Izac's Understanding: Observations in China Part 2

Xi'an

At the Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an.

After the Amazing two full days in Shanghai we flew to Xi'an (Xian, Chi'ang--there were a few other spellings for the name). Xi'an was the first capital of China when Emperor Qin (the first emperor, played by Jet Li in the 3rd Mummy movie with Brandon Frazer) united China for the first time. He ruled for 15 years and his son for 4. Then some peasants killed Qin's son and things changed...but China mostly remained. For the most part China has pretty much been the same basic area for over 2,200 years. Whether it has functioned as one country the entire time is debatable--especially when there are sections of 150-300 years of "Warring States/Kingdoms" following a dynasty. I don't know enough of Chinese history...but I'd love to take a class about it or maybe watch a good History Channel series on it.

Emperor Qin was a Bad Mother F#cker.

Not Qin, but a soldier of some sort.

Qin killed off all the defeated warlords in order to create China. He had to kill their families as well. (Machiavelli should be inspired--as will the Evil Overlord people.) Everyone that could claim a title was put the ax. He did this to make sure that he was the only game in town. When you're creating a new country, especially from other countries, you are creating a new order, so you have to be the only source of authority. The Emperor--and successors--became the only game in town and giving rise to a consistent unified country.

You probably should enlarge this one to read it.

So, Qin made sure he was it. One ruler of one country. We might think that once you've killed of the challengers and their relatives that you'd be safe... Not for Qin. He was afraid of death and that he would be attacked by his enemies after he died. That is why he was drinking Mercury--his doctor told him that it would help prolong his life and help him obtain immortality. Yes, 2,200 years ago a Bad@ss was looking for the secret to immortal life. Well, he kicked the bucket at 49 years old from drinking Mercury.

Pit 1

Before he died he was having his tomb prepared--even though he was looking for the secret to immortality (always be prepared, anyone?). Over 700,000 people helped create this tomb. Today, you wouldn't even know it was a tomb, it looks like a large hill Northeast of Xi'an. Unlike the Egyptians, Qin's tomb was covered by dirt. So were the over 7,000 warriors created to protect Qin. He wanted to surprise his enemies in death with an army to defend him. Qin believed that the warriors would protect him against his enemies in death. We'll never know the answer to that--unless you think the Mummy movie was based on a true story.

Most of these guys are being pieced back together and will probably be transported to exhibits.

The Terracatta Warriors were not listed in any official writing in Qin's time or his son's. If they were text, they were lost in the Peasant Revolt that killed Qin's son. Anyway, the Peasants broke into the tombs containing the Warriors (not Qin's primary tomb--probably afraid the Bad@ss would rise up and kick ass), stole their real weapons and destroyed a lot of the warriors and set the tomb on fire.

The chrome-plating kept the weapons sharp. And the ancient Chinese had this way back when--but lost the technique. I wonder what other techniques/methods we've lost and rediscovered or forgotten completely. Maybe space travel.

Over 2000 years later a farm supervisor and three workers were digging a new well and found the Warriors. The Chinese officials at the time thought it would take 7-10 days to dig them up . . . 30 years later and they are not finished yet.

Plenty of Warriors were destroyed during the Peasant Uprising.

You can see the burned wood from when the Peasants lit the tomb on fire. And people are still escavating.

My mom kept saying "They don't do anything small in China." I can see why.

Pit 1 is the largest pit. Qin's people dug the lanes for the Warriors, built wood slats to cover them, laying a layer or two of protective fabric, then finally burying them. You can see why a farming crew found this pit.

Careful - He's watching you.

We saw more than just the Warriors in Xi'an. We went to a school and clinic out in a village. My parents and their friend are teachers and visiting the school helps qualifying this trip as a work related event. We saw the Old City Wall, the Wild Goose Pagoda, and some traditional performances specific to the region.