Xi'an, Part III

The next day we went to see the famous Terracotta Warriors. This exhibit is probably what Xi’an is most well-known for. I saw more foreigners here than in any other place I have been to in China.

The warriors symbolize Emperor Qin’s force that guarded the capital. The warriors are located in 3 separate pits. The pits were never mentioned in any records and therefore it was not until 1974 that they were discovered by local farmers drilling a well. The pits were dug out and then enclosed into exhibition halls. They are known as the “Eight Wonder of the World.”

This is the first pit.

The first few rows of warriors have been completely excavated and rebuilt from hundreds of fragments. The later rows give you a better idea of what the condition the terracotta warriors were in when they were first dug out.

The pit is still in the process of being unearthed. Our tour guide said it may be fifty years before the complete set of warriors is ready for public display. There are supposed to be over 6000 warriors and horses in the pit.

In the afternoon we went to see the ancient royal baths of Huaqing palace during the Tang Dynasty. These are the only remaining royal baths in China.

During the Chinese Civil War in the 1930s, the leader of the Nationalists Chiang-Kaishek had his field headquarters here, where he strategized against the Communists. This was his office.

This was his reception room.

This Lotus Pool was built for Emperor Xuanzong in the year 747. It's ancient! There are also several other royal baths built for other princesses and emperors. They are all built from stone and as large as swimming pools.

At night we traveled to a hotel located at the bottom of the beautiful Hua Mountain with its five peaks. Stay tuned for a recap of our mountain climbing journey!