang is the director of the Yangling site – the most technologically advance excavation site in the world and is the result of the collaboration of top archeologists from 8 countries….a very big deal! I won’t bore you with the details here, but if you want to know more, let me know. Truly fascinating.

Essentially, like the Egyptians, the ancient Chinese sought to take some of this life with them into the next. The emperors would start work on their tomb as soon as they came into power. The Terra Cotta Warriors is only a portion of the tomb for the emperor Qin.

The actual tomb of Qin has not yet been opened - just some of the satelite pits which is where the warriors are. The advances in technology continue to grow and the Chinese are just being cautious to optimally preserve the contents.

Amazing area of the world! If you are interested in participating in the excavation work, let me know…I can hook you up!

Also in Xian is The Great Mosque and the Old City - one of the most interesting sites in Xian. It is a great reflection of the history of the Silk Road and the cultural interchange that China and the West underwent in the 8th Century. The Great Mosque was actually built in the late 14th century and given imperial recognition during the Ming dynasty.

Another super exclusive thing we got to do was go to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum for a private viewing of the frescoes taken from Tang Dynasty (618-907) tombs with conservator Wang Jian Qi. Amazing. We couldn't take pictures there, but the frescoes tell the story of the Tang Dynasty period and have been invaluable to historians.

Most people only give Xian 1 day...maybe 2. It is really worth more time if you are at all interested in history. This too is where the dumpling originated...more to come on that.