Our train arrived in Xi'an at 9am on schedule and Katherine was waiting for us with the driver. Many kind old ladies were handing out maps of the city, so Lyn took one but hastily handed it back when the lady asked for payment. Kathy took us straight to a swanky hotel where we used the toilets.
China is not all poverty nowadays.
I think she realised that westerners find the train toilets less than satisfactory and use them only when essential. She explained to us that there was a large political demonstration taking place today right near our booked hotel related to the Japanese government purchase of Diayou Islands. We would avoid that area until the end of the day.
So we started at the beginning, going back to the earliest humans to settle in China. Archeological diggings have uncovered a village at BanPo from 6000 years ago.
The people were hunter-gatherers who built huts of rectangular and circular shapes, plastered with mud.
Kathy is showing us the lifestyle re-creation of the Banpo people.
They lived in a matriarchal society. The museum was very well presented and a huge dome was placed over the diggings so that we could see the actual workings.
There was evidence of a possible writing system:
The remains of burial sites were quite macabre, especially the children.
Moving on to the time of the first emperor of China Kathy took us to the Government owned factory that makes terra cotta models and reproductions of the warriors that we would see later.
Recognise this one?
We were taken through the processes of moulding,
firing and painting and offered products at "special" prices. The miniatures were to be found in markets all over China but our price-checks later suggested we got a reasonable deal from what we bought. The factory was also making beautiful silk embroidery and lacquered furniture.
This worker was cutting stone with a fret saw.
And these ladies are handpainting ceramics.
Very tempting but not possible for us.
Next we arrived at the entrance to the Warrior Diggings along with hundreds of other tourists come to see what the locals call "the eighth wonder of the world". Having eaten very little for breakfast on the train, we requested Kathy to start with lunch before we took on the job of walking around the excavations. The entrance was over a kilometer from the halls so we bought a ticket on the electric buses running people out to the centre. The Chinese have done an excellent job of protecting the sites by building permanent solid structures over all of the pits.
These are some restored warriors
We marvelled at the size of the army of 6000 individualised life-size models. No mass production techniques were used. Just as amazing to us was the work involved in reconstructing the models from the shattered pieces that were being dug up.
The process has been going on for more than 30 years and will go on for a while yet. Some of the sections may remain covered until the technology improves to the stage where the original paint on the statues can be prevented from peeling and deteriorating as soon as the air gets to it.
Another aspect just as amazing is the actual burial place of the Emperor which has only been looked at in small areas so far. It may turn out to be even more fabulous than the hall of warriors.
At 4.30pm we were delivered to the hotel with our luggage and allowed to unpack, but at 5.40 Kathy took us to a lovely restaurant for a special dumpling dinner. We were four people sitting at a round table for six and as the restaurant filled up they sat a mature Japanese couple who were holidaying in China at our table. After saying konichi wha to them they told us they were aware of the current tension between China and Japan. As we left they surprised us with a box of sesame and walnut biscuits that they had bought from the waitress as a token of appreciation. We said origato and sayonara and wished we had brought more little Aussie souvenirs with us for such occasions of international good will.
We had a pleasant walk with Kathy back to the hotel and together with Pam watched our DVD on the warriors prepared by Edmond Capon at the time the Warriors visited Sydney Art Gallery. A very special day.
I think she realised that westerners find the train toilets less than satisfactory and use them only when essential. She explained to us that there was a large political demonstration taking place today right near our booked hotel related to the Japanese government purchase of Diayou Islands. We would avoid that area until the end of the day.
So we started at the beginning, going back to the earliest humans to settle in China. Archeological diggings have uncovered a village at BanPo from 6000 years ago.
The people were hunter-gatherers who built huts of rectangular and circular shapes, plastered with mud.
They lived in a matriarchal society. The museum was very well presented and a huge dome was placed over the diggings so that we could see the actual workings.
Moving on to the time of the first emperor of China Kathy took us to the Government owned factory that makes terra cotta models and reproductions of the warriors that we would see later.
Recognise this one?
We were taken through the processes of moulding,
firing and painting and offered products at "special" prices. The miniatures were to be found in markets all over China but our price-checks later suggested we got a reasonable deal from what we bought. The factory was also making beautiful silk embroidery and lacquered furniture.
Very tempting but not possible for us.
Next we arrived at the entrance to the Warrior Diggings along with hundreds of other tourists come to see what the locals call "the eighth wonder of the world". Having eaten very little for breakfast on the train, we requested Kathy to start with lunch before we took on the job of walking around the excavations. The entrance was over a kilometer from the halls so we bought a ticket on the electric buses running people out to the centre. The Chinese have done an excellent job of protecting the sites by building permanent solid structures over all of the pits.
We marvelled at the size of the army of 6000 individualised life-size models. No mass production techniques were used. Just as amazing to us was the work involved in reconstructing the models from the shattered pieces that were being dug up.
The process has been going on for more than 30 years and will go on for a while yet. Some of the sections may remain covered until the technology improves to the stage where the original paint on the statues can be prevented from peeling and deteriorating as soon as the air gets to it.
Another aspect just as amazing is the actual burial place of the Emperor which has only been looked at in small areas so far. It may turn out to be even more fabulous than the hall of warriors.
At 4.30pm we were delivered to the hotel with our luggage and allowed to unpack, but at 5.40 Kathy took us to a lovely restaurant for a special dumpling dinner. We were four people sitting at a round table for six and as the restaurant filled up they sat a mature Japanese couple who were holidaying in China at our table. After saying konichi wha to them they told us they were aware of the current tension between China and Japan. As we left they surprised us with a box of sesame and walnut biscuits that they had bought from the waitress as a token of appreciation. We said origato and sayonara and wished we had brought more little Aussie souvenirs with us for such occasions of international good will.
We had a pleasant walk with Kathy back to the hotel and together with Pam watched our DVD on the warriors prepared by Edmond Capon at the time the Warriors visited Sydney Art Gallery. A very special day.
We've enjoyed reliving our Chinese trips. The buried warriors are mind boggling but you heard more than we have about the reconstruction of pieces of the models. We had a great day led by Stephen to the Thirlmere Train museum. 15 people went. Stephen took his job so seriously looking after people and the cafe was so slow that he missed both MT and lunch. About 30 people came to the BBQ breakfast last Sunday - much to Elaine's surprise. As it is school holidays we have been preparing the railings around Neri's deck for painting which starts tomorrow. Her Aussie natives are beginning to floower and looking lovely, partly thanks to us. We are looking forward to the completion of her plans for her garden etc. Hope you enjoy Korea as much as we did. The coalition has been back pedalling fast since the carbon tax hasn't caused the downfall of the western world!! G&E
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