Terra Cotta Warriors!! After an hour on the tour bus, we arrived at the factory where they are the only licensed firm to create the reproductions of the warriors. They use the same clay; they have made molds of the original figures. Most of the warriors were badly damaged when they were discovered, so at the excavation site there are a lot of reproductions for people to see.
The first emperor of China united China under one rule over 2000 years ago. He was powerful; it was under his rule that the Great Wall was built. He also built an enormous tomb; one part of it contained life sized figures of his army made of terra cotta. A farmer discovered them in 1974 while digging for a well. They have found over 3000 warriors so far, each with a different face. It was a startling find for the world of archeology and they are still excavating. Besides the figures, they have found 2 bronze chariots and many bronze birds and pots. They have not excavated his actual tomb yet.
At the factory, they explained how the figures are made, showing us the molds and kilns. They also make reproductions of antique Chinese lacquered and inlaid furniture and porcelain statues. Of course, there is a huge showroom where you can buy these things. I picked up a couple of jade lions for my patio. The price included shipping, and, boy, am I glad. Each one weighs about 8 pounds!
Then, off to the museum/excavation site. It is very large, surrounded by 100’s of shops selling souvenirs. When we finally got to the site, it was getting pretty hot. There are 3 pits you can visit, the first being the largest. They discovered most of the warriors at this pit. It is overwhelming. You can walk all the way around it and even see the figures that they are still piecing together. Fabulous!
The crowds were beginning to gather when we left the first pit. We watched a movie explaining the Tang Dynasty, then went to lunch. The tour guide told us we would be having the “best noodles in China”! In the north, the staple is noodles, while in the south it is rice. In the dining room, you could watch guys making noodles, one stretching and pulling until the noodles were angel hair thin, and the other slicing off chunky noodles into boiling water. They both put on quite a show. The food was very good, but I’m still holding off claiming that they were the best in China!
After lunch we went to the last two pits. Pit 2 has some whole figures in it, while pit 3 has mostly broken pieces. Although in pit 3 they have on display four of the most impressive figures: a kneeling archer, a standing archer, a general and a cavalry guy and his horse. The last building houses the chariots, which are half size. It is the most popular building and was so crowded and noisy; I gave up after pushing my way to the first glass case. I retreated back to the outside, where I met up with everyone else in the group.
Tonight is the last night with Bob and Kathleen. They have already been to Beijing, so they are finishing their trip in Shanghai. I will be very sad to see them go.
Photos:
http://public.fotki.com/mjlang4952/terra-cotta-warriors/
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