The Terra Cotta Army

It is Sunday and we are departing Beijing to fly a domestic Chinese flight to the city of Xi’an, home of the terra cotta army. Two days ago there were horrific terrorist attacks in Paris. We were able to follow the news via CNN, BBC & and an English-speaking Asian news network on cable TV in the hotel. In case you are unaware, there is a lot of censoring that goes on in China. There is NO official access to social networks like Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. There is no Google nor gmail. In fact, I had to set up a new email account on Yahoo to keep in touch with my family because it’s the only email that China consistently allows to operate. It only let me include 1 photo per email.

We were concerned but not frightened to fly on the domestic airline. Terrorism is dealt with in a different way in China. See for yourself. Click the hyperlink below.

Reuters

Our guide told us we would have to leave with extra time because heightened security was expected at the airport. Domestic flights in China have different criteria than U.S. domestic flights. For example: on U.S. domestics you must put your 3oz liquids in a baggie in your carry-on. In China all liquids must be in a check-in bag .China also has a HUGE problem with your lithium batteries. All items with these batteries must be in your carry-on and sent through the security scanner separately from the rest of your stuff. They especially dislike power packs. Don & I sort our respective stuff appropriately and proceed to the checkpoint.
I should now mention that my passport photo was taken several years ago. In the picture I have long, brown hair and am not wearing glasses. This seems to present a problem for the security person. (‘Cause we all look alike, right?) She holds up my passport and scrutinizes the picture, then my face. She speaks to the security agent beside her who glances at the photo and shrugs. Remote communications ensue and I am pulled from the line and held to the side. Don, who has sailed through the check, is now laughing hysterically and waving good-bye to me. A supervisor of some sort arrives and she looks at me, then the photo. I smile weakly attempting to look like a somewhat harmless little old lady (little do they know!). She nods, hands me back my passport and allows me to proceed. Now I can send my stuff through the scanner. Once my stuff comes through I am once again removed from the line and hurried to another area. (Now I am getting nervous. Before I was just amused.) At a desk sits an inspector who pulls out my 2 portable chargers (you know, the ones you use to recharge your cell phone or tablet). She looks at my Motorola and says, “This one O.K.” Then she looks at the cheap one my job gave me for an employee appreciation gift and decrees, “This one no good.” She confiscates it then returns my Motorola one and I am escorted back and through the security checkpoint. Don is waiting, smiling and states, “And everyone thought I would be the one to get detained!” I respond with 2 choice words and we proceed to the plane.
The flight is uneventful and we eventually arrive at our hotel. We enter our room and I am overwhelmed by the stench of cigarette smoke. Since I am still suffering with the head cold and the pollution of Beijing I inform Don that the room is unacceptable to me. He mutters something about “enemies of the state shouldn’t be so picky” and heads back to the lobby to request a change. He returns and tells me the desk said all the rooms are none smoking but the Chinese don’t care and do it anyway. The second room is stench free.

The next day we have a lot on our agenda. We are going to the excavation site, having a special dumpling banquet for dinner then capping off the evening with a show featuring dances from the Tang dynasty.

In 1974 four farmers were digging a well and one of them unearthed a broken, clay head. One of the farmers wrapped it up and brought it home thinking it was an old Buddha statue. Since it was a small, rural village word soon spread about the head. Some of the villagers were upset thinking that the farmers would bring bad luck by disturbing the Buddha. Eventually, frightened by the potential consequences, the farmer brought the statue to the local government authorities. Chinese archaeologists came to investigate and it lead to the excavation of the terra cotta army which is considered the archaeological find of the century.

I cannot adequately describe to you the magnificence of actually seeing these silent sentinels. They have stood guard for 2200 years over the underworld realm of the first emperor of China. Don and I frantically start taking photos. We have a finite amount of time to visit the 3 pits and the museum that houses the bronze chariot and horses that were also found on site. These are all in separate buildings spread around the complex. We tear ourselves away from this first and largest pit to explore the other excavations. When we complete all we have about 30 minutes remaining before we have to rejoin our group. We return to the first pit and spend that last half hour marveling at the work that has been done restoring this treasure which was mostly in pieces when found. They are using clay they mine from the actual original site of procurement which is a nearby mountain. To help fund the project there is a workshop that produces replicas in all sizes and types which you can purchase and have shipped home. They will even fashion one with your own head on it.

So, how were these four farmers rewarded for making the archaeological discovery that is called the eighth wonder of the world? Well, first of all they were “relocated” from their family farms. Remember, the government owns all the land and they had some digging to do! Each of the farmers were given 3 food coupons which they each exchanged for what they must have considered the ultimate reward: a bowl of noodles with pork sauce. Amply rewarded (by Chinese government standards) they were relegated back to the obscurity from whence they originated until President Bill Clinton decided he wanted to visit the terra cotta army in 1998. Bill also wanted to meet the guys who made all this possible. This sent the Chinese government scrambling because they had no idea where the fab four were after relocation. Finally, they rounded them up and tried to make them into diplomatic emissaries: i.e. they cleaned them up and tried to teach them a few words of English. They rehearsed them to say, “How are you?” but when the time came to meet Bill they were so frightened and overwhelmed by the Secret Service security detail that instead they said, “Who are you?” Mr. Clinton didn’t miss a beat and responded, “I’m Hillary’s husband.” After that historic meeting the government gave the farmers jobs at the site being available to sign books and take photos with visitors. Today, only one farmer is still alive and is too frail to go the the site anymore. He signs books at home and they are for sale in the museum gift shop. I’m betting he doesn’t get any commission.

It’s now 5:00 p.m. and the complex is closing for the day. We board Bus Number 2 and head back to the downtown area of Xi’an for dinner. Our local guide has been extolling the famous local dumplings but after our disappointing Beijing duck dinner I hold my enthusiasm in reserve. Xi’an is known for their tender dumplings which are delicately filled and shaped into the animals or vegetables that provide their fillings. We are not disappointed here! These things are amazing and we are served tray after tray of delectable dumplings that look like cute little fish, chickens and pig snouts (trust me, it was cute). We are stuffed and ready for our entertainment.

We file into the already crowded theater and by the time the performance starts the room resembles a tetris puzzle. Every available square meter of surface is occupied with chairs and tables facing directions that, unless you are a Chinese contortionist, provide an obstructed view. I realize there are no “maximum occupancy” signs and all the exits are obstructed by patrons. I ask our guide, Christina, if China has fire codes and she blankly looks at me. I plan my escape route which will entail me jumping on top of my table and leaping table to table until I reach the doorway at which time I will go all Chinese on your ass!

The Tang Dynasty show is decidedly better than the Beijing Opera. The live classical Chinese orchestra has some amazing soloists who play traditional instruments and one musician has an uncanny whistling ability. There are 8 different dance sets with stunning costumes, particularly the ones with the long, ribbon sleeves. These sleeves create an ethereal effect, although they remind me of tongues of fire and now I am hoarding the bottled water that was provided to us just in case.
We escape unscathed at the conclusion of the performance and return safely to our room.

Next: We fly to Wuhan then visit the city of Jingzhou