We have come to the conclusion that travel within China is really hard work! It just feels difficult and so, rather than repeat the stresses of Beijing, we opt for a "guided tour" to visit the Terracotta Army. It is not really that much more expensive than a "DIY" version and we have decided that the added stress of negotiating our way to the site, the buying of tickets etc it is definitely worth the extra. We are collected from 7 Sages and board the minibus, collecting other tour members en route. Our party consists 4 Brits (us), 4 French ( who dont speak English) 3 Russian and 1 German - a tough gig for our "English speaking" guide - actually his English extended as far as "Remember my face - there are a lot of groups! Remember the bus we came in and its registration number - there are a lot of buses! Finally remember there are 12 persons in our group!" Sadly our tour involves an initial stop at a government run "reproduction terracotta warrior factory" which roughly translates as "buy your tourist souvenirs here folks!" Not just pottery figures, ranging in size from matchbox to lifesize but also silk, carpets, jade, furniture, jewellery etc. The initial infomation session (lasting about 2 minutes, does atleast yield some useful facts - not least the symbolic detail of various hairstyles and that each warrior has a moustache! We retire to the minibus to wait for the Russians to spend their roubles They return with several conveniently packed and ready wooden packing crates!
Fortunately the stop here doesnt last too long and we arrive at the Museum Complex. The sum total of information given by the guide at this point is "It's very noisy inside, lots of people! There are 3 pits. Meet me back here at 1.30." The two French couples had absolutely no idea what was going on and Nicole ends up translating for them for the rest of the day. Not sure who was more bemused, them or the guide.
The terracotta army isnt just Xians premier site but also one of the most famous archeaological finds in the world and gives one of the greatest insights into the world of ancient China. It has stood guard over the soul of Emperor Qin ( he of Great Wall building fame) for over 2000 years - he was terrified of the vanquished spirits awaiting him in the afterlife and also wanted to ensure his rule continued in death as it had in life. The site was discovered in 1974 by peasants drilling a well, uncovering an underground vault, yielding thousands of lifesize terracotta soldiers and horses in battle formation. One of the most impressive and surprising attributes of the warriors is that no two faces are alike - it is said that you can even find your own image somewhere here. The level of detail is extraordinary: the expressions, hairstyles, armour and even the tread on the footwear are all unique.
There were indeed 3 pits and we duly visit each in turn - in hindsight we probably should have done this in reverse and saved the best till last! The largest and most impressive of the pits is pit 1, an aircraft hangar sized building 230 metres long and 62 metres wide. So far 2000 pottery soldiers and 20 wooden chariots have been uncovered - but the estimate is that there are in fact 6000 men and 50 chariots buried here in total. The pit is an earth and wood structure, divided into 11 corridors which are paved with pottery bricks. Each earthen alley was spanned by strong wooden rafters, covered with straw matting and then fine soil. Around the edge is a single row of foot soldiers facing out and at the eastern end, a vanguard of 3 rows protecting the rest, placed in battle formation. All made with local clay, baked in a kiln and then painted in detail using the highest of ancient technology. Later we learn, more incredibly still, that the weapons held by each soldier were plated with chrome, to maintain their sharpness and shiny surface, even when they were unearthed 2 millenia later and to protect from corrosion. Chrome plating technology was invented by the Germans in 1937 and the Americans in 1950 but had been in use by the Chinese 2200 years before! Mercury was also used as a defence against tomb raiders, contained within the tombs and soldiers themselves and has taken the lives of a number of early investigators of the site. It is a truly amazing place and we spend a long time, walking the perimeter of the pit and viewing soldiers in their various formations. 
The smallest u shaped Pit 3 is next - housing only 72 warriors and horses, believed to be the army head quarters due to the number of high ranking officers unearthed here. There is also what is believed to be a prayer hall used to make sacrificial offerings before battle. Animal bones were heated and depending on the direction and shape of the cracks the future was predicted.
Pit 2 is less impressive, but nonetheless contains 1300 statues. it is still a work in progress and hasnt been excavated to the same extent but was also a big victim of a farmers uprising soon after the death of Emperor Qin. Many of the artefacts uncovered have been found to be already broken. There are however five soldiers, housed in glass cases, which we can see up close.
A kneeling archer, one of 160 found in this pit and a standing archer, one of 172, dressed in unarmoured battled costume.
A mid ranking officer wearing double layer flat hat and squared toed shoes and a cavalryman and his horse.
And a general with upward pointing square toed shoes - only 7 have been found throughout the whole site.
We finish our time here with a slightly bizarre filmshow in a 360 degree movie theatre telling the story of Emperor Qin and his tomb. The film was a cross between a kung fu movie and an episode of "Monkey" all filmed in 1979, crackly, a bit blurry and very badly dubbed! But it was worth the 10 minutes at the end of our visit.
Lunch is also included as part of the tour and we are walked to a "local" restaurant and seated on two large tables. The price of the beer is definitely aimed squarely at "tourists" and we end up having to negotiate the price of bottles of beer. Plates and plates of food are deposited on the table with no explanation of what we are eating. At this point Nicole loses her cool as we have been abandoned by the guide and the restaurant staff are inattententive at best. The guide is eventually located and asked to "guide" us - he admits he has never eaten here and is not allowed to do so! He reluctantly returns to the table and explains each dish before scuttling off back outside to wait. Very, very peculiar.
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| And the toilets were amongst the least fragrant throughout our China stay! |
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